Bouchard Père & Fils : Beaune 1er cru "Les Avaux" Domaine 2018

Ripe and dark, this red boasts plum and blackberry flavors, with a hint of raisin, all shaded by toasty oak, black pepper and wet loam notes. A bit chunky yet lingers nicely. Drink now through 2032.

Deep limestone/clay soil with 4.36ha owned by Bouchard, half of which faces south, half facing north. 2018 was a different vintage to 2019 with a very wet winter followed by a hot summer, leading to rapid growth and the need for strict green harvesting. Gentle punching-down to extract slowly and gently. Darker hue in the glass, ripe fruit evident on both the nose and palate. Soft, easy, generous in texture with very fine tannins and lower acidity than with the 2019.

The 2018 Beaune Les Avaux 1er Cru, which I did not taste from barrel, has a fragrant nose with dark berry fruit, undergrowth and touches of cracked black pepper coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly “squidgy” tannins, bold and solid, though the finish feels rather monochromatic compared to the aromatics. Tasted at the Bouchard Père tasting in London.

The nose is elegant, racy, and offers tension as well as a certain power. The wine benefits from decanting. We find notes of Boysenberry, small fresh/ripe red berries and, more lightly, violet and iris, combined with touches of clove, grey pepper and discreet toasty hints. The palate is beautifully handled and offers a lovely fresh backbone, tension, straightness, energy, a touch of roundness, a fine powdery grain, and well-judged bitters. On the palate, this wine reveals notes of juicy/fleshy blackberry, fleshy/juicy raspberry and, more lightly, tonka bean, combined with hints of roasted almond, fresh violet, cherry blossom, juicy cherry, as well as discreet notes of mocha and toasted/grilled nuances. Good length. Lovely persistence on fine bitters.

A gamy rustic nose is present with the austerity of iodine atop red fruit and roses. Initially soft tannins reveal themselves to be rougher with time. With such power, development with bottle aging until 2028 will help soften the austere expression and encourage better integration.