Medium-pale lemon yellow. The nose is forward and deep, a little vanilla-custard and maybe some background sulfur that seems to slightly dull a citrus edge. The palate is… well… wow! Super-intense. It’s hardly at its best given my lack of patience as the impressive parts are not yet a ‘whole’ but there is reasonable minerality, impressive mid-palate intensity and and a great ‘zing’ to the acidity. The length is very good rather than outstanding, but clearly a bargain at the price.
Bouchard Père et Fils
1997 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus
The nose is reasonably fresh and quite wide. In this company the palate is very fresh yet still appears balanced. The fruit is tight yet ripe, but is wrapped in fine tannin that adheres to your teeth – they seem ripe enough. This is the youngest wine I’ve yet come across in this series of ’97’s, I would not hesitate in saying leave these for another 5 years. Seems to have real potential.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Bourgogne Blanc Les Coteaux des Moines
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault Gouttes d'Or
Given my preference for the fresh and mineral plus 2005’s rather rich expression I was preparing to dislike this bottle – but I was rather surprised: The nose is waxy, wide and concentrated – smells lovely. There’s almost an oily concentration on the palate but with a surprisingly wonderful balance. This is a really lovely wine that shows super length. I could get to like this – really!
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Aloxe-Corton
Medium, medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose starts very red, ripe and forward, slowly becoming more interesting – coffee and cinnamon edged. Fresh and sweet, the wine expands in the mouth – nicely lingering flavours. The tannin is very well covered. A very successful and super value wine – heartily recommended.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault Les Genevrières
Here is a vineyard that that was picked on the first day of the vintage. The nose is wide and nicely mineral. Again there is a soft and rather oily texture; it’s rich and slightly honeyed, but the overall effect is quite elegant. It seems more understated than the Gouttes, certainly without the ‘boom’ of that wine’s finish.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Monthelie
I remember the young 2003 making a strong impression for it’s fun, concentrated fruit-essence style. This wine (bottled in January) is almost as much fun, but considerable more sophisticated. From Bouchard’s own 2.9 hectares of vines. The nose is wider and fresher than the Bourgogne, with darker-skinned fruits and a little oak spice. Fuller in the mouth, considerably more serious structure – some grain to the tannin which clings to your teeth – yet this retains a fun face. Supple and ripe. Nice wine.
1998 Bouchard Père et Fils Chambertin
Deep colour, a core of garnet with a ruby rim. The nose is very deep, and quite reduced. With time the nose is much fresher with higher-toned jellied fruit – almost confiture – creamy black-skinned fruit forms its base – this is now lovely. The nose continues to really impress, the higher tones have become ever redder though the base remains black and creamy. A fresh palate with laser-like intensity – this is excellent – plenty of velvetty tannin and certainly longer than Grivot’s 97 Richebourg, though that length (like the Richebourg) is quite oak based and initially slightly bitter. The fruit needs five minutes to provide a nice sweet black impression, still quite primary, but it starts to come through on the finish too – with just an edge of creaminess, there are plenty of tannins bathing the mid-palate and finish but they seem quite round. The last bottles should wait a minimum of five years in the cellar, probably much longer – but they will be excellent.
2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin
From purchased grapes. The high-toned nose is a little animale – softly musky. The palate is wide and ripe with understated but very present tannins. Lovely balancing acidity and good length. This is another wine that you can keep for years – though unlike the Corton, not out of neccessity! Eventually the nose is more fruit driven with sweet oak notes complimenting.