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Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils Meursault 1er Charmes' 2022

Product information

Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils Meursault 1er Charmes’ 2022

Chardonnay from Meursault, France, Côte du Beaune, Burgundy

Original price was: $365.Current price is: $331.

Closure: Cork

Description

A cool, pure and airy nose reflects notes of Granny Smith apple, acacia blossom any variety of citrus influences. The medium weight flavors possess a sleek and intense mouthfeel while offering excellent length on the powerful but linear and firmly austere finale. This is extremely promising but a wine that is presently quite tightly wound and one that is unlikely to make for especially interesting early drinking. 2032+ (from Charmes Dessous). Sweet spot Outstanding ♥

Allen Meadows, Burghound 91-94 Points WK 92-94

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Check out all of the wines by Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

An Update on Domaine BOUCHARD Pere et Fils

From Burghound
As has been widely reported in the wine press, Maisons & Domaines Henriot, which controls both Bouchard Père & Fils and William Fèvre in Chablis plus Beaux Frères in Oregon, has joined Artemis Domaines, the new incarnation of François Pinault’s wine holdings. These include Domaines Clos de Tart and Eugénie in Bourgogne, along with Château Latour in Bordeaux and Château Grillet in the Rhone plus Araujo Estates in Napa. Artemis will reportedly control 75% of Henriot though I was unable to independently confirm that figure. How Artemis will restructure Bouchard, if at all, remains to be seen. There is though speculation among some observers that Bouchard’s so-called lower-level vineyards will be sold off and it will focus on becoming more of a luxury brand, more in the image of Eugénie or Clos de Tart. By contrast, others think it will be split into several domaines, with the lower-level vineyards continuing to be made and marketed by Bouchard while another, yet to be determined, entity will take the most prestigious vineyards and market them separately. Both scenarios are at least plausible as Bouchard’s holdings are among the greatest in all of Burgundy. We will see going forward but at a minimum, Winemaker Frédéric Weber noted that they bought in very little fruit and/or must in 2021 and 2022, and that going forward, they would concentrate almost exclusively on producing wines from domaine-owned vineyards. Indeed he said that there would be zero négociant activity as of 2023. He was careful to say that no permanent decisions had yet been made and that the focus on domaine vineyards was simply a ‘natural’ first step. This is an important story that will bear updating

About Bouchard Père et Fils

Explore Bouchard on Vimeo🎥

Renowned and respected as one of the finest producers in Burgundy, Bouchard Père et Fils has truly become an institution, known for the exceptional quality of their wines and the diversity of its many vineyards.

Founded in 1731,  Bouchard Père et Fils has built up an estate of 130ha and, collectively, is the largest owner of Grand Crus (12ha) and Premier Crus (74ha) across the Côte d’Or Bouchard Père et Fils represents almost one hundred ‘climats’ or uniquely diverse vineyards, including prestigious monopoles such as ‘Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus’ and ‘Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte’.

In 1820 Bernard Bouchard purchased the Château de Beaune, a former royal fortress built in the 15th century by King Louis XI. Four of the five original towers of the fortress, as well as parts of the ramparts, still stand today, and have featured on the list of historic monuments since 1937.

The cellars run deep underground beneath the property providing ideal natural storage conditions for Bouchard Père & Fils’ fine wines. Up to 10 metres deep, the wines develop and age undisturbed. These include a unique collection of over 2,000 bottles from the 19thcentury. A priceless historical legacy with, as its icon, the oldest wine – a Meursault Charmes 1846 which still retains its luster.

Over time, by acquiring various terroirs with great care and patience, Bouchard Père & Fils has built up the biggest domaine in the Côte d’Or. Today the estate boasts 130 hectares of vines, of which 12 are classed Grand Cru and 74 classed as Premier Cru.

