Cedric Bouchard
About Cedric Bouchard
From a family of growers, Cédric started his professional life as a merchant in Paris before feeling the pull of his homeland. Committed to championing lesser-known parts of the region, there is no one making wines like this in Champagne, nor of similar quality in the Côte des Bar. His first vintage was in 2000 and this rosé is arguably his most in-demand wine with a mere 200 bottles only made from three rows of Pinot Noir!
Having sadly suffered a stroke in 2014 but fully recovering, this inimitable grower has become more private and diligent with his winemaking, shunning the limelight but letting his wines build one of the most ardent followings in the whole of fine wine. He is now without question one of the most driven pursuers of total perfection in the world.
“Working with the lowest yields in Champagne and fashioning some of the region’s greatest wines from vineyards that no one had ever heard of, he has always been a perfectionist in every sense of the word”
William Kelley (Wine Advocate)
Straddling the line between out-and-out maverick and the region’s greatest champion, Bouchard challenges almost all preconceived notions of how to make Champagne and what this style of wine truly is at its core.
"And if Champagne remains France’s highest-yielding appellation d’origine controlée, Bouchard’s yields of between 20 and 30 hectoliters per hectare would be considered low even by the best domaine’s of Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits. He even calls Champagne’s very identity—its bubbles—into question, by bottling at just over four bars of pressure rather than the conventional six"
William Kelley (Wine Advocate)
Read More
Photo
AI Chat
-
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2017 Rosé de Saignée Le Creux d'Enfer is the most seamless, elegant rendition of this cuvée that I've tasted to date. Produced in tiny quantities by the most exacting of methods, this is frequently Bouchard's most extreme wine, but that's not the case this year. Bursting with aromas of red plums, orange oil, buttery pastry, spiced apples and fresh bread, it's full-bodied, ample and satiny, with bright acids and chalky grip, enlivened by a pinpoint mousse and concluding with a broad, delicately honeyed finish.$1,085.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The fruit of a 24-hour maceration, the 2018 Rosé de Saignée Le Creux d'Enfer bursts with notions of cherries, blood orange, potpourri, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it's layered and textural, with an enveloping core of fruit, a pillowy mousse and a long, exotically spiced finish.$1,085.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Wine Advocate (97)
The fruit of a 24-hour maceration, the 2018 Rosé de Saignée Le Creux d'Enfer bursts with notions of cherries, blood orange, potpourri, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it's layered and textural, with an enveloping core of fruit, a pillowy mousse and a long, exotically spiced finish.$6,381.00 -
(6x75cl) 2008Vinous (95)
The clear highlight among these new releases, the 2008 Blanc de Noirs Côte de Béchalin is deep, powerful and beautifully layered in the glass. Resonant and generous yet with remarkable translucence, the 2008 is impeccable in its balance. There is plenty of nuance in the orchard fruit flavors, but above all else, the 2008 impresses with its total sense of harmony and proportion. The exuberant, racy finish only adds to the wine's inviting personality. Disgorged: April 2015.$3,285.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2012 Blanc de Noirs Côte de Bechalin La Parcelle is bright, precise and beautifully lifted. Orchard fruit, mint, white pepper and floral notes lend brightness. This is a decidedly taut, vibrant Blanc de Noirs, especially considering the vintage. Gracious, medium in body and supremely inviting, the Côte de Bechalin is another stellar wine in this set of new releases. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019.$2,485.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2014 Blanc de Noirs Côte de Bechalin La Parcelle is bright, focused and tightly wound, all of which will serve it well in the future. I especially admire the tension and energy here. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2014 for at least a few years. It"s an absolutely exquisite wine and a hidden gem in a range where the spotlight usually falls on other wines. Kirsch, plum, dried flowers, lemon peel and bright orchard fruit linger. No dosage. Disgorged: 2021.$257.00 -
(6x75cl) NV$1,880.00 -
Vinous (92)
