Bouchard Père et Fils Volnay 1er Cru ‘Clos des Chenes’
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Grown in a 0.85-hectare parcel of Clos des Chênes, one of the most prized Premier Cru climats in Volnay, in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, on clay-limestone soils over limestone subsoil with a south-east exposure at 275–300 meters above sea level.
- A classic Volnay that shows the depth and power of a top Premier Cru site while keeping the elegance the village is famous for.
- The vineyard is farmed organically, with certification beginning with the 2025 vintage.
- Built for the cellar, with aging potential of 7–10 years and beyond.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: The grapes are hand-harvested into small 13-kg crates and sorted by hand. Depending on the vintage, the fruit is fully or partly destemmed, then fermented in small vats with 12–16 days of skin contact before a gentle pressing. The wine ages 16–18 months in French oak barrels (30–40% new) and then rests in the domaine’s underground cellars in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
Tasting Notes: It combines richness and generosity, without losing anything of the elegance and finesse of Volnay. Rich and concentrated fleshy fruit. Very good aging potential.
PRESS
2019 – 91-93 Wine Advocate | 91-93 Vinous
2020 – 92-94 Wine Advocate | 9-93 Vinous
2021 – 90-92 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Founded in 1731, Maison Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest wine merchant houses. Over the centuries, the House has been devoted to acquiring highly renowned parcels, in order to build a prestigious domaine: 130 hectares of Crus. The famed vineyards include: Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus, Chevalier-Montrachet, Montrachet, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Bonnes-Mares and Clos Vougeot to name a few. In 1995 this exceptional collection was purchased by Joseph Henriot, and is today part of Maisons & Domaines Henriot. Maison Bouchard Père & Fils has invested in the vine to bottle, the process is handled with meticulous care, to ensure the most faithful expression of each terroir. Installed since the beginning of the 19th century on the site of the ancient Châteaude Beaune, Maison Bouchard Père & Fils uses the underground galleries and bastions of this fortress built by LuisXI, 10 meters below ground, for the slow maturing of its wines under optimal conditions. Millions of bottles, including a rare collection of pre-phylloxera wines rest in the cellars today protected by 7 meter thick walls.