Approachable and easy to love, with a forward, plummy fruit. The firm-ish tannins in evidence when tasted in June had smoothed out by November to give a silky, softer impression. Clos de la Mousse does not have the most depth of the Beaune premiers crus but lingers pleasantly on the palate. The grapes are from Bouchard's 3.36ha monopole across the road from Teurons; they are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing 16 months in cask, 30% new.(CC)

The 2023 Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse is quite elegant this year, mingling aromas of cherries with notions of spices, rose petals and orange zest in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and pure, it's lively and mouthwatering. Biodynamic trials are ongoing in this clay-rich walled monopole. The 2023 vintage is another strong performance from Bouchard Père et Fils. Frédéric Weber performed extensive green harvesting when the size of the crop became apparent, dropping as much as half the vines' production to end up with yields in the region of 40-42 hectoliters per hectare. The season was hot, but with lots of showers, so hydric stress wasn't an issue; and like others, they advanced picking dates due to the early September heat wave. Interestingly, maturation didn't follow the usual pattern: Volnay Caillerets, for example, which usually begins the red harvest chez Bouchard, was late to ripen, whereas some habitually late parcels were early.(WK)

Note: a 3.37 ha monopole of Bouchard that required seven generations for the family to assemble. More prominent though not invasive wood is present on the ripe aromas of poached plum, kirsch and pretty floral nuances. The super-sleek, detailed and energetic middle weight flavors conclude in a lingering bitter pit fruit-inflected finale. This too could reasonably be approached young but have no trouble aging gracefully over the mid-term.*Burghound Outstanding!*