Sherbrooke Cellars © Copyright
Bouvier
Winery
The estate has been in the family for three generations. Since 1992, it has been run by Bernard Bouvier, and his wife Stéphanie. Henri Bouvier, Bernard’s grandfather, created the estate in 1910. Henri’s son, René Bouvier, took over in 1950 and extended the estate to an area of 29.65 acres (12 hectares) by 1991. The estate is fortunate enough to possess vines boasting an average of 50 years old, and some of the Gevrey-Chambertin plots feature vines that are over 80 years old. The estate is equipped with new, functional, modern buildings to ensure the most hygienic conditions, which were inaugurated with the 2006 harvest. All stages in the winemaking process, from grape-sorting to the finished wine, occur on the premises. The winery follows biodynamic principles and everything has been designed with the greatest respect for both grapes and wine.
Careful vineyard management is necessary to respect the soil, in order to preserve environmental harmony and biodiversity. The estate strictly limits production to ensure optimal ripeness by limiting each vine to no more than eight bunches of grapes. Production will vary slightly from one vintage to another. On average, their Bourgogne appellation produces 5.35 gal/acre (i.e. 50 hl/ha), the Village appellation 3.74 gal/acre (i.e. 35 hl/ha), the “Premiers Crus” and the “Grands Crus” about 3.21 gal/acre (i.e. 30hl/ha). Canopy thinning with strict grape sorting in the vineyard is necessary to optimize ripeness for some plots and some vintages. Both Guyot and single cordon pruning are used in the vineyards.
Bernard Bouvier became aware very early on of the individual character of the wines from each “lieu-dit” (a specific site within a vineyard), regardless of vintage. Because of this, the estate seeks whenever possible to produce only one wine per plot, in order to reveal the best possible expression of terroir. The quest for purity of expression, well-balanced wine and minerality, highlighting the unique nature of each climat (plot of vines), guides each action in the pursuit of perfection from the vineyard to the wine cellar. The grapes are hand-picked and collected in 20 kg boxes to ensure the grapes arrive at the winery in perfect condition. While the pickers select grapes carefully as they harvest them, upon reaching the winery, they are placed on a vibrating table to eliminate any undesirable material. They are then transferred to a sorting table to be hand-selected, thus retaining only the highest-quality grapes. This drastic selection procedure ensures excellent wine even in bad vintages. After destemming, the selected grapes fall into a container, which is emptied by gravity into the fermentation tanks. The great care taken when handling the grapes avoids the release of herbaceous tannins, allowing only silky, round tannins to develop in the wine.
For red wines, a pneumatic press gently extracts the juice from the grapes followed by alcoholic fermentation for about 20 days, without the addition of any enzymes or yeasts, allowing nature to run its course. At controlled temperatures, the must is pumped over the cap and the cap is punched down, so that each “climat” can fully express its specificity, without any technological intervention that would erase the unique nature of the wine and the vintage. Then, the wine matures in carefully selected oak barrels, made from the best French oak, and toasted by the cooper to well-defined requirements in order to enhance each appellation. Red wine matures in a specific cellar featuring suitable temperatures and moisture levels for 16 to 18 months. For white wines, whole bunches of grapes are pressed gently in a pneumatic press after which alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place in 600-liter oak barrels, which were used to mature wines from the preceding harvest. White wines mature in oak barrels in a specially designed cellar for about 16 months.
Wines Produced by the Estate:
Red Wines
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite Chapelle
Gevrey-Chambertin «Racines du Temps»
Gevrey-Chambertin Jeunes Rois
Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice
Fixin Crais de Chêne
Marsannay Clos du Roy Vieilles Vignes (old vines)
Marsannay Longeroies
Marsannay Champ Salomon
Marsannay En Ouzeloy
Marsannay La Morisotte
Côte de Nuits Village
Bourgogne Montre-Cul
Bourgogne «Le Chapitre» Pinot Noir
White Wines
Marsannay Le Clos «monopole»
Bourgogne Aligoté Vieilles Vignes (old vines)
Bourgogne Chardonnay
Rosé Wine
Marsannay Rosé «Anthocyane»
The Appellations of René Bouvier
René Bouvier Estate Brochure
Wines
Gevrey Chambertin La Justice 2010
Bernard Bouvier is the third generation to make wine at this family domaine. La Justice comes off 4.92 acres of vines with an average age of 40 years. This 2010 is concentrated and layered, with the kind of gravity that far exceeds expectations for a village wine. Warm and earthy, it feels like it’s compressed into a stone; the buzz of minerals rides along velvet-textured fruit. It’s harmonic resonance will only build over the next few years.
