Wines Beaune Bouchard Père et Fils - Grève Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus - 2016

Bouchard Père et Fils’ Beaune Premier Cru Cuvée Grève Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus 2016 is an exceptional expression of Burgundy’s renowned Pinot Noir. This wine originates from one of Beaune’s most fabled Premier Cru plots, “Les Grèves,” in the heart of the Côte de Beaune. The vines, many of significant age, are cultivated on limestone-rich soils with a clay overlay, encouraging complexity and minerality in the resulting wine. 2016 was a challenging but ultimately rewarding vintage, marked by a cool spring and frost but saved by a warm, sunny summer, resulting in balanced ripeness and pronounced aromatic purity. Vinification at Bouchard Père et Fils focuses on gentle extraction and ageing in French oak barrels, imparting subtle spice and supporting the wine’s velvety structure without dominating the delicate fruit character.

The Côte de Beaune, famed for both its white and red wines, is defined by its diverse terroir and long viticultural history. The region’s soils are mainly composed of marl, clay, and limestone, which provide ideal drainage and mineral nuance. The temperate continental climate, with warm summers and cool nights, supports the slow ripening of Pinot Noir, enabling the development of elegant tannins and a vibrant aromatic profile. Burgundy’s rich history is reflected in its famous climat system, where small, carefully delimited vineyards like “Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus” achieve almost mythic status thanks to centuries of dedicated winegrowing.

This Pinot Noir is a beautiful partner for refined dishes such as roast duck with cherries, grilled rack of lamb, or beef tenderloin with morel mushrooms. Traditional Burgundian cuisine, like coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon, would create a seamless harmony, highlighting the wine’s depth and subtlety. More adventurous pairings might include earthy mushroom dishes or simply matured cheeses like Epoisses.

To fully appreciate this Premier Cru’s aromatic finesse and silkiness, serve lightly decanted at 16-17°C. Allow the wine a few moments to open in the glass, revealing layers of red cherry, violet, delicate spice, and forest floor. This wine promises exceptional drinking pleasure now and over the coming decade, given careful cellaring.