2012 Beaune Les Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus 1er Cru

I caught up with winemaker Frédéric Weber at this Beaune-based producer, and he made a selection for me to taste, since I did not have time to go through their 70-odd cuvées. As usual, Weber was armed with plenty of useful information about the growing season. “The 2020 vintage was warm and dry,” he explained. “The winter was humid and warmer than usual. Bud break was sooner than 2011, in the middle of March, and for the first time we started de-budding on April 14. The flowering was observed around May 8–9 in Meursault and Puligny, and mi-fleuraison was May 15. From June to August, the average temperature was hot, but the main factor was not the heat but the dryness. In this respect, I can’t say that the clay soil suffered less than the limestone. We had 1.7°C higher summer temperatures, 300 more hours of sun and 200mm less rain than average, but 2020 is closer to 2016 in style, with high maturity. You had to taste the berries to find the right order for the harvest. A north wind accentuated the drought, and the Pinot Noir suffered more than the Chardonnay, though I did no effeuillage [de-leafing]. I decided to start picking on August 19, the earliest since 1731. In 2003 it was two days later, but that was a very hot vintage with a two-week heat wave, whereas in 2020, you had high maturity and slow concentration. The hang-time was 84 days – you don't really get the 100 days any more. We picked only in the morning and rented a refrigerated unit to keep the fruit cool. It was important to harvest the Pinot Noir sooner, and it was cropped around 28hl/ha, less than expected as there was less juice inside the berry, while the skin was thick and the pips were rich in tannins. So we did a short 10- to 12-day maceration, just punching down the cap at the end of fermentation. The balance is good between alcohol (13.0°–13.5°) and high levels of tartaric, pH around 3.5 and 3.6. The color is like a Syrah! The Côte de Beaune has around 30% whole cluster while the Côte de Nuits has around 50%. Also, there is a huge difference between the terroirs, and much more energy. The big surprise is the right, as the profile is so classic. For the whites, I racked with a lot of lees in barrel to protect the natural freshness and natural acidity.” The highlights in this range were a superb Meursault-Charmes and two great Chevalier-Montrachets. Overall, I preferred Bouchard Père's whites to reds, the latter perhaps showing slightly more confit-like black fruit instead of red, though I did very much admire the Chambertin, Bonnes-Mares, Le Corton and Nuit Saint-Georges Les Cailles.

As usual, I tasted in Bouchard Pères & Fils subterranean tasting room, focusing on both whites and reds with head winemaker Frédéric Weber. “Personally, I love this vintage,” he told me. “The winter was dry, not so cold, with difficult periods during the spring with frost at the beginning of April. The flowering was difficult with cold weather and rain. We had a lot of coulure. The summer was very hot with a lot of hydric stress, so we did not de-leaf. We never had rain, unfortunately. We reached high maturity, but with the millerandage we kept the acidity with high levels of malic and tartaric acidity. We started picking on 11 September and finished 26 September. It was very long, as we had to adapt the harvest according to plots that needed to be picked quickly and others where we had to wait. Vinification was not so difficult. I just increased the percentage of whole clusters to enhance the freshness and elegance. There were a lot of tannins because of the thick skins, so I just wet the cap. The fermentation went well with no problem with the sugar. I used SO2 just after malolactic and just after racking, which is why I sometimes roll the barrels. For the whites, it was trickier because choosing the date of the harvest was difficult. I waited longer to obtain true maturity, but others picked sooner, which is frightening for me. Wines had a lot of density, quite 2015 in style. The millerandage and tartaric levels allowed me to keep the acidity. The whites are more closed and need more time, which is why the wine have not been racked. The whites remind me of the 1990 vintage and the reds...I really think it is like 1947 [I don’t think Weber oversaw that vintage, but I know what he means.] The alcohol levels are all over 14.0° with Chapelle-Chambertin and Clos-de-Bèze closer to 15°. The whites were cropped at 20-30hl/ha and for the reds it is 20-25hl/ha. That was a bad surprise as we saw the good number of grapes on the vine. The north wind just before the harvest reduced the amount of juice, which happened again in 2020. I didn’t do any acidification - I prefer to adjust the harvest date. The whites and reds will be bottled next year between February and May. I am not sure yet.”

This wide array of whites and reds vary in quality, though there are many excellent cuvées, among them a poised and complex Meursault Genevrières that ranks alongside Bouchard’s Les Perrières, a superb Beaune from the ever-reliable Les Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus 1er Cru, an exquisite Clos Vougeot and very impressive performances from Chapelle-Chambertin and Chambertin, the former from purchased fruit and the latter Bouchard’s own. Some inconsistencies creep in among the Village and Premier Crus where, maybe the acceleration of sugar on the eve of harvest posed unforeseen challenges in terms of logistics and timing, resulting in some cuvées unable to disguise some over-ripeness. In the case of the Beaune Les Teurons, there was a nagging greenness that implies that the phenolic ripeness was not quite synched with the analytical ripeness at time of picking. But overall, there are sufficient high quality wines to merit thorough investigation, plus they tend to be well priced compared to others.

