2016 Echezeaux
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Tasting notes
(as Bouchard lost 90% of their fruit in En Orveaux, this year's wine was made almost entirely from purchased fruit from vines worked by the Bouchard team, located below the premier cru Vosne-Romanée Les Rouges): Good red-ruby color. Sexy, inviting scents of candied dark berries, raspberry, mocha and licorice. Then fat, plush and fine-grained but not as sweet as the nose suggests; there's even something a bit roasted here. Finishes with decent acidity and solid structure but comes across as rather disjointed today and hard to assess. Winemaker Weber says he may have used too high a percentage of whole clusters and gotten too much stem tannins as a result. (Incidentally, in 2017 Bouchard will have two different bottlings of Echézeaux, one domain and one négoce .)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Echézeaux Grand Cru does not come from the domaine this year since their own fruit was supplemented with purchased grapes. It has a pretty bouquet with vibrant red cherry and raspberry fruit laced with crushed stone and damp undergrowth scents. The palate is well defined on the entry with a gentle grip, the concentration already apparent but countered by a fine thread of acidity. The finish is just a tad straightforward but otherwise, this is a finely crafted Echézeaux, if not quite up there with the 2015.
About the producer
Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most established wine producers. Founded in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, it is the largest vineyard owner in the Côte d’Or with 130 hectares of vines.