The NV (2018) Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine is bright, fresh and wonderfully nuanced. Orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes give the Val Vilaine so much energy. Cédric Bouchard coaxes so much nuance from these 40 year-old vines. The Val Vilaine is always the youngest wine in the range - the current release is the 2018, which spent just 15 months on its lees - but it will give readers who aren't familiar with these wines a very good idea of the house style. Zero dosage. Disgorged: April 2020.$1,150.00 -
(1x75cl) 2019Wine Advocate (94+)
Cédric Bouchard's NV Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine (2019) is beautiful, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, green apple, clear honey, fresh bread, almond paste, white flowers and mirabelle plum. Medium to full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's satiny and textural, with an enveloping core of fruit, superb concentration and incisive acids. Chiseled and penetrating, it concludes with a long, saline finish. If the 2018 was immediate and demonstrative, this has structure to burn with age, charming though it is out of the gates, and I'm inclined to nominate it Bouchard's finest Val Vilaine to date.$206.00 -
(6x75cl) 2019Wine Advocate (94+)
Cédric Bouchard's NV Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine (2019) is beautiful, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, green apple, clear honey, fresh bread, almond paste, white flowers and mirabelle plum. Medium to full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's satiny and textural, with an enveloping core of fruit, superb concentration and incisive acids. Chiseled and penetrating, it concludes with a long, saline finish. If the 2018 was immediate and demonstrative, this has structure to burn with age, charming though it is out of the gates, and I'm inclined to nominate it Bouchard's finest Val Vilaine to date.$1,086.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)
The 2021 Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine is pretty powerful. The Val Vilaine is a fairly open, sensual wine in most years, but the 2021 is quite intense. Low yields from these 45-year-old vines resulted in an especially serious, vibrant Val Vilaine that should age very well. Pear, white flowers, spice and apple tart linger. This is an especially fine edition and a serious wine. Bottled with no dosage. Disgorged: 2023.$1,145.00 -
$1,110.00 -
$1,375.00 -
(6x75cl) 2019Wine Advocate (98)
Along with Les Ursules, the 2019 Blanc de Blancs La Bolorée stands out in Bouchard's portfolio this year for its purity and definition. Unwinding in the glass with notes of white currants, peach and pear mingled with notions of bread dough, dried white flowers and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with a dense, concentrated and intensely vinous profile, framed by chalky extract and tangy acids.$2,105.00 -
$2,205.00 -
Vinous (97)
The 2020 Blanc de Blancs La Haute Lemblé, 100% Chardonnay, is magnificent. What else is there to say? A Champagne of soaring vertical intensity and drive, the 2020 is truly special. Lemon confit, sage, mint, white flowers and white pepper stain the palate. Light tropical notes appear with time, adding an exotic and distinctive flair. Seamless and yet beautifully focused, La Haute Lemblé is so captivating in the early going. Magnificent. No dosage.$2,120.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2012 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is another knockout. Here it is the freshness and energy of Pinot Noir that makes the strongest impression. White orchard fruit, flowers, white pepper and mint give the Ursules its distinctly high-toned personality. The interplay between the richness of the Pinot Noir and inherent tension that characterizes all of these wines is dazzling. Scents of orchard fruit, spice, herb and flowers infuse the creamy, voluptuous layered finish. Disgorged: April 2016. No dosage.$469.00 -
(1x150cl) 2015Vinous (94)
The 2015 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is fascinating to taste next to the other Pinot Champagnes, all of which are brighter. Here, the weight and gravitas are very much front and center. Red cherry, kirsch, plum, mint and spice all blossom in the glass. The Ursules needs air to shine. A bit of time in the glass really brings out the creaminess and volume of the Pinot fruit. This is such an inviting and expressive Champagne. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019.$850.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2015 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is fascinating to taste next to the other Pinot Champagnes, all of which are brighter. Here, the weight and gravitas are very much front and center. Red cherry, kirsch, plum, mint and spice all blossom in the glass. The Ursules needs air to shine. A bit of time in the glass really brings out the creaminess and volume of the Pinot fruit. This is such an inviting and expressive Champagne. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019.$1,780.00 -
