2019 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand 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.

“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.

“For the first time in a while, we had a normal year,” said winemaker Frédéric Weber about 2017. “We had good yields everywhere, although not as much crop as in 2009. Three very cold weeks of winter were good for disease control and there wasn’t much mildew pressure in ’17, so it was an easy year. The flowering went quickly under good conditions at the end of May and the beginning of June. We had some hydric stress at the end of June but the season was fast and we had to work quickly in the vineyards. On August 20, we had the same potential alcohol levels as in 2015 but with 1.5 grams per liter higher acidity, so we had to wait for better maturity. Hot, sunny weather at the end of August resulted in some dried grapes and caused some fruit to lose acidity, but then a big rainfall at the end of the month restarted the vines. We saw a bit of dilution in Chardonnay but not in Pinot Noir because the stems were already brown and did not carry water."

Bouchard actually began harvesting on September 6 with Pinot Noir in Beaune and the bottom of Meursault Genevrières but brought in most of the rest of its Meursault vineyards, particularly those on heavier clay soil where acidity levels were high and sugars relatively low, between September 10 and 15. “The biggest challenge was to find the best picking dates; it was very stressful,” said Weber. “Sugars were ahead of skin ripeness but the grapes were protected by the tartaric acidity that came back after the end-of-August rain, which saved the harvest. And we also had perfect conditions during the harvest, with cool nights.” Potential alcohol levels were between 12.5% and 14% and Weber did not chaptalize. In the end, a number of wines finished between 13.5% and 14.5%. “The mostly natural yeasts that we use nowadays needed fewer grams of sugar in 2017 to make one degree of alcohol,” noted Weber, adding that he had no explanation for that phenomenon."

Weber does not believe that 2017 will be a vintage for long aging, for either whites or reds. “The Pinots are delicate, attractive wines but they’re lighter than the ’15 and ‘16s. And the whites are a bit too generous to be truly classical.” The alcoholic fermentations went easily and the malos started quickly, with most of them finishing in March. By the time of my visit at the end of May, Weber had already started racking his village wines to get them out of new oak, and he planned to finish racking most of them in July. Even the grand crus here are now aged in just 15% new oak (except for 20% for the Corton-Charlemagne).

Winemaker Frédéric Weber considers 2016 to be “a great white wine vintage for us, as it combines the high maturity of 2015 and the high acidity of 2014.” And today he prefers the ‘16s to the ‘17s as he believes the earlier set of wines more successfully demonstrates the differences between terroirs. “The 2017s are very good but it was a hot vintage like 2015 and 2009,” he told me. The ’16s have acidity levels close to 2008 but with higher natural alcohol. And they should age very well.” As I reported last year, Bouchard’s production was down 50% in its estate vineyards, owing to frost damage and further losses to mildew.

Winemaker Frédéric Weber told me that Bouchard started harvesting in 2016 on September 21 with Pinot Noir, finishing the Chardonnay on October 1 with Corton-Charlemagne and the last Côte de Nuits vineyards on October 6, reporting that it was necessary to harvest the Côte de Beaune Pinot quickly and that the Chardonnay fruit was healthier. Due to widespread problems with mildew, many producers had to stop using organic methods in order to save their crops, he noted. Bouchard carried out more treatments than usual but still lost “another 15% to 20% of the crop to mildew”; previously many vineyards had been hit hard by the black frost on the morning of April 27. “The sun was like a magnifying glass on the ice on the buds,” he told me. Overall, production was down 50% in estate vineyards—the smallest crop after 2003—but was very heterogeneous. For example, Meursault Les Clous produced close to 40 hectoliters per hectare, while some village Meursault parcels barely yielded 5.

Weber noted that the 2016 white wines made from reasonably healthy crop levels remind him of the 2008s, which he described as a classic vintage, another late harvest with good ripeness allied to sound acidity, but emphasized that it’s hard to generalize about the ‘16s owing to the widely variable conditions. Very little chaptalization was needed as grape sugars were typically 12.5% or higher (the Montrachet actually came in at 13.2%), and Weber did a gentler but longer pressing “to get good extraction without the bad stuff,” noting that the grape skins were thick. (He's also using less and less SO2 during the vinification, which he believes is “positive for aromatic expression.”) Like the 2008s, he added, the ‘16s needed a long time in barrel to become expressive, and the malolactic fermentations have been quite long (only a few of the wines had finished when I visited Bouchard at the end of May). Weber rolled the barrels twice, as he prefers to keep the wines cloudy, and he may continue this practice as he thinks it’s better than batonnage.

