Very elegant with a floral delicacy, this is a delightful expression of Savigny-les-Beaune on the quite sleek, medium-bodied palate. Beautiful interplay of mineral acidity, bright red-berry fruit flavors and expertly crafted tannins all the way through the long, refined finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

The 2023 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières is lovely, bursting with aromas of sweet berries, licorice and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and succulent palate built around sweet, powdery tannins. 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: from a huge 3.85 ha parcel purchased in 1909. There is just enough wood to notice on the cooler and airier aromas of red currant and softer earth influence. The notably finer flavors are seductively textured while retaining good detail on the solidly persistent finish that firms up noticeably on the moderately austere finale. This is also going to require at least a modicum of patience as it's pretty tightly wound today.