 

In the Vineyard

The Bouchard estate over 48 km from north to south with a mosaic of 450 different vineyards. The different vineyard parcels receive special care and attention all year round, with each site managed using sustainable viticulture in order to bring out the authenticity and full potential in the wines. To ensure the highest quality, the grapes are harvested by hand, placed in small crates, and then carefully selected on sorting tables.

In the Winery

Located 5 metres below ground level, the vinification vat room fruit and must to be transferred naturally by gravity into the estates 138 maceration tanks or presses. Over 100 different wines are vinified here. They are then matured in oak in a cellar with a 4,000 barrel capacity.

This maturation period allows the purity of the aromas and flavour profile of each terroir to fully express themselves. Dug 10 metres below ground, with no covering other than the earth itself, the barrel cellar provides ideal, natural conditions of ventilation and humidity for the wines to complete their long maturation process.

The 2022 Vintage at Bouchard by William Kelley

The 2022 vintage is another tour de force for Bouchard, as the accompanying tasting notes reflect. Technical director Frédéric Weber reported little in the way of hydric stress, with rapid ripening at the end of the season that saw some parcels accumulate 1.5% potential alcohol in as little as three days. Fortunately, the team hadn’t performed any deleafing and were able to apply protective kaolin clay as sunblock for the leaves and fruit to ride out the heat wave. Harvest began on August 26, with anything picked after 11 a.m. left overnight in a cold room for processing the following day, and the harvesters stopping work at 2 p.m.

As I’ve written before, viticulture chez Bouchard is among the best of the big houses (I drive past their Beaune vineyards several hundred times every year). Organic conversion is underway, and canopies are now hedged to 1.30 meters, around 30 centimeters higher than the classic low rognage that still predominates along the Côte—forward-thinking innovations that will no doubt find imitators in short order among other big players. Vinifications in red increasingly incorporate whole bunches, and whites are barreled down before the end of alcoholic fermentation, with foudres now employed for the second winter of élevage for some cuvées.

The 2022 Vintage in General by Allen Meadows, Burghound

The best wines are modern classic Burgundies in the best sense of that term. They have something of everything in terms of a tantalising freshness as they are decidedly very Pinot in character followed by good, if not truly remarkable transparency on the palate. To obtain transparency, you usually have to sacrifice either richness or concentration and this is what is so special about the 22’s is that they have enough to each that it renders the mouthfeel to be particularly seductive while retaining the balance necessary such that a complete picture of a given terroir can be assessed and appreciated. With respect to agreeability 2022 really is one of those rare vintage where almost everyone can have their cake and eat it too, like them young, no problems, like them old no problems as well.

The 2022 Vintage in General by Jasper Morris MW – Inside Burgundy

“All other things being equal, I would recommend going large in 2022, large in the sense of a broad range because there are so many really good wines at all levels.”

Jasper Morris MW

Where in the World is Bouchard Père et Fils

Bouchard Père et Fils Domaine is located in the village Beaune, while the winemaking take place at the St Vincent winery in Savigny-lès-Beaune. In the course of the estates long history, it has built a vast portfolio of vineyards and sites. They work with 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 exclusivities among them.

This wine is from the 1er Cru Genevrières in Meursault.

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91-94 Points

A cool, pure and airy nose reflects notes of Granny Smith apple, acacia blossom any variety of citrus influences. The medium weight flavors possess a sleek and intense mouthfeel while offering excellent length on the powerful but linear and firmly austere finale. This is extremely promising but a wine that is presently quite tightly wound and one that is unlikely to make for especially interesting early drinking. 2032+ (from Charmes Dessours).Sweet spot Outstanding ♥

Allen Meadows, Burghound

92-94

Aromas of golden orchard fruit, clear honey, hazelnuts and white flowers introduce the 2022 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes, a medium to full-bodied, rich and satiny wine that’s deep and layered, with lively acids and plenty of chalky structuring extract. It’s built for the cellar.

William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

Where in the world does the magic happen?

Bouchard Père et Fils, Rue du Château, Beaune, France

Meursault
Côte du Beaune
Burgundy
France