In contrast to many smaller estates that have a high percentage of old vines but face great financial pressure to maintain their production, the well-capitalized Bouchard firm is in the process of renewing their vineyards in order to maintain an average vine age between 35 and 40 years, by replacing three hectares per year. This is very important for the future, said Weber. He explained that single vines that are replaced take nine years to produce usable fruit due to competition with other vines, but a replanted parcel takes just five years after the soil is allowed to rest for two years.

Winemaker Frédéric Weber told me that Bouchard started harvesting in 2016 on September 21 with Pinot Noir, finishing the Chardonnay on October 1 with Corton-Charlemagne and the last Côte de Nuits vineyards on October 6, reporting that it was necessary to harvest the Côte de Beaune Pinot quickly and that the Chardonnay fruit was healthier. Due to widespread problems with mildew, many producers had to stop using organic methods in order to save their crops, he noted. Bouchard carried out more treatments than usual but still lost “another 15% to 20% of the crop to mildew”; previously many vineyards had been hit hard by the black frost on the morning of April 27. “The sun was like a magnifying glass on the ice on the buds,” he told me. Overall, production was down 50% in estate vineyards—the smallest crop after 2003—but was very heterogeneous. For example, Meursault Les Clous produced close to 40 hectoliters per hectare, while some village Meursault parcels barely yielded 5.

Weber noted that the 2016 white wines made from reasonably healthy crop levels remind him of the 2008s, which he described as a classic vintage, another late harvest with good ripeness allied to sound acidity, but emphasized that it’s hard to generalize about the ‘16s owing to the widely variable conditions. Very little chaptalization was needed as grape sugars were typically 12.5% or higher (the Montrachet actually came in at 13.2%), and Weber did a gentler but longer pressing “to get good extraction without the bad stuff,” noting that the grape skins were thick. (He's also using less and less SO2 during the vinification, which he believes is “positive for aromatic expression.”) Like the 2008s, he added, the ‘16s needed a long time in barrel to become expressive, and the malolactic fermentations have been quite long (only a few of the wines had finished when I visited Bouchard at the end of May). Weber rolled the barrels twice, as he prefers to keep the wines cloudy, and he may continue this practice as he thinks it’s better than batonnage.

In contrast to many smaller estates that have a high percentage of old vines but face great financial pressure to maintain their production, the well-capitalized Bouchard firm is in the process of renewing their vineyards in order to maintain an average vine age between 35 and 40 years, by replacing three hectares per year. This is very important for the future, said Weber. He explained that single vines that are replaced take nine years to produce usable fruit due to competition with other vines, but a replanted parcel takes just five years after the soil is allowed to rest for two years.

The 2015 flowering was quick and homogeneous, taking place during the first ten days of June, said winemaker Frédéric Weber, but the set wasn’t huge owing to the lingering effects of hail the previous year. Substantial rainfall on June 15 was constructive for humidity and water reserves in the soil, and showers at the end of August refreshed the vines after the long, hot summer, Weber told me. Bouchard started harvesting Chardonnay on September 2. “In August the skins were green and the berries tasted green,” he explained. “It was important to wait until September despite high natural degrees [13.2% and up] and low acidity, but the rain just before the harvest permitted some recovery of tartaric acidity. The grapes were golden and disease-free when we picked--our healthiest Chardonnay since 2005." Alcohol levels are now in the range of 13.5% to 14% and acidities are between 3.8 and 4.2 grams per liter thanks to adequate quantities of tartaric acid.

Weber vinified in stainless steel to finish the sugars quickly and to preserve freshness, only tacking the wines into barrels at the very end. He did not extract heavily, in order to avoid getting more potassium in the wines and losing acidity. Although he told me that the juice was not particularly aromatic at the outset, he now finds the 2015s “expressive, easy to understand and great for our customers.” He compared the wines to Bouchard’s 2009s and 2005s but noted that based on his chemical analysis of the wines, it's hard to predict their likely longevity. As in 2009 and 2005, he plans to fine these wines prior to bottling to minimize their wood taste and accentuate their freshness. “Two thousand fifteen is obviously a great vintage for the reds,” Weber summarized, “but it’s a bit more heterogeneous for the whites and not really classical Burgundy.”

