We’re always on the hunt for high-performance, well-priced Burgundy in all of the colors. This one kind of fell into our laps but we’re happy to take it. There are probably a few things to explain. First is the fact that this Bouchard isn’t the more familiar one. Bouchard is a negociant family that originally came to Burgundy in the mid-1700s to continue their fabric trade. They rather quickly added being a wine merchant to their list of activities. Around 1828, Theodore-Joseph Bouchard set up his own firm as Bouchard Aine, separate from Bouchard Pere though, apparently, both originated from the same family of Michel Bouchard. Both operated continuously and Bouchard Aine was purchased by Jean Claude Boisset in 1993.
It’s always a little nebulous when you try and establish what is in something labeled ‘Bourgogne’. In this case, the grapes come from a few different locals. In Bouchard’s words, the grapes were harvested on selected terroirs in the south of Burgundy, the Maconnais and Côte Chalonnaise with a small part coming from Côte de Beaune vineyards. It has been difficult to profile the 2018 whites as it seems the proposition varies from producer to producer, but this effort had both the fruit and the verve to present itself well.
The Bouchard Aine & Fils Bourgogne Chardonnay 2018 effort hits all the right notes. There is the expected bright acidity that some 2018s lacked, and notes of fresh apple, pear, and floral notes. The palate has weight and expressive fruit, a pleasing core of fruit and lift to the finish. In short a very correct, delightful, engaging bottle of Chardonnay. It got our attention immediately and would have had a bigger play except that, inventory-wise, it was the end of the vintage. The EOV (‘insider’ acronym for ‘end of vintage) price we got did merit mention of this rather attractive Bourgogne as a value. Quantities are modest.