“For the reds in 2018, the winter was very wet and not so cold, twice the rainfall of a normal year," head winemaker Frédéric Weber told me as we tasted in their grotto-like cellar in Beaune. "That was very important as it meant there was moisture in the soil. Spring was a little later than usual and the weather became hot, sunny and dry. The growing season was impressive, the vines very vigorous so that was difficult for the vineyard team. Disease pressure was low as the weather was dry, and a strong northerly wind dried the grapes. August saw high temperatures, 300 more hours of sun than a normal year and 2°C higher in average temperature, so the maturity arrived sooner. Consequently I started picking 30 August with the Pinot Noir. It was a normal crop for Pinot Noir, 35-42hl/ha, Chardonnay more generous, up to 52hl/ha, so we green harvested to eliminate excess bunches - the first time since 2009. We also did not deleaf to protect from the sun. We adapted the vinification: reducing the time in the press and a maximum of 17°C during alcoholic fermentation in the tank and at the end, racking with a lot of lees into barrel. There was a lot of seeds in the berries, which is why I did a soft maceration without punching down the cap, preferring a 10-day infusion. There were low malic levels and malo was a little longer than usual, finishing in June for the whites, but it was quicker for the reds. The reds will be bottled in March to May, later than 2017s. "

Founded in 1731, Bouchard Père & Fils remains an important producer, alongside the likes of Drouhin and Louis Jadot. Winemaker Frédéric Weber mentions the misconception of Bouchard as a large négociant, when in fact it is smaller in size than others and a large proportion of their portfolio is from their own vineyards. In fact, Bouchard Père & Fils are the largest owners of vine in Meursault. Since Joseph Henriot acquired Bouchard in 2005, they have produced some excellent wines that have shone in blind tastings, a reminder that trendy artisan growers do not implicitly offer the finest wines.

“In general, it’s a good year for yield and quantity,” Weber told me. “It was cold in January. The temperature was below freezing for three weeks, and that was good for relieving disease pressure later in the season. So after that, the mildew pressure was low. It wasn’t a difficult year in the vineyard. The end of March was hot and the bud-break was quick, close to 2011. May was nice, with alternating rain and hot days. Flowering was at the end of May and finished on June 6 - quick and homogenous. The summer was generally hot with some periods of dryness, especially in Meursault and Volnay. There were storms, but not too violent, and with no hail problem for the first time in five years. We anticipated good yields in the vineyard. Choosing the date for the harvest was important. It was hot at the end of August and some berries were dry, but there was not full maturity because hot temperatures had stopped the evolution. On August 20, when I analyzed the grapes, I found 1.5gm/l more total acidity compared to 2015. It was important to wait. After 15 to 20mm of rain on September 1, the vines’ cycle restarted and the balance came back between high potential alcohol and acidity. But when I was in the Montrachet vineyard at the end of August, I saw so many people picking!”

“We started the harvest on September 4 with the Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir, the Chardonnay on September 8 and the Côte de Nuits September 12–20. It was a long harvest, as there were a lot of differences in maturity between appellations, though generally the grapes were in great condition. The yields are close to 2010 and 2011. The natural degree of alcohol for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is between 13° and 14.5°, a high maturity level but balanced by the acidity. We conducted a five-day cold maceration, followed by 20 days’ cuvaison, but I reduced punching down the cap because the skins were quite thick and the quality of seed tannin was a little green. The malolactic fermentation came quickly and was finished by March. All the reds are in barrel. Most of the whites are in stainless steel tank. The balance really came for the whites during the ageing. I reduced the length of pressing and declassified all the last parts of the vin de presse to retain freshness and balance. The alcoholic fermentation started in tank at 17° to 18° Celsius maximum and after two weeks, I racked into barrel, where the fermentation finished. In 2017 I waited until the alcohol fermentation had completed before transferring into barrel.”

As I mentioned to Weber after the tasting, the 2017s from Bouchard Père & Fils do not seem to follow the pattern of vineyard status – i.e., some of the Grand Crus are surpassed by the Premier Crus. In a couple of cases, within one appellation I have a preference for their négociant cuvée instead of one from their own vineyard – for example, Clos de Bèze and Chapelle-Chambertin compared to the domaine-owned Chambertin. Perhaps it is one of the anomalies of the growing season. However, Bouchard’s 2017s are studded with excellence: a regal Le Corton, the consistently impressive Beaune Grèves Vignes de l’Enfant Jesus and Volnay Les Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot. Amongst the whites, Chevalier-Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte meet expectations and are always fascinating to juxtapose, and I often prefer this knightly pair over the Montrachet. Generally, Bouchard’s Meursault wines convey a little more charm than the Puligny-Montrachets. I do have reservations about some of the cuvées, though that applies to practically all producers with comprehensive portfolios; after all, you cannot excel in every single vineyard with such a wide range of holdings. Overall, these are well-crafted wines and many will give medium-term pleasure.