Weber considers 2014 to be a great vintage for white Burgundy. “The wines are concentrated and expressive, with good acidity and great balance. They give a lot of pleasure now but I’m sure the vintage has long aging potential, maybe longer than the 2015s. The 2014s are more expressive than our 2012s, which are tighter today, higher in acidity and not ready to drink.”

“For me, 2014 is a great vintage for the white wines,” said winemaker Frédéric Weber. "They're concentrated, expressive and beautifully balanced, with good acidity. They offer pleasure now but I’m sure the vintage has long aging potential, maybe longer than the ‘15s. The 2012s have more acidity and they’re more tight and closed today. The ‘14s are more expressive than the ‘12s.”

There was a good early budbreak in 2014 and a homogeneous and successful flowering under good conditions, as in 2009, said winemaker Frédéric Weber, who started vinifying with Philippe Prost here in 2003 and took over winemaking responsibilities in 2012. But the big hailstorm of June 28 hit Beaune and Pommard hard and Volnay and Meursault a bit less. "We lost 50% to 60% of our crop on the Côte de Beaune," said Weber, "but had normal yields on the Côte de Nuits." And after cool, cloudy weather in July and August, conditions were nearly perfect in September, with drying northeast winds, warm days and cool nights, he added.

Bouchard started harvesting Pinot Noir on September 11, then followed three days later with Chardonnay. Although some of the Pinot grape skins had been compromised, Chardonnay was very healthy, according to Weber, who added that the fruit showed "good ripeness and a lot of organic acidity." Potential alcohol levels were 12.5% and up--as high as 13.5% for some grand crus--and he chaptalized just a little to prolong the fermentations.

The Chardonnays generally have between 3.8 and 4.2 grams per liter of total acidity, with good levels of tartaric acidity, although the secondary fermentations began late and a number of them had not finished by the time of my annual late-spring visit. Other wines were still cloudy.

Bouchard's 2013 whites are 0.6 to 1.0 grams per liter lower in residual sugar than the '14s. Weber likes this vintage "because it was so difficult in the vineyards and in the cellar but has been a good surprise since July of 2014. The wines are easier to drink than the 2014s, very approachable, and there's a lot of pleasure in the vintage." He went on: "The 2013s began with a lot of malic acidity "but really softened up during the malolactic fermentations."

There was a good early budbreak in 2014 and a homogeneous and successful flowering under good conditions, as in 2009, said winemaker Frédéric Weber, who started vinifying with Philippe Prost here in 2003 and took over winemaking responsibilities in 2012. But the big hailstorm of June 28 hit Beaune and Pommard hard and Volnay and Meursault a bit less. "We lost 50% to 60% of our crop on the Côte de Beaune," said Weber, "but had normal yields on the Côte de Nuits." And after cool, cloudy weather in July and August, conditions were nearly perfect in September, with drying northeast winds, warm days and cool nights, he added.

Bouchard started harvesting Pinot Noir on September 11, then followed three days later with Chardonnay. Although some of the Pinot grape skins had been compromised, Chardonnay was very healthy, according to Weber, who added that the fruit showed "good ripeness and a lot of organic acidity." Potential alcohol levels were 12.5% and up--as high as 13.5% for some grand crus--and he chaptalized just a little to prolong the fermentations.

The Chardonnays generally have between 3.8 and 4.2 grams per liter of total acidity, with good levels of tartaric acidity, although the secondary fermentations began late and a number of them had not finished by the time of my annual late-spring visit. Other wines were still cloudy.

Bouchard's 2013 whites are 0.6 to 1.0 grams per liter lower in residual sugar than the '14s. Weber likes this vintage "because it was so difficult in the vineyards and in the cellar but has been a good surprise since July of 2014. The wines are easier to drink than the 2014s, very approachable, and there's a lot of pleasure in the vintage." He went on: "The 2013s began with a lot of malic acidity "but really softened up during the malolactic fermentations."

