1924 Bouchard Père & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 10, 2024

Since the vintage ends with the right digit, I was tempted to add this wine to my Centuries Of… article. Frankly, this bottle was so amazing, defied logic to such a degree, and was so astounding that it had to be placed on its own pedestal, which is this Cellar Favorite. I did not choose it because readers can just go out and procure a bottle; instead, this is a pertinent reminder of wine’s longevity and that consumers don’t necessarily need to forage for blue chip growers or even the most esteemed vineyards. Perhaps the message of this particular Cellar Favorite is to keep an open mind.

The 1924 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge was served blind by Artémis Group CEO Frédéric Engerer at a dinner in the basement room at Noble Rot Mayfair. It came directly from Bouchard Père’s library, so provenance is impeccable, which counts for something after a century. That said, keep in mind that this would have come from purchased fruit. Swirling the glass, there is an element of something with serious antiquity, perhaps derived from the winemaking technique, that was dichotomous to its breezy freshness and vitality. With exquisite delineation on the nose, it offers black plum, black olives and iris flower, yet it’s the vigor that defies time. There is just a touch of VA, but it contends with that supremely well. The palate is, again, life-affirmingly fresh, with a potent marine influence that combines effortlessly with the bitter cherry and a dab of chlorine towards the finish. There is a soupçon of rusticity, but it exists as a kind of badge confirming its age. A time-buckling tour de force! Is it the best wine I have drunk all year? No. Is it the most remarkable? Yes. 95/Drink 2024-2034.

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