Winemaker Frédéric Weber provided a detailed overview of the challenges of the 2016 growing season, during which Bouchard Pere & Fils lost 50% of their estate fruit (there’s no Echézeaux in ’16). In addition to the damaging frost, there was strong mildew pressure during springtime. “The climate changed totally after the summer solstice,” he told me, “but some vineyards eventually suffered from drought and the fruit stopped maturing. So at harvest time [Bouchard began harvesting Pinot Noir in his frosted Beaune vineyards on September 21], we generally had to wait for real ripeness but we had to rush to pick some of our sites.” Significant rainfall on September 16 and 17 restarted the maturity process, especially in the plots that were carrying near-normal crop loads. Weber told me that there was no rot but that he had to eliminate the contra-bourgeons, as these grapes were not ripe and had too much acidity. “The berries looked okay but they tasted green,” he explained.

Weber did what he described as a “quiet” maceration for the ‘16s but reduced his use of whole clusters [to about 15% for his Côte de Beaune wines and 25% to 50% for the Côte de Nuits] “due to the stress in the vineyards and the lack of juice.” Happily, color and structure came quickly so he could carry out a relatively cool maceration, with the temperature of the fermentations finishing no higher than 32 or 33 degrees C., which is lower than usual in this cellar. The malos generally finished in March but the wines were still in barrel on their lees when I tasted them in November. Weber noted that the wines were still changing every day, and that some were reduced, which he took as a sign that the élevage was not yet finished.

The balance of the ‘16s is like that of the ‘15s, he told me, but with a bit more acidity; the pHs in ’16 are 3.5 to 3.7, compared to 3.6 to 3.8 for the ‘15s, with some wines from the earlier vintage as high as 3.9. Weber believes that the 2016s will age longer than the ‘15s but also feels that the '16s will give early pleasure at the dinner table. Two thousand fifteen stands out for the great quality for Pinot Noir "from village wines on up," Weber added, noting that the village bottlings are what he would buy because "they're too good." Despite the atypical sucrosité and lowish acidity of the '15s, said Weber, Bouchard has held back a sizable number of bottles "because we think the vintage is great. But the summer was too sunny for it to be a classical vintage, and certain premier and grand crus in 2016 could be better for aging."

Winemaker Frédéric Weber provided a detailed overview of the challenges of the 2016 growing season, during which Bouchard Pere & Fils lost 50% of their estate fruit (there’s no Echézeaux in ’16). In addition to the damaging frost, there was strong mildew pressure during springtime. “The climate changed totally after the summer solstice,” he told me, “but some vineyards eventually suffered from drought and the fruit stopped maturing. So at harvest time [Bouchard began harvesting Pinot Noir in his frosted Beaune vineyards on September 21], we generally had to wait for real ripeness but we had to rush to pick some of our sites.” Significant rainfall on September 16 and 17 restarted the maturity process, especially in the plots that were carrying near-normal crop loads. Weber told me that there was no rot but that he had to eliminate the contra-bourgeons, as these grapes were not ripe and had too much acidity. “The berries looked okay but they tasted green,” he explained.

Weber did what he described as a “quiet” maceration for the ‘16s but reduced his use of whole clusters [to about 15% for his Côte de Beaune wines and 25% to 50% for the Côte de Nuits] “due to the stress in the vineyards and the lack of juice.” Happily, color and structure came quickly so he could carry out a relatively cool maceration, with the temperature of the fermentations finishing no higher than 32 or 33 degrees C., which is lower than usual in this cellar. The malos generally finished in March but the wines were still in barrel on their lees when I tasted them in November. Weber noted that the wines were still changing every day, and that some were reduced, which he took as a sign that the élevage was not yet finished.

The balance of the ‘16s is like that of the ‘15s, he told me, but with a bit more acidity; the pHs in ’16 are 3.5 to 3.7, compared to 3.6 to 3.8 for the ‘15s, with some wines from the earlier vintage as high as 3.9. Weber believes that the 2016s will age longer than the ‘15s but also feels that the '16s will give early pleasure at the dinner table. Two thousand fifteen stands out for the great quality for Pinot Noir "from village wines on up," Weber added, noting that the village bottlings are what he would buy because "they're too good." Despite the atypical sucrosité and lowish acidity of the '15s, said Weber, Bouchard has held back a sizable number of bottles "because we think the vintage is great. But the summer was too sunny for it to be a classical vintage, and certain premier and grand crus in 2016 could be better for aging."

“The flowering in 2015 was quick and homogeneous, but there weren’t a lot of grapes,” said winemaker Frédéric Weber in November, adding that production at Bouchard was down about 30% from normal, on average, for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. “The 50 to 60 millimeters of rain we had in mid-June was critical for the clay soil's ability to retain moisture. Then we had good rains at the end of June and in July and August . . . just enough. We kept the leaves in the vineyards, which protected the fruit during the heat wave in early July. Then August temperatures were more normal and we didn’t have relentless sunshine. In the end, we got true maturity in 2015, rather than concentration through dehydration.”

Bouchard started harvesting "slowly" on September 2 and picked through the 13th, with potential alcohol levels in the Pinots ranging from 13.5% to 14.5%. “The skins were thick and dark and the color stained the hands,” said Weber. “There wasn’t a lot of juice and the seeds were brown. We had our healthiest grapes since 2005, with no disease, and the most important thing was the quality of the skin tannins."

