Reviews & Awards

The 2017 Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus 1er Cru comes from the 3.91-hectare parcel on the mid-slope, currently undergoing piecemeal replanting. It has a wonderful, expressive bouquet of dark cherries, wild strawberry and crushed stone that is easily the best of Bouchard's Beaune Premier Crus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and well-judged acidity, perhaps a little oakier than the Les Teurons but with more depth and precision on the finish. Great potential.

Pale crimson with a pale rim. Grainy texture and some real depth and energy. Caresses the palate with life... Fruit flavors veer towards blackcurrant, which is unusual for a red burgundy.

The sleek, intense and well defined medium bodied flavors exude evident minerality onto the much more complex and persistent finale where the wood telegraphed by the nose reemerges. This is really quite good though note that my predicted range offers the benefit of the doubt that the generous wood will ultimately be successfully integrated.

The 2017 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus is showing well, wafting from the glass with aromas of smoky cherry and blackberry fruit that mingle with nuances of incense, spices and baking chocolate. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and supple, with a nicely concentrated core of sapid fruit, succulent acids and quite a long, harmonious finish. This has come together very nicely since I tasted it from barrel in early December.

Though taut and reticent in its aromas and flavors, this red builds on the palate to a long finish. Black cherry and sandalwood notes are the main themes, while toasty oak and a graphite element linger on the aftertaste. This feels like a thoroughbred ready to run.

(From a 4-ha parcel). This one of the more floral-suffused wines in the range with its hints of violet, rose petal and lavender that add touch of elegance to the very ripe poached plum scents that presently lack a bit of freshness. There is verve and freshness on the palate of the dense, voluminous and punchy flavors that coat the palate with dry extract that also serves to buffer the firm tannins shaping the powerful, serious and mildly warm finale. Note that my predicted range offers the benefit of the doubt that the nose will recover better freshness.

Taut with tension, this slowly unwinds with complex cherry and guava flavors that are laced with notes of fresh tarragon and hints of river stone, building richness toward medium-grained tannins.

Deep, shimmering magenta. Expansive red and blue fruit preserve scents show superb clarity and take on suggestions of pungent flowers, exotic spices and smoky minerality with air. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering concentrated blueberry, black raspberry, five-spice powder and floral pastille flavors underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. The floral note repeats emphatically on a wonderfully long finish that features polished tannins and reverberating red fruit character.

Combines structure with verve, offering richly expressive raspberry, violet and orange peel flavors that take on polish and complexity toward well-buffed tannins.

Remarkably and seamlessly complex, with a polished and refined core wrapped in silky raspberry and blueberry flavors, accented by savory space and orange zest hints. The long finish builds toward polished tannins.