Under the direction of technical director/winemaker Philippe Prost, Bouchard began harvesting on the Cote de Beaune on September 30, with most crus coming in between October 4 and 9.(Bouchard waited until October 5 to attack the Cote de Nuits, but Prost noted that "we didn't lose acidity because the pinot noir grapes were less advanced.")Prost told me that Bouchard experienced 20% to 80% hail damage on 42 hectares of vines on the Cote de Beaune.He considers 2013 to be a fragile vintage owing to rot pressures "but not in the grand crus or in Meursault Perrieres."Prost added that he "loves the richness of the 2012 vintage.The main decision was to destem 30% of the fruit before the press as the berries were small and the stems were somewhat metallic and bitter due to the quick ripening."Acidity levels are just average in 2012, and Prost believes that although the wines have good minerality they will generally be for drinking before the 2013s. Also recommended:2012 Puligny-Montrachet (86).

Under the direction of technical director/winemaker Philippe Prost, Bouchard began harvesting on the Cote de Beaune on September 30, with most crus coming in between October 4 and 9.(Bouchard waited until October 5 to attack the Cote de Nuits, but Prost noted that "we didn't lose acidity because the pinot noir grapes were less advanced.")Prost told me that Bouchard experienced 20% to 80% hail damage on 42 hectares of vines on the Cote de Beaune.He considers 2013 to be a fragile vintage owing to rot pressures "but not in the grand crus or in Meursault Perrieres."Prost added that he "loves the richness of the 2012 vintage.The main decision was to destem 30% of the fruit before the press as the berries were small and the stems were somewhat metallic and bitter due to the quick ripening."Acidity levels are just average in 2012, and Prost believes that although the wines have good minerality they will generally be for drinking before the 2013s. Also recommended:2012 Puligny-Montrachet (86).

Due to the tiny, concentrated berries in 2012, said winemaker Philippe Prost, Bouchard began picking both its chardonnay and pinot noir on September 17. "We didn't want to get overly ripe fruit," he told me.In fact, Prost described the chardonnay in the Maconnais as very low in acidity but noted that there was better acidity in the northern half of the Cote de Beaune, including distinctly more malic acidity in Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Corton-Charlemagne than in 2011.In Chassagne, though, the hailed-on parcels may have retained less acidity, due in part to lost foliage.Prost told me he cut the percentage of new oak in the 2012 Cote de Beaune whites; today he's more likely to season his new barrels by using them first for Bouchard's lesser wines.And Prost does not like extended drying of his barrels, as he feels that longer toasting of the wood catalyzes the tannins and can result in premature oxidation.Moreover, he added, a grande chauffe toast can yield heavy wines.We like our barrels dried for 24 to 28 months.That gives a slightly more green expression, which is good for the wines."

Due to the tiny, concentrated berries in 2012, said winemaker Philippe Prost, Bouchard began picking both its chardonnay and pinot noir on September 17. "We didn't want to get overly ripe fruit," he told me.In fact, Prost described the chardonnay in the Maconnais as very low in acidity but noted that there was better acidity in the northern half of the Cote de Beaune, including distinctly more malic acidity in Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Corton-Charlemagne than in 2011.In Chassagne, though, the hailed-on parcels may have retained less acidity, due in part to lost foliage.Prost told me he cut the percentage of new oak in the 2012 Cote de Beaune whites; today he's more likely to season his new barrels by using them first for Bouchard's lesser wines.And Prost does not like extended drying of his barrels, as he feels that longer toasting of the wood catalyzes the tannins and can result in premature oxidation.Moreover, he added, a grande chauffe toast can yield heavy wines.We like our barrels dried for 24 to 28 months.That gives a slightly more green expression, which is good for the wines."

Winemaker Philippe Prost described his young 2011 whites as having "more varietal fruit and flash than the 2010s."With their low levels of malic acidity, the wines didn't change much during the malolactic fermentations.In fact, said Prost, the final acidity levels are in a fairly narrow range in the 2008 through 2011 vintages, even if the wines from these years do not show the same definition.Bouchard began picking 2011 pinot on August 29 and chardonnay on September 1.Prost noted that ambient temperatures were much warmer at harvest time in 2011 than they had been in 2010, so it was essential to pick in the early morning.He also pressed quickly to avoid getting a golden color in the wines.Prost noted that a lot of people picked their chardonnay too early for fear of getting rot.What they got instead was green fruit, he added.