91 Points, Wine & Spirits Best Buy, April 2013
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Gevrey Chambertin Racine Du Temps 2008
This red wine has a very clear, beautiful colour. The nose is a complex aromatic palette of black fruit, combining fruity, floral and spicy notes. The consistency on the palate is associated with a velvet texture and a beautiful viscosity. The liveliness of this wine sets off its consistency. It is a classic, sensual Gevrey. Violet and liquorice appear in retro-olfaction, followed by a hint of white pepper, which highlights the complexity. All these elements underline its place in the family of great Gevrey wines.
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Gevrey Chambertin Racine Du Temps 2010
Focused on the “roots of time,” this is pulled from several estate parcels, a total of 2.47 acres of 80-year-old vines in the lieux-dits of Les Créots and Pince-Vin. It’s flashier than La Justice, aged in 50 percent new oak, which helps to gentle the rusticity of the tannins and give a sense of crisp tailoring to the finish. It also may foster a hint of Brett in the tannins, an earthy seasoning to the supple robe of fruit. This is fresh, accessible, joyous Gevrey, ready for pressed duck.
90 Points, Wine & Spirits, April 2013
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Marsannay Rouge En Ouzeloy 2009
The intense colour of this red wine is a beautiful medium ruby. The colour lasts well over time.
The nose, with raspberry notes, is open. The attack on the palate is ample and supple, supported by fine, ripe tannins, whose presence is not overwhelming. There is little trace of the maturation process. The fruit is expressed through a broad range of aromas, well developed and quite intense. A touch of spice marks the finish. With great finesse and noticeable viscosity, this wine exploits its vivacity, and is structured rather in texture than in consistency. The finish is highlighted by clear minerality that makes the mouth water. This airy wine has a good length.
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Marsannay Rouge En Ouzeloy 2010
Marsannay Le Clos 2008
The brilliant, clear colour of this white wine is pale yellow tinged with green. The nose reveals typical fresh minty notes, mixed with white flowers (acacia), a delicate blend of depth and subtlety. The attack is full, with good viscosity. The terroir is rich in clay and marks the wines of the Clos with great minerality and a beautiful salinity. Truffle notes appear at the finish.
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Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2008
This red wine is very colourful, with beautiful shades of blue or purple when young.
The consistency, fleshy roundness, and length rivalling that of a Chambertin are all to be appreciated. The elegance develops, the structure is clearly perceptible, with subtle viscosity, and an exquisite vivacity that brightens this wonderfully textured Grand Cru! The great elegance and finesse are sustained by dense tannins. As the wine ages, the bouquet develops with beautiful accents of violet, liquorice, vanilla, coffee beans, and even quince. The texture is exquisite, velvety and dense, the palatability of the finish is marked, and the aromatic persistence impresses by its intensity.
“A bit rigid now, with a core of cherry, raspberry, mineral and earth flavors, all backed by firm tannins. This bodes well for its future, as the lasting impression is one of sweet fruit and intensity. Best from 2014 through 2027.” — B.S.
94 points, Wine Spectator Insider, December 2011
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Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2010
Fixin Crais de Chêne 2009
The seductive, intense colour of this red wine is enhanced by a beautiful flash of violet. The nose, intense, and slightly wild, becomes more complex when aerated, with floral notes of clove. The palate is ample, characterised by a beautiful mineral presence. Although the tannins are over-fi rm in the young wine, they mellow with age. The liveliness and length on the palate are accompanied by red fruit notes in retro-olfaction. This wine, with more texture than consistency, has a frank minerality that refreshes the palate with a pleasantly saline finish.
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