Julien Bouchard Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir 2022

Julien Bouchard Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir is an elegant, velvety, absolutely enchanting Pinot Noir from the heart of Burgundy, France. Though already impressive, with pure red and black fruit flavors underscored by an earthy, floral tone, it’s sure to evolve in-bottle over the next few years to come. And, because it comes from Julien Bouchard, it is a rarity in Burgundy…in that it’s a good value.

A Dream Partnership: For 50 years, Julien Bouchard dedicated himself to making some of the finest wines in Burgundy. In 1955, without anyone to leave his winery and vineyards to, he selected the team at Albert Bichot to become stewards of his legacy.

In Burgundy, the house of Bichot is legendary, having owned land there since the 14th century and produced wine since the early 1800s. Today, it remains a family-run company that owns its own vineyards, however, Bichot is also a négociant-éleveur, which means it can supplement its own fruit with purchased grapes, freshly crushed juice or unfinished wine from a network of small growers.

This allows access to an enviable collection of vineyards and has enabled them to produce premium wines without premium price tags. This is part of the reason Decanter has called Albert Bichot “one of the region’s most dynamic, quality-focused” estates.

Proof of the Process: A true testament to the approach, this bottling was made with a blend of grapes from plots around the well-respected areas of Chambolle-Musigny, Marsannay and Nuits-Saint-Georges to create a layered, balanced and overall well-composed wine.

A romantic, rich shade of red, it greets you with a wave of lively aromatics. There’s red cherries, blackcurrants and raspberries, and just the slightest hint of something earthier, like damp leaves after the rain. Similar flavors come to life on the palate and they last, hitting with just the right weight and lingering long after you’ve taken a sip.

Given there are less than 300 cases available—and this is the lowest priced botting in Julien Bouchard’s coveted lineup—you’ll want to order soon.