Winemaker Philippe Prost described his young 2011 whites as having "more varietal fruit and flash than the 2010s."With their low levels of malic acidity, the wines didn't change much during the malolactic fermentations.In fact, said Prost, the final acidity levels are in a fairly narrow range in the 2008 through 2011 vintages, even if the wines from these years do not show the same definition.Bouchard began picking 2011 pinot on August 29 and chardonnay on September 1.Prost noted that ambient temperatures were much warmer at harvest time in 2011 than they had been in 2010, so it was essential to pick in the early morning.He also pressed quickly to avoid getting a golden color in the wines.Prost noted that a lot of people picked their chardonnay too early for fear of getting rot.What they got instead was green fruit, he added.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the harvest at both Bouchard and William Fevre began on September 20. As in 2008, it was necessary to wait for "better ripeness and better site expression," he explained. At this early stage, Prost thought that Chablis had an edge, as there was a significant difference in quality on the Cote de Beaune between the Bouchard domain bottlings and those from purchased grapes and must, no doubt partly attributable to harvest dates. "But 2010 can be great for red wine," he added. Prost believes that 2008 is an outstanding "example of white Burgundy." The 2010s, he added, are a bit lower in malic acidity and have been open since the outset. The crop level was down an average of 30% from 2009. Prost rolls the barrels rather than stirring the lees, and the 2010s have remained cloudy, which he feels is a good thing.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the harvest at both Bouchard and William Fevre began on September 20. As in 2008, it was necessary to wait for "better ripeness and better site expression," he explained. At this early stage, Prost thought that Chablis had an edge, as there was a significant difference in quality on the Cote de Beaune between the Bouchard domain bottlings and those from purchased grapes and must, no doubt partly attributable to harvest dates. "But 2010 can be great for red wine," he added. Prost believes that 2008 is an outstanding "example of white Burgundy." The 2010s, he added, are a bit lower in malic acidity and have been open since the outset. The crop level was down an average of 30% from 2009. Prost rolls the barrels rather than stirring the lees, and the 2010s have remained cloudy, which he feels is a good thing.

"The balance of the 2009s has been a pleasant surprise," said winemaker Philippe Prost. "The wines were explosive in the beginning, but they had a green apple flavor and we were afraid of this because they don't have a lot of acidity. But during elevage, they have gotten better definition of flavor and there doesn't seem to be too much malic acidity." Prost noted that the fruit concentrated well in the last days before the harvest, gaining in minerality, and that Bouchard picked chardonnay before pinot noir because they were afraid of the acid level falling. Grape sugars therefore were not excessive, but they were higher than those of 2008 and 2007. No chaptalization was done for the grand crus or the Meursault premier crus. Prost went on to describe this vintage as offering "la beaute du diable": "The wines are flashy now, like lipstick, but what will happen after a few years? But, in fact, they are turning out to be more classic than we thought at the beginning." Prost did more batonnage in 2009 than in 2008, but he pointed out that he's more likely to roll the barrels than to stir the lees, as it's less oxidative.

"The balance of the 2009s has been a pleasant surprise," said winemaker Philippe Prost. "The wines were explosive in the beginning, but they had a green apple flavor and we were afraid of this because they don't have a lot of acidity. But during elevage, they have gotten better definition of flavor and there doesn't seem to be too much malic acidity." Prost noted that the fruit concentrated well in the last days before the harvest, gaining in minerality, and that Bouchard picked chardonnay before pinot noir because they were afraid of the acid level falling. Grape sugars therefore were not excessive, but they were higher than those of 2008 and 2007. No chaptalization was done for the grand crus or the Meursault premier crus. Prost went on to describe this vintage as offering "la beaute du diable": "The wines are flashy now, like lipstick, but what will happen after a few years? But, in fact, they are turning out to be more classic than we thought at the beginning." Prost did more batonnage in 2009 than in 2008, but he pointed out that he's more likely to roll the barrels than to stir the lees, as it's less oxidative.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, there was a lot of potassium in the 2008 fruit due to the rains of July and early August, and thus the crystals precipitated quickly in the white wines in barrel and gave the wines an early bitterness. Bouchard's philosophy has always been to pick early, but now, says Prost, "we're also picking more precisely, and we took our time in 2008 to pick chardonnay. In 2004 we had the same potassium quality in the grapes, so we're not surprised that in 2008 it's taking longer for us to be able to see the ultimate definition of the vintage. We have an expression in French: la beaute du diable. The 2008s may be fragile wines, especially where the alcoholic fermentations were fast and then the malos took a long time to start." The 2008s I note below were finished with their malos at the time of my visit.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, there was a lot of potassium in the 2008 fruit due to the rains of July and early August, and thus the crystals precipitated quickly in the white wines in barrel and gave the wines an early bitterness. Bouchard's philosophy has always been to pick early, but now, says Prost, "we're also picking more precisely, and we took our time in 2008 to pick chardonnay. In 2004 we had the same potassium quality in the grapes, so we're not surprised that in 2008 it's taking longer for us to be able to see the ultimate definition of the vintage. We have an expression in French: la beaute du diable. The 2008s may be fragile wines, especially where the alcoholic fermentations were fast and then the malos took a long time to start." The 2008s I note below were finished with their malos at the time of my visit.

