René Bouvier - Marsannay Le Clos Monopole 2016

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Bernard Bouvier is one of the very best winemakers in Marsannay, showcasing the rich heritage of this town. A staunch advocate of the “infusion” method—which breaks with the aggressive extraction techniques Burgundy has used in the past—he favors full-bodied wines that are enjoyable both young and aged, harvests the grapes at full ripeness, and intervenes as little as possible. He is guided in his choices by emotion and tactile sensation. Noteworthy are the warm welcome at the estate, its organic approach, and a range of benchmark Gevreys, Marsannays, and Fixins that are both affordable and highly consistent in quality. This is a winery that never disappoints; the wines are as close as possible to their terroir of origin, thanks to the delicate winemaking techniques that characterize the estate’s production.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

This family-owned estate, now in its third generation, boasts a rare collection of old vines, with an average age of about 50 years. Bernard Bouvier, 52, released his first vintage in 1986 and is part of a generation of winemakers who have brought a breath of fresh air to Burgundy. After, like many others, succumbing to the allure of modern, highly concentrated wines, he corrected his approach to produce more refined cuvées. 2009 marked the transition to organic farming, and 2010 saw the start of whole-cluster fermentation, averaging 50% across all wines. A more moderate use of new oak and more precise decisions regarding ripeness have recently resulted in much more accomplished wines, which were rewarded last year with a first star. Organic certification was lost in 2016 but is currently in the process of being re-approved.