(1x75cl) 2016Wine Advocate (96+)
Aromas of fresh bread, crisp orchard fruit, citrus oil, clear honey and oyster shell introduce Bouchard's 2016 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully precise and tensile rendition of this emblematic cuvée. Fine-boned and elegant, it's seamless and penetrating. This an especially delicate Ursules that will reward some bottle age.$341.00 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
Aromas of fresh bread, crisp orchard fruit, citrus oil, clear honey and oyster shell introduce Bouchard's 2016 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully precise and tensile rendition of this emblematic cuvée. Fine-boned and elegant, it's seamless and penetrating. This an especially delicate Ursules that will reward some bottle age.$2,295.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2017 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is superb, mingling aromas of pear, mandarin and stone fruit with hints of fresh bread, pastry cream and iodine in an inviting mélange. Full-bodied, layered and fleshy, it's a concentrated, chiseled Ursules that's built for the cellar, with racy acids and a long, penetrating finish. While the reputation of the 2017 vintage in Champagne isn't great, you wouldn't know that from tasting this brilliant cuvée. As readers will remember, Les Ursules was the vineyard with which Cédric Bouchard began Roses de Jeanne, and he notes that of all the wines in his range, it's always the highest in acidity, the slowest to ferment and the slowest to conclude its malolactic fermentation.$758.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2017 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is superb, mingling aromas of pear, mandarin and stone fruit with hints of fresh bread, pastry cream and iodine in an inviting mélange. Full-bodied, layered and fleshy, it's a concentrated, chiseled Ursules that's built for the cellar, with racy acids and a long, penetrating finish. While the reputation of the 2017 vintage in Champagne isn't great, you wouldn't know that from tasting this brilliant cuvée. As readers will remember, Les Ursules was the vineyard with which Cédric Bouchard began Roses de Jeanne, and he notes that of all the wines in his range, it's always the highest in acidity, the slowest to ferment and the slowest to conclude its malolactic fermentation.$1,945.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Bouchard's 2018 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is a particular success, wafting from the glass with aromas of white flowers, crisp red apple, clear honey, wet stones and crushed mint. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, it's pure, racy and concentrated, with impressive tension and finesse that transcends this frequently blowsy, open-knit vintage. Exigent agronomy and timely harvesting pays off, once again.$410.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Bouchard's 2018 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules is a particular success, wafting from the glass with aromas of white flowers, crisp red apple, clear honey, wet stones and crushed mint. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and precise, it's pure, racy and concentrated, with impressive tension and finesse that transcends this frequently blowsy, open-knit vintage. Exigent agronomy and timely harvesting pays off, once again.$2,400.00 -
Wine Advocate (97+)
One of the high points of this range of releases is the 2019 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules, a medium to full-bodied, taut and chiseled wine redolent of white flowers, crisp green orchard fruit, freshly baked bread, orange blossom and wet stones. Dense and layered, with a sweet core of fruit underpinned by brisk acids, it's one of Bouchard's cooler terroirs, so it's no surprise to see it succeed so completely in the warm 2019 vintage.$2,165.00 -
$2,005.00 -
(1x75cl) 2017Vinous (94)
The 2017 Blanc de Noirs Presle is very subdued in this tasting. Medium in body and soft, the 2017 Presle is decidedly hushed in its personality and voice. It will be interesting to see if the aromatics and fruit emerge a bit more fully with time. Today, Presle is soft, silky and ready to go. No dosage. Disgorged: 2021.$481.00 -
(6x75cl) 2017Vinous (94)
The 2017 Blanc de Noirs Presle is very subdued in this tasting. Medium in body and soft, the 2017 Presle is decidedly hushed in its personality and voice. It will be interesting to see if the aromatics and fruit emerge a bit more fully with time. Today, Presle is soft, silky and ready to go. No dosage. Disgorged: 2021.$2,430.00 -
$2,545.00