Weber reduced his use of whole clusters but carried out long macerations “mostly through infusion,” doing one pigeage per day only during the first five to eight days of the fermentations. The last 10 or 15 grams per liter of sugar were finished in the barrels in early November. And the malos mostly finished between April and June. Only a couple wines had been racked by my November visit and Weber noted that the 2015s were never reduced. In fact, he finds that the wines have been gaining in energy and crispness (the whites too!) since the end of the summer, especially those from the Côte de Beaune, and he will likely bottle the wines between February and April of 2017. “It’s a very good vintage,” he concluded, “but it’s too soon to say that it’s great.” His confidence level is highest with the estate wines, which he nonetheless believes were more consistent in quality in 2009 and 2005, as some vineyards suffered from drought in 2015 or were picked too early. (“Some Volnay grapes ripened very quickly at the end; the bunches got dry very quickly.") But the 2015s are sweeter and more concentrated, he added.

Winemaker Frédéric Weber described the harvest of 2014 as completely different on the Côte de Beaune than on the Côte de Nuits. On the Côte de Beaune, “the grapes were scraggly and loose because of the late-June hailstorm; the skins were thick, with a lot of tannins, and the berries gave little juice,” he explained. Owing to the high skin-to-juice ratio, he reduced maceration time for those wines, punching the cap just once a day at the beginning, then working more by infusion after that. But maceration was longer for wines from the Côte de Nuits “because the grapes were more classic, with more juice.” Although his use of vendange entier depended on the plot, Weber generally kept about 10% to 20% whole clusters for his Côte de Beaune wines but more like 30% to 50% for those from the Côte de Nuits. He finds the finished Côte de Beaune wines “more concentrated but without hard or green tannins,” while those from the Côte de Nuits are "juicier and fleshier.” And he predicts that the wines will give a lot of pleasure to amateurs of Burgundy for their definition and complexity.

Winemaker Frédéric Weber described the harvest of 2014 as completely different on the Côte de Beaune than on the Côte de Nuits On the Côte de Beaune, “the grapes were scraggly and loose because of the late-June hailstorm; the skins were thick, with a lot of tannins, and the berries gave little juice,” he explained Owing to the high skin-to-juice ratio, he reduced maceration time for those wines, punching the cap just once a day at the beginning, then working more by infusion after that But maceration was longer for wines from the Côte de Nuits “because the grapes were more classic, with more juice” Although his use of vendange entier depended on the plot, Weber generally kept about 10% to 20% whole clusters for his Côte de Beaune wines but more like 30% to 50% for those from the Côte de Nuits He finds the finished Côte de Beaune wines “more concentrated but without hard or green tannins,” while those from the Côte de Nuits are "juicier and fleshier” And he predicts that the wines will give a lot of pleasure to amateurs of Burgundy for their definition and complexity

There were really two types of Pinot Noir grapes in 2014, according to winemaker Frédéric Weber. On the Côte de Beaune, the berries were well-aerated and had thick skins and good tannins. The stems were mostly ripe but the seeds less so, so Weber reduced total maceration time and did a gentler extraction (just one pigeage per day for the first five or six days of the fermentation and no remontage) for fear of getting green tannins. He vinified with 10% to 25% whole clusters only where the stems were sufficiently ripe.

But the fruit on the Côte de Nuits was “more traditional and classic,” he told me in November. “We had good average yields; the grapes were juicier but had thinner skins and riper stems. ” Here, he vinified with 40% to 50% whole clusters and did a more classic vinification with two punchdowns per day.

Weber noted that the weather changed totally after the damaging hailstorm on June 28. July was rainy and cool and it was hard to work in the vineyards, he said. There were some problems with sunburn at the end of the month, especially on the Côte de Beaune. August was normal but not hot, with the northeast wind taking over at the end of the month. September then saved the vintage with sunny, warm afternoons and cool nights. Grape sugars were around 12% for the village wines, with the crus more often 12. 8% to 13%. There were outbreaks of acid rot, he reported, “but we simply marked the affected vines and didn’t harvest them. ”

Weber believes the 2014s have the balance for good aging, while the 2013 should provide earlier pleasure. But he noted that the ’14s “have become more fruity and open since July, and the tannins have lost some of their aggressivity. ”

Winemaker Frédéric Weber told me he's "astonished by the approachability and pleasure of the 2013 for the next few years." He finds the wines fruity, aromatic and approachable but he's not sure if they have the concentration and structure for serious cellaring. "The 2012s are denser wines with more acidity and tannins," he noted, "while the '14s are more concentrated, with riper phenolics." Weber told me he did a long but gentle maceration for the 2013s, and that the wines "needed time to give up their color.

According to director of winemaking Philippe Prost, 2013 was "colder than usual during every month of the growing season, except for July." There were only two or three nice days in August, he added. The July 23 hail storm was most damaging in Pommard, followed by Volnay, but it came early enough so that the affected fruit could dry out and fall off the vines. Bouchard picked Pinot Noir between September 30 and October 11, beginning on the Côte de Beaune. "Many people were afraid of rot, but we had pulled leaves at the beginning of July to open up the clusters," said Prost, noting that the pinot skins were less fragile than the chardonnay in 2013. He actually kept a higher proportion of whole clusters than usual (typically 10% to 30% in 2013, depending on the cuvée), as the stems helped to decrease the high natural acidity of the wines. The extraction was gentler and longer than usual, with Prost heating the tanks up to 35 or 36 degrees C at the end, but allowing the sugar fermentations to finish in barrel. As is the case with other producers who work with Pinot Noir up and down the côtes, the Bouchard selections from the Côte de Nuits are at once more pristine and more generous than those from the Côte de Beaune.

