Region: Chassagne-Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Varietal: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: A lively Burgundian Chardonnay selected from younger vines grown in four separate parcels in Chassagne-Montrachet. Aromas of green apple, stone fruits and crisp pear. Tangy and textured on the palate with expressive mineral notes and a bright finish. Classic flavors of yellow plums, mountain spring water, with a touch of red berry fruit.
Pairing: Shellfish steamed in buttery broth, fatty king salmon, chicken with a lemony-cream sauce, fresh oysters, and I could go on. The main points to drive home are seafood, and rich sauces. Here’s a simple dish that makes for perfect noshing while enjoying a bottle of 2020 Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet. Steamed Clams With Spring Herbs by Melissa Clark.
“Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy sets the standard for naturally made, profoundly flavorful white Burgundy. Consider the family’s hand-cranked wooden press, the mini-family cellar and the bottling “line,” where each bottle is corked and labeled by hand—when someone says they are searching for an authentic wine far removed from today’s hyper-technology and trends, they’re looking for Bouard-Bonnefoy wines.
This winemaking family represents a Burgundy we thought long gone, but really the Bouard-Bonnefoy clan embodies the sort of artisanal spirit to which we’ve always been drawn in our three decades of visiting the Côte d’Or.
What Chassagne’s many beautiful vineyards offer, the Bouard-Bonnefoys capture faithfully—these are wines that astound with their pure aromas, their deep flavors and their ability to seduce from the very first sip.
Nothing rattles winemaker Fabrice Bouard, who in his 40s is already on his second career—his first being a bodyguard for French dignitaries. His wife, Carine Bonnefoy, represents the fourth generation of a Chassagne winemaking family. Their estate has always been small, a labor of love with wines mostly sold to locals and friends. In 2006, Fabrice and Carine took over the family production, with Carine’s father (well-known in the village for being one of the more diligent grape growers around) assisting in the fields.”-North Berkeley Imports
