Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune du Château 1er Cru rouge Domaine 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

From Cazetiers to Bouzeron, this major Beaune wine merchant founded in 1731 owns more than 142 plots spanning 130 hectares of vineyards, including 73 hectares of Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. This first-rate viticultural heritage enables Frédéric Weber, a talented winemaker who previously managed Château de Poncié, to produce approximately 600,000 bottles out of the total three million units produced here each year; the majority of the production comes from purchased grapes for the great reds and from carefully selected musts for the whites, other than those from the estate. Impressive success with both white and red wines in recent vintages.

Decanter

About the wine:

The 2022 vintage of Château de Bouchard’s Beaune features a deep color and aromas of ripe blackberries and plums, with earthy, smoky, and spicy notes. The great purity of the fruity aromas combines with a seductive smoothness on the palate, giving way to a firm tannic structure and a lingering finish. The grapes come from a blend of 17 different Premier Cru climats in Beaune; about one-third are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is currently aging in barrels (one-third of which are new)—a truly delightful combination. 2027–2055

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Some of Beaune’s finest terroirs are blended to produce the Château Beaune 1er Cru 2022, a medium-bodied to full-bodied wine that is supple and pure, evoking peonies, sweet spices, and red berries. This smooth and harmonious cuvée finishes with a briny aftertaste.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Light to medium red in color. Bright, vibrant red fruit, tart and not sweet. As with the Savigny Les Lavières, the tannins dominate the fruit on the palate, but they are supple and well-structured, without being harsh. A flavorful, peppery palate, though not yet charming. Shows promise in the medium term. 2027–2034

James Suckling

About the wine:

A youthful and alluring nose of red fruits with delicate earthy notes. This is followed by a generous palate, ranging from medium-bodied to full-bodied, where ample, well-structured tannins and restrained richness blend beautifully, with aromas of cherry pit and licorice that envelop a solid core on the finish. A cuvée sourced from most of the estate’s vineyards located across 17 Beaune 1er Cru sites, first produced in 1907. Made from organically grown grapes. Ready to drink now or for aging.