2023 Bouchard Pere & Fils - Beaune Greves (750ml)

Bouchard Père & Fils holds Grand Crus from Montrachet to Clos Vougeot, yet this Beaune bottling is regarded as its flagship. The family acquired the parcel in 1791, when church property seized in the French Revolution was sold off. The name recalls the Carmelite nuns who once owned the vineyard and a legend tied to the birth of Louis XIV.

Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus comes from a single parcel of about 3.9 hectares in the heart of Beaune Grèves, an east-facing site that one critic describes as Beaune's unofficial Grand Cru. Technical director Frédéric Weber selects the best grapes from organically grown vines, with each section farmed and vinified separately before the final blend. Aging lasts 10 to 18 months depending on the vintage, with a high proportion of new oak, between 60 and 85 percent.

The 2023 shows more fruit generosity than Grèves often offers in youth, with moderate alcohol. Dark mulberry, violets, and exotic spice give way to red fruit on a graceful, medium-bodied palate, finishing with mineral freshness. Drinkable now, it is best with a few more years in the cellar.