Personal Favorites With The Cedric Bouchard Lineup?

Michael_S_Monie · July 30, 2020, 6:38pm

I’m curious which wines those of you here like the best. Thanks.

David_Bu3ker · July 30, 2020, 6:43pm

I love Ursules

AD_Northup · July 30, 2020, 6:45pm

Presle for me

Claus_Jeppesen · July 30, 2020, 7:13pm

My fav too

Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r · July 30, 2020, 7:33pm

La Boloree

Michael_S_Monie · July 30, 2020, 8:00pm

Being 100% Pinot Blanc, how does it compare to a Chardonnay BdB?

David_Goerisch · July 30, 2020, 9:33pm

All of them! But probably the Presle would be my first pick, followed closely by the Bechalin and the Ursules. Also, I think it’s hard to find a champagne better that the Val Vilaine at its price point (although several of the Laherte Freres offerings are in the running).

Brad_Baker · July 30, 2020, 10:13pm

Creux d’Enfer is my favorite followed by Les Ursules. Val Vilaine is a value pick for the range. The only wine that leaves me scratching my head is La Boloree, but I am not a fan of Pinot Blanc in my Champagne.

Michael_S_Monie · July 30, 2020, 10:29pm

Creux d’Enfer is made only as Rose?

Brad_Baker · July 30, 2020, 10:55pm

Yes, only as a Rose and Bouchard’s only Rose - made via Saignee/Maceration over a three to four day period. It is also his smallest production as it comes from just 3-4 rows of vines in the vineyard. Cedric’s 3-4 rows only amount to 0.032 ha of vines. He only makes two to five hundred bottles of each vintage. It is his hardest wine to find and his most expensive.

*Edited second to last sentence for grammar

scamhi · July 30, 2020, 11:26pm

Creux d’enfer for me too. Very small production

Robert_M_yers · July 30, 2020, 11:30pm

Is there something special about these 3-4 rows? Wondering why he would limit it to such a tiny amount?

Brad_Baker · July 31, 2020, 12:09am

Robert,

Because that is all he owns in this vineyard. He would make more if he could and he would buy more if he could. A lot of growers are in this situation. I remember walking one vineyard with Jean-Paul Hebrart of Marc Hebrart and he would point out that he owned these three rows and then those three and then four over there… You get what you can and make what you can. Land is expensive in Champagne and there is a lot of competition to buy it up amongst folks.

AD_Northup · July 31, 2020, 12:13am

Hey Brad,

The bigger question for me is if there is some particular aspect or particularity of this lieux-dit that made Cedric choose a rose as opposed to a Blanc de noirs?

Brad_Baker · July 31, 2020, 1:22am

Andrew,

I don’t know the answer to your question. It seems like a simple one, but I never asked and am kicking myself for how logical it would have been to have asked Cedric this. I would guess maybe it had to do with the exposition and size? Maybe William Kelley or someone else here knows?

Your question also made me realize that I should point out that while Cedric has only 3-4 rows of Pinot Noir vines in the Creux d’Enfer vineyard, he owns bit more. In the early 2000s, Cedric planted an additional 3 rows to Chardonnay. These Chardonnay vines were part of his still wine experiment that he decided not to release. I am not sure what he is doing with these rows of vines today and should probably ask.

Sometimes the simple questions are the best ones.

AD_Northup · July 31, 2020, 1:27am

Robert,

Because that is all he owns in this vineyard. He would make more if he could and he would buy more if he could. A lot of growers are in this situation. I remember walking one vineyard with Jean-Paul Hebrart of Marc Hebrart and he would point out that he owned these three rows and then those three and then four over there… You get what you can and make what you can. Land is expensive in Champagne and there is a lot of competition to buy it up amongst folks.

Hey Brad,

The bigger question for me is if there is some particular aspect or particularity of this lieux-dit that made Cedric choose a rose as opposed to a Blanc de noirs?

Andrew,

I don’t know the answer to your question. It seems like a simple one, but I never asked and am kicking myself for how logical it would have been to have asked Cedric this. I would guess maybe it had to do with the exposition and size? Maybe William Kelley or someone else here knows?

Your question also made me realize that I should point out that while Cedric has only 3-4 rows of Pinot Noir vines in the Creux d’Enfer vineyard, he owns bit more. In the early 2000s, Cedric planted an additional 3 rows to Chardonnay. These Chardonnay vines were part of his still wine experiment that he decided not to release. I am not sure what he is doing with these rows of vines today and should probably ask.

Sometimes the simple questions are the best ones.

Thanks Brad. Very interesting on the Coteaux Champenois, have you had the opportunity to try it? Would be interested to know the style of the wine produced.

Hopefully someone has some insight to the original question, otherwise, please let me know should have have the chance to enquire in the future.

Michael_S_Monie · July 31, 2020, 2:17am

It seems as though the Pinot dominated wines are the favorite here. Any thoughts on the Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc La Haute Lemble?

Brad_Baker · July 31, 2020, 4:12pm

Cedric ended up not moving forward with his Coteaux Champenois project. I was able to sample a few of the wines pre-bottling a decade ago and they seemed nice enough for Coteaux Champenois. What I tasted was still aging and not yet ready for release, but the wines were promising and I looked forward to tasting them when officially launched. In contrast to his Champagne, he made his Coteaux Champenois in oak and his goal was to only bottle in magnums. In the end, Cedric wasn’t happy with the quality of the wines and never released anything. He thought the wine turned out better as Champagne than still wine.

To me, what is most interesting about this cancelled project is that Cedric never really liked Champagne as a wine and his heart and soul were set on making still wines. Bubbles are a distraction and annoyance to Cedric, but he makes the best wines that he can from the land that he has.

AD_Northup · July 31, 2020, 4:54pm

Thanks Brad. Very interesting on the Coteaux Champenois, have you had the opportunity to try it? Would be interested to know the style of the wine produced.

Hopefully someone has some insight to the original question, otherwise, please let me know should have have the chance to enquire in the future.

Cedric ended up not moving forward with his Coteaux Champenois project. I was able to sample a few of the wines pre-bottling a decade ago and they seemed nice enough for Coteaux Champenois. What I tasted was still aging and not yet ready for release, but the wines were promising and I looked forward to tasting them when officially launched. In contrast to his Champagne, he made his Coteaux Champenois in oak and his goal was to only bottle in magnums. In the end, Cedric wasn’t happy with the quality of the wines and never released anything. He thought the wine turned out better as Champagne than still wine.

To me, what is most interesting about this cancelled project is that Cedric never really liked Champagne as a wine and his heart and soul were set on making still wines. Bubbles are a distraction and annoyance to Cedric, but he makes the best wines that he can from the land that he has.

Thanks Brad!

RyanC · July 31, 2020, 7:49pm

That’s amazing. He’s doing something right: his Champagnes are some of my favorite wines on earth.