When my friend and wine journalist Panos Kakaviatos is in town, there is always a flurry of tastings taking place in Washington DC. This time, he had organized with fellow wine lovers, merchants and bloggers a 2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Wines at Lavandou Restaurant in Washington DC, US.
Panos Kakaviatos brought ten 2010 Bouchard Père et Fils wines, provided by Bouchard Père et Fils ‘ US Importer Henriot. In addition, each participant provided another bottle of wine. This posting focuses on the 2010 Bouchard Père et Fils wines only.
Present were Karl and Adelaide Keller, Howard and Nancy Cooper, Amy Ray, Darryl Priest, Ben Gilberti (Calvert and Woodley), Paul Marquardt, Tim O’Rourke (Weygand Wine Store), David Choi (Owner of Pearson’s Wine Store), Ken Brown, Kevin Shin, Aaron Nix-Gomez (Hogshead – A Wine Blog), Annette Schiller (Owner of Ombiasy Wine Tours) and Christian Schiller (schiller-wine, Blog) and Panos Kakaviatos (Decanter and Connections to Wine, Blog).
The highlight of the evening was a 2010 Montrachet. Panos Kakaviatos: "One cannot really understand truly great "Chardonnay" until one tastes Montrachet. Here a fine example, in fact a barrel sample, from the excellent producer Bouchard Père et Fils .”
For more on Panos Kakaviatos:
A Glass of Bordeaux – What Else? – With Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos
Bouchard Père et Fils
Bouchard Père et Fils is a wine grower and négociant, based in Beaune, in the Côte de Beaune.
Bouchard Père et Fils was established as a cloth merchant by Michel Bouchard in Volnay in 1731. Starting in 1746, his son Joseph Bouchard began selling wines and acquiring vineyards. Over several generations, Bouchard Père et Fils has assembled one of the finest portfolios in Bourgogne of 130 hectares of vineyard in the heart of the Côte d’Or – 12 of them classified as Grand Cru and 74 as Premier Cru, including: Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Clos Vougeot, Chambertin, Beaune Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus, Volnay Caillerets, Meursault Perrières.
Moreover, installed since 1820 at the Château de Beaune in the heart of Beaune, a “Monument Historique”, Bouchard Père et Fils benefits from ideal natural conditions for leaving its precious bottles to age.
In 1995, the Bouchard family sold the firm to Joseph Henriot.
Henriot
The Henriot Family has been in Champagne since the 16th Century. In 1808, Apolline Henriot, one of the many famous widows of the Champagne region, decided to sell their wines under the Champagne Henriot label, hitherto only reserved for family and friends. Today, Henriot Champagne can be found around the world.
When Etienne Henriot died in 1957, his son, Joseph Henriot, also a trained agronomist, gradually took over the reins of the family company from 1962. Joseph Henriot, a successful businessman, also became President of Charles Heidsieck, then Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. In 1995, Joseph Henriot bought Bouchard Père et Fils.
Since 1999, Stanislas Henriot, son of Joseph Henriot, gradually took over the management of the House and was appointed President in 2004. He resigned in 2010. The resignation surprised many, given that Stanislas Henriot has overseen a transformation of Henriot Champagne, which had been relatively unknown outside France. He also set up a subsidiary in the US that imports and sells, inter alia, Henriot Champagne and Bouchard Père et Fils wines. During his tenure, the turn-over of Henriot increased from 9 to 27 million Euro and the contracts with growers reached 185 hectares.
The 2010 Vintage
Bouchard Père et Fils states that 2010 is a very promising vintage. The harvest started September 20th and finished October 1st. The grapes were small with very concentrated juice. The bottling dates were a little earlier than normal.
White Wines
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Meursault Les Clous, Village
Imported by Henriot. 100% Chardonnay sourced from soils of calcareous marls on a hard platform. Aged for 8-10 months in up to 15% new oak. Alcohol 13.5%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “There was a light nose of tighter, darker fruit. In the mouth there was similarly tight fruit with a creamy touch that was focused. There were some spices and a barrel note in the aftertaste.”
Kevin Shin: “A hint of flint, limestone and white fruits. Refreshing, bright acidity, not too complex.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune Clos Saint-Landry, Premier Cru
Imported by Henriot. 100% Chardonnay sourced from soils of limestone and clay with marls. Aged for 8-12 months in up to 15% new oak. Alcohol 13.5%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The light nose was a touch fruitier with more tropical aromas and some floral notes. In the mouth it was a bit structured with a hint of tropical fruit and young grip. There were apples and stones in the aftertaste.”
Kevin Shin: “Bubble yum, yellow fruits, displaying more acidity than Les Clous. Round and warm mouthfeel. Not terribly complex.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru
Imported by Henriot. 100% Chardonnay sourced from predominantly limestone soils and clay. Aged for 12-14 months in up to 20% new oak. Alcohol 14%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The light to medium strength nose tilted towards lemons. In the mouth the white fruit slowly expanded in the mouth with good acidity. This balanced wine has structure for aging. There were lemon notes and minerality as the wine warmed and breathed.”
