Winemaker Notes
Founded in 1731, Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest wine merchants and one of the largest landowners in the Côte d’Or. Over the centuries, the House has been devoted to attaining highly renowned parcels to produce exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With uncompromising quality standards, long term grower partnerships and ageing in a state-of-the-art winery results in wines of outstanding consistency and the truest and finest expression of each terroir.
Bouchard Père & Fils joined the Henriot family portfolio in 1995.
Over time, by acquiring various terroirs with great care and patience, Bouchard Père & Fils has built up a vast domaine in Côte-d’Or. Today the estate boasts 130 hectares of vines, of which 12 are classed Grand Cru and 74 classed as Premier Cru.
Bouchard Père & Fils is an example of unique Burgundy heritage, offering great diversity and a raft of prestigious appellations: Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Beaune Grèves Vignes de l’Enfant Jésus, Bonnes-Mares, Meursault Perrières… names that resonate with history, inspiring respect and encouraging the pursuit of excellence, with 4 monopolies and exclusives among them. These remarkable parcels are meticulously tended by our teams who are responsible for the maintenance of the estate’s vines.
Savigny-lès-Beaune is a small village near Beaune that produces delightful red and white wines under its own appellation name. Cut by a river, the vineyards on its southern side have sandy soils that result in charming, floral reds. Premiers Crus vineyards on this side include Les Peuillets, Les Narbantons, Les Rouvrettes and Les Marconnets.
On Savigny’s northern side, bordering Pernand-Vergelles, vineyards are planted on rocky soils and produce juicy and spicy Pinot Noir. The village’s best whites, all made of Chardonnay, are full on the palate and abound in texture, complexity and freshness.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”