"The wines from the upper hillsides of the Cote de Beaune kept much better acidity than those from lower down, which were also less complex," noted winemaker Philip Prost."The challenge in 2012 was the proper extraction of tannins, as we were concerned about the low acidity.We were afraid of vinifying with a high percentage of whole clusters.We started with three punchdowns per day but that was too much so we cut back.And we reduced the percentage of new oak by 10% across the board.The wines are rich, soft and large but they have good salty definition.They're not as delineated as the 2010s but they're more consistent."The malolactic fermentations finished in March and April, which Prost characterized as late for the Bouchard reds, but he noted that the wines are staying fresh. Also recommended:2012 Pommard (85), 2012 Nuits-Saint-Georges (86).

Also recommended:2011 Pommard Premier Cru (85), 2011 Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot (85).

Philippe Prost told me that Bouchard started harvesting pinot noir in 2011 on August 29, then began the chardonnay on September 4.The entire harvest took 15 days."There was a huge difference between the early- and late-flowering locations," he reported, "but we did a severe green harvest and we were ultimately able to pick without emergency, even though it seemed that we needed to be everywhere at once.We eliminated up to 3.5% rotten and second-generation grapes."The crop level was small here in the estate holdings, and sugars averaged a half-degree higher than those of 2010.Prost added that acidity and pH levels were healthier on the Cote de Nuits than on the Cote de Beaune and that he did not vinify the latter wines with stems as that would have risked bringing a moldy flavor to the wines.He believes that consumers should hold the 2011 crus for five or six years before opening them. Also recommended:2011 Monthelie (86), Savigny-les-Beaune (86).

Philippe Prost told me that the Henriot team began picking red Burgundy, white Burgundy, and Chablis at Domaine William Fevre on the same day, September 20. The 2010s, he said are as ripe as the 2009s but juicier and more alive, thanks to natural acidity levels that were higher than those of the previous year, "but not too high." Potential alcohol levels were consistently in the 13% to 13.5% range, and no chaptalization was needed. Although crop levels were generally low, Prost emphasized that there were significant differences by vineyard and village in the number of buds, and the time still found it necessary to do a lot of green-harvesting in early July on the Cote de Beaune. The malolactic fermentations generally finished early in wines that came from early harvests, while wines from cooler sites often finished their malos in July or August. The Cote de Nuits crus noted in this report had not yet been racked when I tasted them in mid-November.

Bouchard harvested on the early side in 2009, beginning on September 7 for pinot on the Cote de Beaune. And, as in 1999, said winemaker Philippe Prost, it wasn't the right approach to go for maximum extraction, "as one could easily accentuate the overripeness of the year." It was also important to drop crop at the beginning of August, he went on, "even if we weren't expecting a big crop then. That's because overcropped vines needed longer to ripen and lost acidity." Prost described the acidity levels of the Bouchard 2009s as "average." He told me that the early malolactic fermentations generally happened in wines from vineyards south of Beaune due to higher pHs, and that most of his malos finished in March or April. And he clearly prefers the Cote de Nuits in 2009. "I like their dark fruit expression, their energy, and their generally higher acidity. The wines from the Cote de Beaune haven't really grown during elevage like the 2005s did." He believes that the better 2009s are for long aging simply based on the strength of their phenolic material-"on the high maturity of the grapes without stress."

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the concentration of the pinot noir on the Cote de Beaune in 2008 came mostly from the wind (i.e., dehydration of the berries). As this was not a "natural" concentration, ripeness here is good rather than outstanding, and both malic and tartaric acidity levels were elevated, especially in normally cooler areas like Monthelie and Auxey-Duresses. On the Cote de Nuits, the maturity was more natural, he added. Still, there's a wide range of ripeness and concentration in 2008 by altitude. "The high wines are crisper and had a more classic maturity," he summarized. By the way, at the end of my tasting here, Prost showed me samples of Bouchard's top four white wines from the 2008 vintage, to make the point that 2008 is an excellent year here for chardonnay. They showed spectacularly, particularly the penetratingly mineral Chevalier-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne, and it appears that I underrated a few of these wines last spring.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the concentration of the pinot noir on the Cote de Beaune in 2008 came mostly from the wind (i.e., dehydration of the berries). As this was not a "natural" concentration, ripeness here is good rather than outstanding, and both malic and tartaric acidity levels were elevated, especially in normally cooler areas like Monthelie and Auxey-Duresses. On the Cote de Nuits, the maturity was more natural, he added. Still, there's a wide range of ripeness and concentration in 2008 by altitude. "The high wines are crisper and had a more classic maturity," he summarized. By the way, at the end of my tasting here, Prost showed me samples of Bouchard's top four white wines from the 2008 vintage, to make the point that 2008 is an excellent year here for chardonnay. They showed spectacularly, particularly the penetratingly mineral Chevalier-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne, and it appears that I underrated a few of these wines last spring.

