Bouchard Père & Fils : Beaune 1er cru "du Château" Domaine 2022

The golden-hued Beaune du Château white from 2022 surprises on the initial attack with lemon peel and grapefruit aromas; with time, warmer notes of apricot and quince develop, along with some notes of smoky reduction. The texture is rich yet still vibrant. The grapes are from 10 hectares of vines spread over five lieux-dits: Aigrots, Tuvilains, Les Teurons, Sur Les Grèves, and Les Sizies; they are pressed as whole clusters and hardly settled before being run into cask for fermentation on native yeasts. Picking began for this white on 29 August to preserve freshness.

Lovely aromas of white peach, ripe pear and white flowers with a discreet touch of lees complexity. However, the fine tannins and chalky character married to them provide an excellent counterpoint to that fruit. Bone-dry with a lovely chalky freshness at the finish. A cuvee from 5 different Beaune 1er Cru sites, matured in small oak barrels, of which just 15% were new. Drink or hold.

Cask sample. Ripe lemon fruit with an attractive chalky overlay. Tastes rich and creamy after the Fèvre Chablis. Plenty of fruit but not terribly long. (JH)