Who makes it
Bouchard Aîné & Fils is a Beaune house whose portfolio is devoted exclusively to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Nine generations of the Bouchard family followed one another before the Boisset family acquired the house in 1993. Its wines include red, rosé and white styles.
Where it grows
Beaune is the house's home in the Côte de Beaune, at 4 Boulevard Maréchal Foch. The Pavillon Bouchard contains historic eighteenth century cellars.
What they make
The range includes Bourgogne Pinot Noir as a regional red, Pinot Noir Rosé as a rosé, Bourgogne Chardonnay as a regional white, and Chablis as a separate white appellation. Red and rosé both use Pinot Noir, while the Chardonnay bottling matures on fine lees for six months, partly in stainless steel vats and partly in oak barrels.
Fine lees are the spent yeast cells left after fermentation. Contact with them can give a fuller texture. Stainless steel adds no oak flavour, while barrels contribute oak character and gentle oxygen exchange.