Rene Bouvier Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Practical buildings on the Dijon road out of Gevrey are home to the accomplished grower Bernard Bouvier who came to our attention on the recommendation of star producer Bernard Dugat. With his first harvest in 1982 and in sole charge of the family domaine since 1992, Bernard now has 17 ha in Gevrey, Fixin and Marsannay, with the latter two being great sources of better value burgundies.

The 2014 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru from Rene Bouvier offers dusky black fruit, autumn leaves and a touch of bay leaf on the nose, which is well defined if just needing a little more exuberance. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, slightly chalky in texture but with good acidity. It feels compact at the moment, but it should open up with 3-4 years in bottle.