2022 Bouchard Pere & Fils - Beaune du Chateau Rouge (750ml)
2022 Bouchard Père & Fils – Beaune du Château Premier Cru Rouge Beaune Premier Cru, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
| Appellation | Beaune Premier Cru |
| Grape | Pinot Noir |
| Farming | Organic |
| Whole Cluster | ~33% |
| Oak | 1/3 new |
| Drink | Now–2030+ |
One of Burgundy's great proprietary blends, the Beaune du Château has been produced exclusively by Bouchard Père & Fils since 1907. The cuvée draws from 17 Premier Cru climats across Beaune — including Les Grèves, Les Bressandes, Clos du Roi, Les Cent Vignes, Les Teurons, and a dozen more — vinified separately before blending to express the full mosaic of Beaune's hillside terroir. Roughly one-third of the fruit is fermented as whole clusters; the wine ages in cask with one-third new oak.
The 2022 opens with a deep, richly colored profile, offering aromas of ripe blackberry and plum framed by earth, smoke, and spice. On the palate it is medium- to full-bodied with generous red fruit, cherry pit, and licorice, buttressed by healthy tannins and a saline, lingering finish. A wine that rewards both near-term enjoyment and a few years of additional cellaring.
90 pts — James Suckling | 90–92 pts (barrel sample) — Decanter