Bouchard began bringing in pinot noir on August 27 but took a full three weeks to harvest in '07, compared to ten days the previous year, according to managing director Stephane Follin-Arbelet. "We picked the Meursault Genevrieres early, on about September 1," noted winemaker Philippe Prost, "but the top grand crus came in between September 10 and 13." The young whites have less tartaric acidity than the '04s, he added. "We find the '07s to be more like the '02s: they were closed at the beginning, with a lot of malic acidity. We recall that we really weren't able to appreciate the 2002s until November of 2003." Prost did almost no batonnage for the '07s, rolling the barrels instead to redistribute the lees. All of the '07s noted below are domain bottlings except for the four cuvees from Puligny-Montrachet; Bouchard buys must here but also does the vineyard work, selects the harvest date and directs the pressing of the fruit. Prost noted that Bouchard now uses a very expensive "Ferrari" system for bottling its wines without introducing oxygen. Prior to the bottling, the wines spend a month in stainless steel under a layer of nitrogen, which brings the oxygen level down to zero. A vacuum system is then used to fill the bottles, using nitrogen again, and CO2 is added to the top of the bottle before the cork is inserted. "Too many people bottle too quickly, with too much oxygen getting into the wines," Prost explained.

Bouchard began bringing in pinot noir on August 27 but took a full three weeks to harvest in '07, compared to ten days the previous year, according to managing director Stephane Follin-Arbelet. "We picked the Meursault Genevrieres early, on about September 1," noted winemaker Philippe Prost, "but the top grand crus came in between September 10 and 13." The young whites have less tartaric acidity than the '04s, he added. "We find the '07s to be more like the '02s: they were closed at the beginning, with a lot of malic acidity. We recall that we really weren't able to appreciate the 2002s until November of 2003." Prost did almost no batonnage for the '07s, rolling the barrels instead to redistribute the lees. All of the '07s noted below are domain bottlings except for the four cuvees from Puligny-Montrachet; Bouchard buys must here but also does the vineyard work, selects the harvest date and directs the pressing of the fruit. Prost noted that Bouchard now uses a very expensive "Ferrari" system for bottling its wines without introducing oxygen. Prior to the bottling, the wines spend a month in stainless steel under a layer of nitrogen, which brings the oxygen level down to zero. A vacuum system is then used to fill the bottles, using nitrogen again, and CO2 is added to the top of the bottle before the cork is inserted. "Too many people bottle too quickly, with too much oxygen getting into the wines," Prost explained.

"Our philosophy is to pick chardonnay early," emphasized winemaker Philippe Prost. "This strategy enabled us to save the freshness in 2003 and 2000, and it also allowed us to avoid rot in 2006." Prost described 2006 as "a grower's vintage" in which the Bouchard team did a lot of leaf-pulling in mid-July, which helped to aerate the grapes. Alcohol levels in 2006 were in the high 13.7% to 13.9% range for most of the premier crus, noted Prost, with Meursault a bit higher; the Puligny acids were generally 4.1 to 4.2 grams per liter (or a bit higher than those of 2005), compared to 3.7 or 3.8 for Meursault. Incidentally, Prost is a big fan of 2005. "The wines don't necessarily have great concentration but they have higher dry extract than 2004 or 2002," he explained. This vintage generally brought lower yields in Meursault and Puligny than did 2006 due to low cluster weights, Prost added. (Henriot, Inc., New York, NY) Also recommended: Puligny-Montrachet (85).

