Bouchard Père et Fils Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus Grèves Premier Cru 2011

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Pinot Noir

Founded by textile merchant Michel Bouchard in 1731, Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy's oldest wine-merchant houses. With 320 acres of vineyards, it’s also one of the region’s most important vineyard owners. Beaune Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus (or, “vine of the baby Jesus”) is one of its most iconic wines, made with grapes from a plot of the same name in the premier cru Beaune Grèves appellation.

The plot’s name is a dedication to a Carmelite order called the Domestiques de la famille du Saint Enfant Jésus. Six months before King Louis XIV was born in 1638, the order’s founder, Marguerite du Saint Sacrement, predicted his birth, despite the fact his mother was 37 years old and had previously given birth to four stillborns. Upon the king’s birth, the order’s most important vineyard was renamed the Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus.

Hand-harvested fruit, with careful manual sorting. Following total or partial destemming, fermentation takes place in small containers with gentle pressing ensure optimal vinification. Depending on the profile of the vintage, vatting lasts 15 to 20 days. The wine is aged 12 to 14 months in French oak, with 40% new oak.

Superb fruit and spice aromas with an oaky note on the nose. Intense, full and yet delicate on the palate, the wine has a charming velvetiness. Very good ageing potential.