Even in this world of ‘Brave New World’ pricing, Burgundy deals are still very hard to come by. There’s still way too much demand for far too little wine. Still, if one looks hard enough, you might be uncover something like these red and white Premier Cru gems. Bouchard is, of course, a venerable negociant/domaine producer with a long (and, to be honest, somewhat checkered) history stretching back to the 18th century. Their current owners, the Henriots (of Champagne fame) and Pinaults (owners of Chateau Latour, Clos des Tart, etc.), have given this timeless Beaune producer a major facelift and a new lease on life. In fact, they are adding by subtraction; Bouchard has eliminated over half of their production- anything made from purchased grapes- and are concentrating solely on making top quality wines from their own 105 hectares of vines scattered around 80 different Burgundy appellations, 80% of which are classified as either Premier or Grand Cru. They’ve also fully converted to organic agriculture and will be certified as such this year. Among the venerable lineup of classics produced at their cellars are a red and white culled from their extensive Premier Cru holdings in the Beaune appellation near the winery. Not dissimilar to the Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Celebration red that has been so popular here at PRIMA, these two cuvees have been made at Bouchard since 1907 and are culled solely from estate vineyards like Greves, Les Cent Vignes and Clos du Roi, iconic sites that make the most prized wines in the appellation. The winemaking team capitalizes on the incredible diversity of terroirs within the appellation to make two really wonderful wines that emphasize both balance and charm. The 2019 Beaune Blanc is the classic white Burgundy, 100% Chardonnay rich with Meursault-like lemon-lime, yellow cherry, skinned hazelnut and white flower notes that get a little (just a little) boost from some well-applied wood. At six years past the harvest, it’s drinking perfectly right now and would be really at home alongside richer fish and seafood preparations or a roast chicken bathed in lots of fresh spring herbs. I have no problem spending $60 for this as it’s a lot of wine and will only get better over the next five or so years. The Beaune du Chateau Rouge is also an impressive value. From the excellent 2021 harvest, it is a real sweetheart with Beaune’s textbook red fruit and cinnamon with some cooler, blue fruit nuances that keep it in check. There’s a lot of internal energy here and a touch of Beaune’s hallmark rusticity on a medium-weight Pinot Noir frame that finishes with a bit of young tannin. Not at all stern (like a lot of 1er Cru Beaunes in their youth), it’s beautifully balanced right now and would make an excellent pairing tonight with a roasted leg of lamb, some polenta and wild mushrooms or even a roasted whole salmon. Or keep a decade or longer- this could be a long ager! Bravo Bouchard. We love this new direction. Very highly recommended.