"Our philosophy is to pick chardonnay early," emphasized winemaker Philippe Prost. "This strategy enabled us to save the freshness in 2003 and 2000, and it also allowed us to avoid rot in 2006." Prost described 2006 as "a grower's vintage" in which the Bouchard team did a lot of leaf-pulling in mid-July, which helped to aerate the grapes. Alcohol levels in 2006 were in the high 13.7% to 13.9% range for most of the premier crus, noted Prost, with Meursault a bit higher; the Puligny acids were generally 4.1 to 4.2 grams per liter (or a bit higher than those of 2005), compared to 3.7 or 3.8 for Meursault. Incidentally, Prost is a big fan of 2005. "The wines don't necessarily have great concentration but they have higher dry extract than 2004 or 2002," he explained. This vintage generally brought lower yields in Meursault and Puligny than did 2006 due to low cluster weights, Prost added. (Henriot, Inc., New York, NY) Also recommended: Puligny-Montrachet (85).

Bouchard has now consolidated winemaking operations into a massive new facility between Beaune and Savigny, where all work can be done by gravity and the barrel cellar is a full ten meters underground.New director Stephane Follin-Arbelet noted that, by coincidence, Bouchard owns 130 hectares of vines and functions as a negociant with another 130 hectares; similarly, there are 130 hectares of red vines and 130 of white.According to winemaker Philippe Prost, 2005 was the first vintage since 1989 in which Bouchard picked the chardonnay before the pinot noir."The chardonnay was already thoroughly ripe and balanced, but the pinot still needed more phenolic maturity," he explained."A lot of people picked in the wrong order and made fat whites and acid reds."Still, he noted, Bouchard's starting date of September 21 for the chardonnay was not particularly early by the standards of the vintage.There wasn't a lot of juice in the grapes in 2005, Prost noted."The intense flavors are due to a high skin-to-juice ratio."

The team here harvested late in 2004 as they were concerned about the acidity level of the grapes. They did a quicker debourbage than usual, then crushed the grapes because they wanted more contact between the skins and the grapes-or "just enough to open the berries," according to director Bernard Hervet. This was a rather radical step for Bouchard, but Hervet and winemaker Philippe Prost thought the grapes lacked perfume and wanted to extract more aromatic material. They then did more lees stirring than is normal practice here. Following the malos, noted Hervet, the acid levels are typically between 4.1 and 4.3 grams per liter, or a bit lower than those of 2002. According to winemaker Prost, "2004 could be a cousin of '99 in its balance of acidity, ripeness and vine yields." Bouchard has turned out some extraordinary 2003 whites. Last year Hervet expressed the opinion that the best wines from this freakish vintage-and especially the reds-might turn out to resemble the monumental '47s. This year he told me that if wines like the Corton-Charlemagne and Meursault Genevrieres "do not prove to be capable of aging a long time, I'll have to blow my brains out."

As is the house's practice, Bouchard was among the first to harvest in 2003, attacking the pinot noir on August 21 and the chardonnay (specifically, their holding in Meursault Perrieres) the following day. Winemaker Philippe Prost chilled the musts to about 45oF for the debourbage and was able to get lees with a less yellow color. The wines were lightly acidified for the fermentations, and certain wines received additional acidification later on. Except for the grand crus, the 2003s had been racked at the time of my visit. Director Bernard Hervet, incidentally, expressed the opinion that the 2003 has yielded some monumental red Burgundies, with 1947-like aromas-an opinion I heard later the same day from Jacques Lardiere, the winemaker for Jadot.

The 2002 white wines showed great flavors ever since the wines were pressed," managing director Bernard Hervet told me at the beginning of June. It's a vintage you can taste with pleasure at every level of quality; even the generic reds are very strong in 2002. Even the middle villages like Santenay and Maranges, which produce irregular quality from vintage to vintage, are very strong." The domain carried out a leaf-pulling during the second half of July, and yields in chardonnay were down 5 to 7 hectoliters per hectare from the previous year, with Meursault production even more sharply lower. According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the premier crus begin their elevage in about 20% to 25% new oak, but most of the wines were to have been racked into used barrels in mid-June.

The 2002 white wines showed great flavors ever since the wines were pressed," managing director Bernard Hervet told me at the beginning of June. It's a vintage you can taste with pleasure at every level of quality; even the generic reds are very strong in 2002. Even the middle villages like Santenay and Maranges, which produce irregular quality from vintage to vintage, are very strong." The domain carried out a leaf-pulling during the second half of July, and yields in chardonnay were down 5 to 7 hectoliters per hectare from the previous year, with Meursault production even more sharply lower. According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the premier crus begin their elevage in about 20% to 25% new oak, but most of the wines were to have been racked into used barrels in mid-June.

