Bouchaine's Cosmopolitan Wines

Bouchaine's wines have a cosmopolitan edge, showcasing grace and pedigree with vigor. These are classy, approachable wines with broad appeal. 

Sitting on 104 contiguous acres on the southern cusp of cool climate Carneros overlooking San Francisco, Bouchaine Vineyards celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Founders Tatiana and Gerret Copeland were pioneers in Carneros, which didn't become an AVA until 1985.

White
91*
Bouchaine Vineyards 2018 Chardonnay Estate Carneros 14.2% $32
This is a charming Chardonnay with streaks of minerality and a lightly-toasted oak edge. Fuji apple, Poire Williams and pluot ooze from the slightly plump core balanced by nicely framing acidity. A saline note cuts through the lingering finish. This hails from 35-year-old vines, and the wine saw only 50% malolactic fermentation. The primary fermentation was 85% in barrel (15% new, French oak) and 15% in stainless steel tanks. With this profile and priced at only $32 retail, this is a screaming buy for a Napa Chardonnay!
Drink: 2021-23 

Reds
92
Bouchaine Vineyards 2018 Pinot Noir Estate Carneros Pommard Clone 14.5% $65
Bursting with blackberries and black plums, this is a bold, vigorous Pinot Noir. Root beer and licorice add to the initial perfume. Robust and even four-square in structure, the crunchy tannins and raring acidity nicely balance this full-bodied Pinot Noir. This is an expressive wine that has immediate appeal yet will benefit from time in the bottle.
Drink: 2021-2026 

91
Bouchaine Vineyards 2018 Pinot Noir Estate Carneros 14.2% $35
Vinous and succulent, this is a highly approachable Pinot Noir thanks to soft, mildly grainy tannins that meld nicely into the forward fruit onslaught. The acidity - alas - feels a bit exaggerated, but it doesn't detract much from the overall wine. The aromas range from blackberry and cassis to underbrush and wild game. Uber-youthful and enticingly complex with solid concentration and a lusty, rather complex finish, this is delicious now and has the bandwidth to age well in the mid-term. This is classic Carneros Pinot Noir.
Drink: 2021-24

89*
Bouchaine Vineyards 2018 Pinot Meunier Estate Selection Carneros 14.5% $68
I was excited to taste this wine as it is rare to see Pinot Meunier as a varietal, still red. This didn't disappoint! It smells of bramble and fireplace soot with hints of spice rack. The sumptuous attack envelopes the palate then turns - surprisingly - very crispy and cuttingly dry on the moderate finish, which also shows slightly noticeable alcoholic heat. Still, this is a super fun, geeky wine on one hand and a real pleasure to taste on the other. This is a more vigorous, fervent - even rugged - wine than the Pinot Noir, in an invitingly dynamic way. 
Drink: 2021-24