Bouachon - 2020 vintage

Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Harvests in two phases

The harvests

‘The Maison Bouachon really stands out from the crowd with its pioneering approach factoring in both geography and climate in the southern Vallée du Rhône. The idea is to consider how suited different grape varieties are to specific geographical areas. This involves observing the performance of each variety in the specific areas where it is grown, paying attention to variations in climate, relief and the influence of wind, rainfall or sunshine patterns. For this vintage, what mattered was to look for plots located in generally warmer areas at the beginning of the harvest (before the heatwave struck), and to focus on cooler areas during the second harvest period.

Initial tastings

The red wines are most noteworthy for the very expressive, very concentrated Syrahs, which were picked during the first harvesting period, when it was hot during the day and cool by night. This enabled us to achieve well-balanced acidity. The Grenache and Mourvèdre grapes were picked a little later, when the hot weather had begun, resulting in more concentrated, mouthfilling wines that are well-structured on the palate.’
CHARLOTTE FABRE