Interestingly, winemaker Philippe Prost feels that 2000 was the most successful vintage of the last three for white wines here, as Bouchard benefitted by harvesting its domain grapes early to retain acidity. The 2000 whites were like the 1999 reds for us," added managing director Bernard Hervet, "a consistently excellent set of wines. The 2001 whites were much more variable, with big differences by appellation. But the grand crus were harvested with very good grape sugars, and the premier crus as well. Yields were generally highest in Puligny-Montrachet. We wanted to pick the chardonnay with a good sugar/acid balance," noted Prost, "and thus it was necessary to wait for the stubbornly high acids to come down." Bouchard did even more green-harvesting in 2001 than it had the previous summer to bring down yields. It will be interesting to see whether the new vintage will ultimately match the 2000s for depth of flavor.

Interestingly, winemaker Philippe Prost feels that 2000 was the most successful vintage of the last three for white wines here, as Bouchard benefitted by harvesting its domain grapes early to retain acidity. The 2000 whites were like the 1999 reds for us," added managing director Bernard Hervet, "a consistently excellent set of wines. The 2001 whites were much more variable, with big differences by appellation. But the grand crus were harvested with very good grape sugars, and the premier crus as well. Yields were generally highest in Puligny-Montrachet. We wanted to pick the chardonnay with a good sugar/acid balance," noted Prost, "and thus it was necessary to wait for the stubbornly high acids to come down." Bouchard did even more green-harvesting in 2001 than it had the previous summer to bring down yields. It will be interesting to see whether the new vintage will ultimately match the 2000s for depth of flavor.

Managing director Bernard Hervet describes the Bouchard 2000 whites as very clean, pure, linear wines, from rot-free fruit picked early to retain acidity. "We can compare these wines in quality to '92 or '89," he told me at the end of May, adding that they're a bit lower in acidity than the '99s. Bouchard actually purchased 35% less fruit and must in '00 than in '99, said Hervet, and declassified or sold off a good bit of pinot noir from the Cote de Beaune. But the chardonnay grapes were healthy. "We looked for longer pressing, longer contact with the skins," winemaker Philippe Prost told me. "We began with clean grapes and were able to look for richness of flavor." Incidentally, Bouchard does batonnage by rolling the barrels, thus avoiding any unnecessary addition of oxygen.

Managing director Bernard Hervet describes the Bouchard 2000 whites as very clean, pure, linear wines, from rot-free fruit picked early to retain acidity. "We can compare these wines in quality to '92 or '89," he told me at the end of May, adding that they're a bit lower in acidity than the '99s. Bouchard actually purchased 35% less fruit and must in '00 than in '99, said Hervet, and declassified or sold off a good bit of pinot noir from the Cote de Beaune. But the chardonnay grapes were healthy. "We looked for longer pressing, longer contact with the skins," winemaker Philippe Prost told me. "We began with clean grapes and were able to look for richness of flavor." Incidentally, Bouchard does batonnage by rolling the barrels, thus avoiding any unnecessary addition of oxygen.

The much-improved white Burgundies from Bouchard had caught my attention in recent vintages for their aromatic purity and class. With the '99 vintage, they have a bit more richness and texture too, with the result that this was one of the finest sets of white wines I tasted on my recent tour of the Cote de Beaune. Winemaker Philippe Prost describes '99 as better than '98; in terms of ripeness of fruit, he compares '99 to '92. "But nature was a bit too generous in '99: the wines show purity but lost a bit of concentration due to the sheer quantity of fruit," he added. "It will be a vintage to bottle on the early side to prevent the wines from drying out." In comparison to the wines made here in the 1980s, today Bouchard whites are typically a good half-degree lower in alcohol. "We like to pick early to protect the freshness of aromas," said managing director Bernard Hervet, adding that the '99s were chaptalized about a half-degree in most cases to extend the fermentations. Following the tricky '98 harvest, Bouchard used a triage table and carried out two separate debourbages one at regular cellar temperature and one cooler. As the levels of tartaric acidity were somewhat elevated-a result of the heat of August, which temporarily blocked the maturing process-Prost did his normal lees stirring to enrich the wines.

Bouchard Pere et Fils.