As the well regarded Wine writer Andrew Jefford commented recently “Burgundy is famously morsellated”! Tiny strips of land attached to 100’s of villages, some bearing individual village names, some double barrelled, others the umbrella label of a “middle-man” négociant and all of it subject to the most extreme quality variations between vintages! Who truly over-delivers in this often under-delivering region?
We at FWW are intent on wearing our detective hats and searching out the best, the most reliable, the ultimate in quality and value for our Yacht clients. So, given that Bouchard Père et Fils absolutely fits the brief, we’d be mad not to list them!
A change in ownership in 1995 led to a serious spring clean of the cellars and an off-load of all the dross leaving a serious Treasure Trove which as well as sourcing from reliable contract growers in the Burgundy region, includes an impressive ownership of 130 hectares of Côte d’Or vineyard area. Alongside comes the sexy, stony and sublime portfolio of quintessential Chablis wines with the portfolio of William Fèvre, also under the same company management.
So, what are the wines like? The winemaker, Philippe Prost allows the expression and personality of each vineyard to shine through, rather than aiming for a safe and homogenous “house” style. Careful use of oak and diligent monitoring of ripeness levels: Burgundy is renowned for being perversely chilly in the Summer months, just when you would wish for optimum and yummy sunshine. Don’t even get me started on the weird freak hail storms and unseasonal frosts that the region is notorious for! We end up with cossetingly voluptuous Chardonnays and velvety yet highly strung thorough-bred Pinot Noirs from a wide range of Appellations. We are talking purity and precision, and an uncanny ability to nurse the best from even the dodgiest of harvests! Boost ya Bouchard on yer list!
Helen Brotherton
14.02.12
+33 (0)6 42 15 51 21
helen@finewineworks.com