Bouchard's harvest on the Cote d'Or normally is carried out over eight to ten days, as the house has a large team of pickers to draw on. But 2007 brought very heterogeneous ripeness, noted winemaker Philippe Prost. "In the early sites we needed to pick quickly, but the cooler sites required us to wait for a long time," he explained. "It was tricky because when we stopped for a day we had to worry about losing our pickers. It was a bad summer, but cool conditions saved the health of the grape bunches." The team started on the Cote de Beaune on August 27, but didn't finish the pinot noir until September 15 on the Cote de Nuits, where grape sugars ended up a bit lower. Still, grand crus like Clos-Vougeot and Bonnes-Mares were not chaptalized. In the end, added Prost, the skins were a bit thicker than they had been in 2006, and there was better purity of fruit. Bouchard's vertical press gives clearer juice, and the wines went into barrel with fewer "vegetal pieces," he went on. "This has allowed us to let the wines age a long time on their fine lees without racking them, since there's less risk that they will lose color. Ultimately, 2007 has more precision of fruit than 2006, some of which display dusty earth tones."

Bouchard's harvest on the Cote d'Or normally is carried out over eight to ten days, as the house has a large team of pickers to draw on. But 2007 brought very heterogeneous ripeness, noted winemaker Philippe Prost. "In the early sites we needed to pick quickly, but the cooler sites required us to wait for a long time," he explained. "It was tricky because when we stopped for a day we had to worry about losing our pickers. It was a bad summer, but cool conditions saved the health of the grape bunches." The team started on the Cote de Beaune on August 27, but didn't finish the pinot noir until September 15 on the Cote de Nuits, where grape sugars ended up a bit lower. Still, grand crus like Clos-Vougeot and Bonnes-Mares were not chaptalized. In the end, added Prost, the skins were a bit thicker than they had been in 2006, and there was better purity of fruit. Bouchard's vertical press gives clearer juice, and the wines went into barrel with fewer "vegetal pieces," he went on. "This has allowed us to let the wines age a long time on their fine lees without racking them, since there's less risk that they will lose color. Ultimately, 2007 has more precision of fruit than 2006, some of which display dusty earth tones."

Bouchard began harvesting its chardonnay on September 18, but waited three more days before beginning the pinot harvest in Volnay Caillerets and Beaune Greves. According to winemaker Philippe Prost, there were no problems with rot in the estate vineyards, as the team pulled leaves in mid-July and also kept the cluster counts down. Although cluster weights were higher than those of 2005, they were still in the modest 100 to 105 gram range, and no saignee was done in 2006. Prost told me that the team eliminated some rotten and green grapes, as well as some dried grapes in hail-affected vineyards like Clos de Beze and Chapelle-Chambertin. He crushed the fruit only gently, which he says allows for a longer, "quieter" alcoholic fermentation and helps to avoid bitterness at the end of the macerations. Ultimately, said Prost, the wines are generally very healthy, clean and fresh, with good color and good acidity, and tannins that are a bit drier than those of 2005. "What some wines are missing is a bit of texture and concentration," he said. "The hierarchy of vineyards is very important in terms of richness and complexity."

Bouchard began harvesting its chardonnay on September 18, but waited three more days before beginning the pinot harvest in Volnay Caillerets and Beaune Greves. According to winemaker Philippe Prost, there were no problems with rot in the estate vineyards, as the team pulled leaves in mid-July and also kept the cluster counts down. Although cluster weights were higher than those of 2005, they were still in the modest 100 to 105 gram range, and no saignee was done in 2006. Prost told me that the team eliminated some rotten and green grapes, as well as some dried grapes in hail-affected vineyards like Clos de Beze and Chapelle-Chambertin. He crushed the fruit only gently, which he says allows for a longer, "quieter" alcoholic fermentation and helps to avoid bitterness at the end of the macerations. Ultimately, said Prost, the wines are generally very healthy, clean and fresh, with good color and good acidity, and tannins that are a bit drier than those of 2005. "What some wines are missing is a bit of texture and concentration," he said. "The hierarchy of vineyards is very important in terms of richness and complexity."

"Two thousand two is like a blade, while 2005 is more generous," said winemaker Philip Prost. "The 2005s have riper acidity as well as more alcohol and extract." The skins were thick and Prost carried out a week-long pre-fermentation cold soak, but he noted that he did not extract heavily, limiting punchdowns to the first six or seven days of the fermentation itself. Later pigeages in the presence of alcohol would have given the wines a bitterness, said Prost, who believed that the seeds in the 2005 pinots were not completely ripe.Prost vinified his grand crus and a few of the premier crus with about 25% of their stems. Incidentally, Prost believes that the 2005s show a slight salinity; in this dry year, he said, the water in the wine came only from the soil, rather than directly from rainfall. "This gives the wine a crispness and a clean aftertaste, but it's not exactly minerality," he told me. Incidentally, Prost was hardly the only winemaker I visited in November who observed that the 2005 grand crus were evolving particularly slowly. Of course, in Bouchard's new colder, more humid cellar, the barrels retain more CO2, which generally slows down the development of the wines during elevage.

