Bouchard Père & Fils : Clos Vougeot Grand cru 2017

Impressive wine. Bouchard owns two parcels of almost equal size, one near the top of the slope in Plante l'Abbé, planted in 1956, and one in Baudes Basses. However, they have not blended in the fruit from these latter vines at the bottom of the slope since they recently replanted it. This vintage, then, comes from mature vines at the highest point of the slope. The picking in 2017 started on September 13th. 30% of the fruit was fermented as whole clusters, and the wine was aged in 30% new casks. The result was surprisingly mineral-driven and fresh, with a savoury side to the ripe black fruits. There is a bit less power than the 2018 but it has a riveting intensity, firm tannins, dense structure and an impressively lingering finish.