Kevin Shin: “A great example of big scale Corton Charlemagne displaying piercing acidity and incredible minerality. Lime, white fruits, white flowers, sesame, wet stone, flint and smoke. Excellent fruit depth, air and mineral yet unctuous and sweet palate ending with piercing acidity. Lovely wine that will improve with cellaring.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Montrachet, Grand Cru
Imported by Henriot. Barrel Sample. 100% Chardonnay sourced from soils of gravelly limestone. Aged for 12-14 months in up to 20% new oak. Alcohol 14%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The light to medium nose was aromatic and complex with flinty aromas and deep fruit. It opened up over the course of the glass. There was good depth in the mouth with spices and a broader, weighty nature. There finish was nice as well as the spiced aftertaste. Upon revisiting there was ripe lemons and spice in the beginning. An oily mouthfeel developed along with a fine, almost grainy texture. Clearly the best thus far, precise, focused, and determined.”
Kevin Shin: “Upon pour, just darn impressive, massive scale wine that reminds me a batard. White pear, white peach, lime, rose, sesame, limestone, sea salt and white pepper. Unbelievably dense and concentrated palate yet remains precise and delicate. With air, the nose opened up displaying more delicate fruits. The palate remains almost chewy yet light and precise with just perfect amount of acidity. A great great example of Le Montrachet.”
Red Wines
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune Teurons, Premier Cru
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir made from estate and purchased fruit. Aged 8-14 months in 20-40% new oak. Alcohol 13.5%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “There was a light, good nose of finely delineated red and black fruit. In the mouth there was good, racy black cherry fruit. The flavors were simpler but worked with the juicy acidity and the blacker red racy vein. There were fine tannins which coated the tongue and lips. It has a young, attractive personality which was somewhat forward.”
Kevin Shin: “Ripe red fruits, earth. Pretty simple wine but enjoyable.
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Village
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir made from estate and purchased fruit. Aged 8-14 months in 20-40% new oak. Alcohol 13%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “There was a light, tight nose with slightly deeper, dark red cherry fruit. In the mouth there was brighter red fruit, leaning towards cran-raspberry. The acidity and fruit were integrated with a little Pinot note in the aftertaste.”
Kevin Shin: “Round red fruits, earth, tar and stem. Medium concentration, good acidity and no noticeable tannins. No complex note. Good restaurant wine.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Volnay Cailleret, Ancienne Cuvee Carnot, Premier Cru
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir sourced from soils of thin limestone and clay on cracked rock. Aged 10-18 months in 60-85% new oak. Alcohol 13.5%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The light nose bore the fine scent of red and purple fruit. In the mouth there was a bit of a creamy start as the wine rounded out with a black and red mineral vein. There was controlled ripeness to the flavors which became blacker with air. There was a powdery sweetness in the finish. Nice. Youthful.”
Kevin Shin: “Rounder and more complex fruit expression, root beer, fresh beet, raspberry fruits, cherry, flower and limestone. Warm and round palate with good acidity that keeps the wine fresh. Lovely and pretty wine.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Gevrey-Chambertin, Village
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir made from estate and purchased fruit. Aged 8-14 months in 20-40% new oak. Alcohol 13%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “There was a very light and tight nose which was not that appealing, sort of blend of fruits and vegetables. In the mouth there was firm red fruit, athletic, and a core of ripe red fruit. There were fine, strong tannins which powered through the aftertaste. Upon revisiting a second bottle it showed a bit better but was still my least favorite of the reds.”
Kevin Shin: “Floral, cherry, red fruits, a hint of blackberries, tar, noticeable tannins. Relatively simple fruit expression.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Vosne-Romanee, Village
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir made from estate and purchased fruit. Aged 8-14 months in 20-40% new oak. Alcohol 13%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The nose was very light with exotic berries. In the mouth there was tart red fruit, more cranberry flavors, then very fine tannins. This is very young and the tannins are quite strong.”
Kevin Shin: “Fresh red and blue fruits, round, warm. Drinking nicely but simple.”
2010 Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune Greves Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus, Premier Cru
Imported by Henriot. 100% Pinot Noir sourced from soils of limestone and clay. Aged 10-18 months in 60-85% new oak. Alcohol 13.5%.
Aaron Nix-Gomez: “The very light nose bore fine, black and mulberry aromas. In the mouth there was old-school flavors of light, red fruit. It was finely articulated. The acidity, tannins, and fruit were all in balance as the flavors slowly expanded. There was a perfumed, lipstick finish with black, focused fruit. You can drink it now with extended air but best to cellar.”
Kevin Shin: “A bit more concentration than the Volnay Cailleret, a bit more masculine. Beautiful flower driven nose, red fruits, cherry, sap and a hint of mint. Excellent concentration, good acidity and nice length.”
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank Aaron Nix-Gomez and Kevin Shin for the pictures and the reviews of the wines. Aaron issued a detailed account of the tasting on his blog Hogshead: The 2010 Bouchard Pere et Fils Tasting and Kevin in a wine forum.
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http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_Henriot
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