"Two thousand two is like a blade, while 2005 is more generous," said winemaker Philip Prost. "The 2005s have riper acidity as well as more alcohol and extract." The skins were thick and Prost carried out a week-long pre-fermentation cold soak, but he noted that he did not extract heavily, limiting punchdowns to the first six or seven days of the fermentation itself. Later pigeages in the presence of alcohol would have given the wines a bitterness, said Prost, who believed that the seeds in the 2005 pinots were not completely ripe.Prost vinified his grand crus and a few of the premier crus with about 25% of their stems. Incidentally, Prost believes that the 2005s show a slight salinity; in this dry year, he said, the water in the wine came only from the soil, rather than directly from rainfall. "This gives the wine a crispness and a clean aftertaste, but it's not exactly minerality," he told me. Incidentally, Prost was hardly the only winemaker I visited in November who observed that the 2005 grand crus were evolving particularly slowly. Of course, in Bouchard's new colder, more humid cellar, the barrels retain more CO2, which generally slows down the development of the wines during elevage.

Bernard Hervet, who has guided both Bouchard and William Fevre through their respective comebacks over the last decade, ended his relationship with owner Joseph Henriot as of the beginning of February, but both companies have extremely capable winemakers in place (Philippe Prost at Bouchard and Didier Seguier at William Fevre). I tasted in November with Hervet and Prost. Hervet noted that "one will need to age the 2004 reds to allow them to show their personalities. "A saignee of about 3% was done to red and white wines in 2004, which winemaker Prost described as "like washing off the grapes, which were dusty. The result of this step was purer wines. "Prost used a higher percentage of new oak than usual-including 100% for the grand crus-to bring more tannins naturally. "The vegetative cycle in '04 was bizarre," noted Hervet, and the wines were missing a bit of fine tannins. Hervet noted that 2004 was the first time the house did not start picking on the ban de vendange. "We waited for three days, even for our earliest-maturing sites," he said.

Bernard Hervet, who has an amazing stock of well-stored old bottles in the Bouchard cellars, compares the historic 2003 vintage to 1959, 1947 and 1865(!)."We can reproduce a vintage like 2002 every five years now, but 2003 only every 50 years," he told me.Bouchard harvested on the early side in '03, bringing in virtually all of its fruit between August 21 and September 1.Hervet noted that the ripening speeded up during the second week of August, and that because the domain's vines average at least 30 years of age there were very few problems with stressed young vines.Winemaker Philippe Prost avoided adding acid during the vinification because he "did not want to destroy the balance of the must," but he did correct a few wines, almost entirely from the Cote de Beaune, after the malos in early spring.The overall objective, Prost told me, "was to protect the purity of the fruit.Our target in 2003 was not to produce Rasteau." Finished acids are on the low side, but the pHs are sound, as there wasn't much potassium in the fruit, says Hervet. Most of the 2003s I tried in November were already in bottle.

Bernard Hervet, who has an amazing stock of well-stored old bottles in the Bouchard cellars, compares the historic 2003 vintage to 1959, 1947 and 1865(!)."We can reproduce a vintage like 2002 every five years now, but 2003 only every 50 years," he told me.Bouchard harvested on the early side in '03, bringing in virtually all of its fruit between August 21 and September 1.Hervet noted that the ripening speeded up during the second week of August, and that because the domain's vines average at least 30 years of age there were very few problems with stressed young vines.Winemaker Philippe Prost avoided adding acid during the vinification because he "did not want to destroy the balance of the must," but he did correct a few wines, almost entirely from the Cote de Beaune, after the malos in early spring.The overall objective, Prost told me, "was to protect the purity of the fruit.Our target in 2003 was not to produce Rasteau." Finished acids are on the low side, but the pHs are sound, as there wasn't much potassium in the fruit, says Hervet. Most of the 2003s I tried in November were already in bottle.

Managing director Bernard Hervet describes the 2002 domain reds as very good wines, generally superior to those of 2001.But he admitted that it was harder to find topnotch wine to buy in 2002 than in 2001, as "too many wines in 2002 were from fruit that was picked too early, or was overextracted."Winemaker Philippe Prost added that grape sugars were generally higher on the Cote de Nuits, but that the flowering was better on the Cote de Beaune, and he finds that the latter wines have even more concentration.The young 2002s were racked between the end of June and early August.(Clicquot Inc., New York NY

Managing director Bernard Hervet describes the 2002 domain reds as very good wines, generally superior to those of 2001.But he admitted that it was harder to find topnotch wine to buy in 2002 than in 2001, as "too many wines in 2002 were from fruit that was picked too early, or was overextracted."Winemaker Philippe Prost added that grape sugars were generally higher on the Cote de Nuits, but that the flowering was better on the Cote de Beaune, and he finds that the latter wines have even more concentration.The young 2002s were racked between the end of June and early August.(Clicquot Inc., New York NY

