Bouchard Père & Fils : Beaune 1er cru "Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jésus" Domaine 2019

The 2019 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus is showing beautifully, bursting from the glass with scents of raspberries, warm spices, plums and incense. Medium to full-bodied, sumptuous and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit and supple, melting tannins, it's immensely charming and gourmand. I can't remember an Enfant Jesus that tasted so good, so young.

Though taut and reticent in its aromas and flavors, this red builds on the palate to a long finish. Black cherry and sandalwood notes are the main themes, while toasty oak and a graphite element linger on the aftertaste. This feels like a thoroughbred ready to run. Best from 2023 through 2035. 150 cases imported.

From Jeroboam. Bouchard purchased the site in 1791 and now hold 3.92ha. Fred Weber describes the vineyard as the 'fillet mignon' within Beaune-Grèves. Not surprisingly given the age/bottle size, primary characters are very dominant but there is clearly massive potential here. As the wine breathes, lovely aromas of raspberry/blackberry and violets evolve. Rich, ripe, pure dark fruit on the palate, subtle oak, mouthfilling and concentrated, with silky tannin and vibrant acidity providing the structure for long-term ageing. A great vintage and a great Beaune Premier Cru.

What a fragrant nose of flowers, cherries, licorice and delicate spice! Very elegant and lacy on the medium-bodied palate with breathtaking integration of fine fruit and fine tannins. Super-silky, long finish that’s very sensual. Drink or hold.

The 2019 Beaune Les Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus 1er Cru has a much more understated bouquet—low-key and more tertiary in style, with finely delineated dark cherries and hints of bergamot tea mixed with bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannins. Quite a polished Beaune Grèves, there is a sumptuousness to this wine with a lightly spiced finish, though it doesn't quite have the complexity or minerality of its peers. I've had better bottles. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.