2009 Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée

"What would you like to taste?” Cédric Bouchard asks as we descend into his cellar, where the cool temperature provides a much-needed break from a brutal heat wave. “Really, whatever you want,” Bouchard says before picking out the bottles for this remarkable retrospective of what is arguably his flagship Champagne and one of the most distinctive wines in the entire region, the super-rare Pinot Blanc La Bolorée. I also added a few vintages of the equally rare Rosé de Saignée Creux d’Enfer that I tasted on this visit.

It's all about the journey with Cédric Bouchard. One of the most inquisitive, searching winemakers in Champagne, Bouchard is driven by a relentless sense of curiosity. Every time I visit, there is something new going on there. One of Bouchard's newest projects is a sparkling wine he is making with Bill Wenzlau and Justin Tyler in the Santa Rita Hills. As for Bouchard's own wine, well, they are pretty special. Tasting these wines many times over the years has taught me that the 100% Pinot Blanc La Bolorée is the most special wine in a portfolio of memorable Champagnes that challenge the traditional boundaries. The Bouchard Champagnes are all single-vintage, single-variety and single-parcel, and are bottled with no dosage. For more readers might enjoy this short video and this recent retrospective. Sadly, there is non Ursules until next year, when the wine will formally be a vintage Champagne.