Unsurprisingly, the high quality of the 2017 white vintage is readily perceptible here. Harvesting began on 7 September (three days later than for the reds).
The grapes were healthy, but due to the thick skins, they were crushed prior to being pressed. Natural alcohols ranged from 12.5 to 14º, and there were good levels of both tartaric and malic acidities.
To preserve freshness through control of temperature, alcoholic fermentations took place in stainless steel. The wines were then transferred to barrels where the malo-lactic fermentations took place. The malos finished in early April.
2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay Réserve
Nice minerality and good acidic backbone, freshness. This wine was tasted from a tank sample, but the bottling was taking place when I tasted the wine. The grapes come primarily from the Côte d’Or, with some from the Côte Chalonnaise and some Mâconnais). 10% en was raised in wood, a little of which is new. 86/B
2017 Beaune du Château 1er Cru Domaine
Nice richness, but also elegance. Some vanillins, a bit of grip, along with good acidity. This should be an outstanding value. The wine had already been transferred to tank and was expected to be bottled in early December. 15% new wood. (91-93)
2017 Beaune 1er Cru Clos St-Landry Domaine
Floral nose. Good acidity, vanillins, long, needs more time but already attractive. 15% new wood on this wine. Interestingly, the vineyard, since the 13th century, has always been a white wine vineyard. (91-93)
2017 Meursault Domaine
Some butter, some creaminess, but also good supporting acidity and grip. Not a lot of finesse here, but satisfying. Bouchard owns 6 ha of these village Meursault vineyards, primarily in the Les Forges, Les Corbins, and Les Durots. (88-90)
2017 Meursault Les Clous Domaine
Very precise lemon-lime minerality in both nose and mouth. Nice acidic nervosity, light on palate, some strictness. Some salinity. (91-93)
2017 Puligny-Montrachet
Good acidity, in fact seems a touch aggressive, long. For the moment, not harmonious, but may come there; very mineral. This wine is from musts that Bouchard exchanges with some very good Puligny vignerons. (88-90)
2017 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières Domaine
Richness, depth, some power, nice acidity, rather dense (too dense?) in texture, plenty of acidity. Technical director Frédéric Weber says that Bouchard has two parcels here and they give different wines. (91-93)
2017 Meursault 1er Cru Perrières Domaine
Medium-light, energetic, good penetration, good tension. (92-95)
2017 Corton-Charlemagne Domaine
Facing fully east. Yellow marl. Good acidity, tension, depth, steeliness; needs time, but should make an excellent Corton-Charlemagne in 8-10 years. (93-96)
2017 Chevalier-Montrachet Domaine
Beautiful Chevalier chipped-stone nose (this wine is an assemblage of the four terrasses). Chevalier austerity with 2017 richness makes amazing combination — lemon, and lime, long, elegant, pure. (96-98)
2017 Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte Domaine
Some stoniness in nose. Round, not as deep or penetrating as the previous, but more power here. Lemony fruit, not quite the stoniness. La Cabotte is a parcel of Chevalier-Montrachet owned by Bouchard and it once was classified as Montrachet; when the subsoils were found to be different from Montrachet, it was re-classified as Chevalier-Montrachet, but in fact it gives a wine somewhat in between Cheavlier and Montrachet in style. (94-96)
2017 Montrachet Domaine
Floral, lime blossom nose. Round, full, pure, mineral with citric fruits. Deep, long, dense. Simply, a great wine. (96-99)