2020 Bouchard Beaune du Chateau 1er Cru Red Burgundy

"This admirable premier cru red is a blend of all of the domaine parcels in Beaune premier cru - a whopping 17 different terroirs covering 26ha, each vinified separately, with an average 20% whole-cluster and ageing in 20% new casks. There is a lovely, dark, plummy fruit on the nose with a bit of spice and smoke. The texture is silky and supple, with decent acidity, even if it lacks a bit of density on the mid-palate. A well-balanced, classical example of Beaune premier cru." Drink 2023 - 2040

"Yields of merely 20 hectoliters per hectare have delivered a 2020 Beaune 1er Cru du Château of unusual presence and concentration, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, rose petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, it's deep and layered, with lively acids and powdery tannins. Readers who have walked Beaune's hillsides and know the extent of Bouchard's holdings will realize how much prime terroir goes into this remarkably accessible bottling."

"Generous aromas of fully ripe blackberries and black cherries with a pronounced licorice note. Impressive concentration for such a large-production wine, the well-judged tannins giving this weight and warmth. Keeps pumping out the fruit and spice at the rich finish, but it’s a bit simple there. A cuvee of wines from 17 plots and a total of 26 hectares of vineyards. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."