Bouchard Père & Fils is one of the great names of Beaune, and this is its Bourgogne AOC blanc: Chardonnay from across Burgundy, the appellation that covers the whole region rather than a single village. La Vignée is the range where the house works at the entry to Burgundy rather than the top of it, and it is made in a style that leans on freshness rather than oak.
- Chardonnay, the white grape of Burgundy.
- Bourgogne AOC, the regional appellation.
- 12.5% abv, dry, medium-bodied.
- High acidity, low tannin.
How it tastes
Candied citrus and white fruit come first, with white flowers over the top. Then green apple and lemon zest, and a flinty, mineral edge that keeps the fruit from sitting still. Fresh and round at once, silky through the middle, with the acidity carrying it out to a clean finish.
Where it comes from
Burgundy runs on limestone and clay, and Chardonnay takes on whatever the ground beneath it has to say. A Bourgogne AOC is a blend of parcels from across the region rather than one hillside, so the wine is built for consistency of house style rather than the expression of a single site. That is the point of it: the same wine, year after year.
Good to know
Bourgogne AOC is the broadest tier of Burgundy, sitting below the village and premier cru levels. A wine at this level can draw on fruit from anywhere in the region, which is why it is where most Burgundy drinkers start, and where a good house shows its hand most plainly.