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, Burgundy's 2001 vintage is particularly difficult from Volnay south, and Bouchard will offer only two Volnay crus For example, the Taillepieds and the Fremiets, which could not completely avoid a taint of hail, were declassified into a Volnay villages Bouchard carried out longer vinifications with gentler extraction in 2001 (with the exception of the Vosne-Romanee Reignots and La Romanee, which received more frequent punchdowns), with the objective of retaining freshness while avoiding hard tannins. After the first racking in the late spring of 2002, numerous 2001s went into one- or two-year-old barrels. The top Bouchard 2001s will once again be stellar. In recent weeks, a number of the house's 2000s, including a couple from the Cote de Beaune, showed more depth and definition of flavor than did their peers in a series of blind flights, no doubt due in part to the house's practice of harvesting on the early side to retain acidity.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, Burgundy's 2001 vintage is particularly difficult from Volnay south, and Bouchard will offer only two Volnay crus For example, the Taillepieds and the Fremiets, which could not completely avoid a taint of hail, were declassified into a Volnay villages Bouchard carried out longer vinifications with gentler extraction in 2001 (with the exception of the Vosne-Romanee Reignots and La Romanee, which received more frequent punchdowns), with the objective of retaining freshness while avoiding hard tannins. After the first racking in the late spring of 2002, numerous 2001s went into one- or two-year-old barrels. The top Bouchard 2001s will once again be stellar. In recent weeks, a number of the house's 2000s, including a couple from the Cote de Beaune, showed more depth and definition of flavor than did their peers in a series of blind flights, no doubt due in part to the house's practice of harvesting on the early side to retain acidity.

Following the difficult harvest of 2000, Bouchard sold off 20% of its domain red wine (especially the wines from young vines) and purchased 35% less grapes and wine than in 1999. Bouchard selected carefully, said managing director Bernard Hervet, but often the growers from whom the house purchases wine do not own triage tables. One of the major problems this year, according to Hervet, was wide differences in phenolic maturity within and between vineyards. In young vines in particular, grape sugars were often sound, but there was insufficient maturity of the skins and thus rather pale colors. Still, winemaker Philippe Prost carried out a gentler extraction than usual, doing no punching down of the cap after the first three or four days for fear of getting hard tannins. The 2000s were racked before the 2001 harvest, and Prost expected to bottle them early, between December and February.

The 20th century went out with a bang for red Burgundy lovers, with the 1999 vintage producing copious quantities of excellent to outstanding wine.

From the outset, the 1999 red Burgundies offered a rare combination of charm and power. Most of the better wines were balanced and alluring from the start, but they are evolving very slowly and still have plenty of life ahead of them. While many of the ‘99s I sampled with the producers this winter have gone through sullen stages in bottle, most of them have launched into their periods of peak drinkability. If you own these wines – and especially if you chose wisely at the outset – you will be amply rewarded.

Following the difficult harvest of 2000, Bouchard sold off 20% of its domain red wine (especially the wines from young vines) and purchased 35% less grapes and wine than in 1999. Bouchard selected carefully, said managing director Bernard Hervet, but often the growers from whom the house purchases wine do not own triage tables. One of the major problems this year, according to Hervet, was wide differences in phenolic maturity within and between vineyards. In young vines in particular, grape sugars were often sound, but there was insufficient maturity of the skins and thus rather pale colors. Still, winemaker Philippe Prost carried out a gentler extraction than usual, doing no punching down of the cap after the first three or four days for fear of getting hard tannins. The 2000s were racked before the 2001 harvest, and Prost expected to bottle them early, between December and February.

In the past few years, this revitalized vineyard owner and negociant has been offering consistently excellent to outstanding Burgundies. Both the reds and whites generally offer fresh, complex aromatics and in recent vintages have also had seamless, suave texture to go along with their aromatic precision. Indeed, managing director Bernard Hervet pointed out that the domain vines are reaching maturity (average age is now a bit over 25 years), and that the wines are becoming more opulent as a result. I was struck by the sexy oak tones of a number of the '99s, no doubt partly due to the percentage of Taransaud barrels used at Bouchard. At the time of my November visit, the '99 reds had already been racked twice, first following the malolactic fermentations last spring and again prior to the 2000 harvest. Winemaker Philippe Prost chose to do an extra racking so that he would be able to bottle the '99s without filtration (Bouchard stopped fining its reds after 1990).

In the past few years, this revitalized vineyard owner and negociant has been offering consistently excellent to outstanding Burgundies. Both the reds and whites generally offer fresh, complex aromatics and in recent vintages have also had seamless, suave texture to go along with their aromatic precision. Indeed, managing director Bernard Hervet pointed out that the domain vines are reaching maturity (average age is now a bit over 25 years), and that the wines are becoming more opulent as a result. I was struck by the sexy oak tones of a number of the '99s, no doubt partly due to the percentage of Taransaud barrels used at Bouchard. At the time of my November visit, the '99 reds had already been racked twice, first following the malolactic fermentations last spring and again prior to the 2000 harvest. Winemaker Philippe Prost chose to do an extra racking so that he would be able to bottle the '99s without filtration (Bouchard stopped fining its reds after 1990).