This was an odd duck compared to the Big House tête de cuvée wines also served in the welcome Champagne line-up. Lots of sour apple and seemingly light weight. I think this wine needs lots of air and attention to appreciate, relative to the more yummy Big House alternatives.
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Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume VIII (Chicago, IL): This really didn't speak to me at all. Had a weird underripe quality to it that I found really undesirable. Lean and kind of astringent on the palate, and missing depth here. The more I try these wines, the less I like them.
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So good. Vinous, open-knit, and broad on the palate, this shows delicate red and white fruits with a beam of acidity holding everything together. The fruit is so ripe and organic. Lovely and distinctive.
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A night at the office (RL Restaurant, Chicago IL): The nose is so youthful and energetic, filling the glass with strawberries, creams, toast, pears, mineral tones, quince, nectarines, apples, and acacia flowers. There is so much freshness and balance to the nose that it is so easy to get lost in. The Medium bodied feel is poised and deep with razor sharp, high acidity that does have some bite to it. This is extremely good and extremely young. There is definite upside for when this gets closer to 12 years old and on. So much is happening here and with just so much class.
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None of us could distinguish the Ursules from the Val Vilaine version. Both are good solid champagnes with high acidity and freshness. Perhaps due to youth, they are lacking somewhat in mid palate depth so come across as austere. Certainly not distinguishable as Pinot Noir. Not my preferred style but I can see why others are more enthusiastic.
30 minutes of air. Bouchard style orchard fruit is there but being shy, hiding under some rugged ginger-ish notes and a bit of acid. Another hour and it’s starting to come alive, but think it’s best to give the 16’s some more time.
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I seem to be in the minority here but this was not particularly interesting. Fine, elegant, and very much identifiable as Bouchard. But a bit simple and to me not worth any more than the €130 paid off the list (based off today’s showing). I do think this has a ton of room for improvement so I wouldn’t open another bottle for at least 5 years, and it can definitely go a whole lot longer than that. But for now probably the least exciting of ~10 different RdJ bottles I’ve tried. Also a stark contrast to a 2015 opened a few months ago that was absolutely rocking, maybe not a surprise given the vintage… that was really, really good.
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What a champagne! Zen like precision on both the nose & palate, taut, dry, full of energy, freshness & refinement are on a different plane, served blind and guesses were around the 2000s
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Piercing, precise, somehow both explosive and soft. Fresh, juicy red fruits on the nose, crisp orchard fruit, polite nudges of pastry that become more pronounced.
Palate has more fruit forward exuberance, juicy acid balanced by the soft, almost creamy texture that I've come to associate with Bouchard. Pastry comes back accompanied by a bit of sweet lemon entering and fine saline streaks. Powerful but also focused with fantastic clarity.
If I had to guess I would say this will calm down a bit and offer a compelling, finely threaded narrative but I happen to appreciate the intensity of the current state. 95-96pts
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Bouchard always delivers. This is a very vinous example that is bone dry but with pure fruit and fine minerals with a squeeze of red cherry. Delicate and perhaps a touch lighter than I'm used to with this bottle.
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MMMmmmMMMMmmm...love these wines! The 16 Ursules fantastic as all get out! Little more vinous richness in this one...showing more red apple skin, and cherry pie crust...SUPER zesty lemon and grapefruit squeeze acidity with elegant popping effervescence dances across the palate...calmed by a vanilla and almond liqueur creme mousse that gracefully coats the palate. Plenty of smoky grey salt minerality giving it wonderful salinity...dried apple rings, slight brioche lees, pretty white flower florals...all in perfect harmony, elegance, and balance...yet with flesh and richness. A true pleasure...every time!
Red berry nose together with some red and green apple. Some citrus together with the slightest floral touch.
Lovely density of fruit on the palate with a fresh citrusy cut to it. Although a bit restrained at the outset, it opens up in the glass. Smooth and fresh on the palate with a delicate and luxurious mousse. Saline finish (salty sea). Medium + bodied with lots of character.
Preferred this when it gained a bit of temperature. Lots of potential here, but it still needs time. I will leave this to sleep another 5 + years before thinking of approaching. 93 today, 95 potensial? Rated 94
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Dinner out in Jersey with some friends: Been awhile since I've seen this producer although it's traditionally been one of my favorite champagnes. It's always a bit more interesting. This was quite light and perhaps not as PN driven as I'd have expected. Easy drinker. Went down fast. Maybe needed some more time to open up and maybe even warm up a bit.
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Served on PnP. Generous dose of fruit with the precision of acidity and body that I love in great Champagne. Prefer this so, so much more than Bechalin, but still a clear step below the La Haute Lemble for me.
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Stunning densely red fruited with gorgeous floral nose. Mineral, more red fruit, apple, herbal notes on the intense palate. So yummy. A powerhouse will age forever but certainly will be drunk sooner.
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left open for 30 before first pour. Loads of that classic Bouchard super ripe orchard fruit that just lingers forever. The acidity ok it sits on the tongue longer than the last bottle, but being at the beach in 100 F weather I’m not complaining. Every RdJ bottle continues to impress across the board.
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Another solid winner from the Bouchard lineage, the Ursules offers an impeccable representation of balance and equilibrium of flavor. Everything is properly in its place, with precision and focus throughout delivery. Bruised lemon and red cherry water notes glide across the palate on a smooth train of effervescence, finishing with the same sense of sophistication as when it started. One of the smoothest non-dosage BdNs I’ve experienced, never wanting for more or less of anything. Exquisitely weighted.
In a perfect place right now with a bit of air, allowing the bubbles to best define their center bead in the glass. These smaller production lieu-dit Champagnes from Bouchard put some of the big houses to absolute shame... just sayin’...
New to the vintage/vineyard CB bottling. Early to open and showed extremely well. No formal notes but dinner party loved kicking of the night with this wine. Next bottle 2022 16 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 18 Matt Morris Heritage 18 Bedrock Enz 16 Cedric Bouchard Les Ursules 80 MA Mas Amiel
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11/18/2023 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
This was an odd duck compared to the Big House tête de cuvée wines also served in the welcome Champagne line-up. Lots of sour apple and seemingly light weight. I think this wine needs lots of air and attention to appreciate, relative to the more yummy Big House alternatives.
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11/18/2023 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Nebbiolos, white truffles, Volume VIII (Chicago, IL): This really didn't speak to me at all. Had a weird underripe quality to it that I found really undesirable. Lean and kind of astringent on the palate, and missing depth here. The more I try these wines, the less I like them.
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8/22/2023 - Vas19 wrote: 92 Points
Great texture but lacking some fruit and minerality on the palate. Will wait at least 3 years before checking in again.
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7/15/2023 - rc@ughey wrote: 93 Points
So good. Vinous, open-knit, and broad on the palate, this shows delicate red and white fruits with a beam of acidity holding everything together. The fruit is so ripe and organic. Lovely and distinctive.
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5/1/2023 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
A night at the office (RL Restaurant, Chicago IL): The nose is so youthful and energetic, filling the glass with strawberries, creams, toast, pears, mineral tones, quince, nectarines, apples, and acacia flowers. There is so much freshness and balance to the nose that it is so easy to get lost in. The Medium bodied feel is poised and deep with razor sharp, high acidity that does have some bite to it. This is extremely good and extremely young. There is definite upside for when this gets closer to 12 years old and on. So much is happening here and with just so much class.
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1/24/2023 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
None of us could distinguish the Ursules from the Val Vilaine version. Both are good solid champagnes with high acidity and freshness. Perhaps due to youth, they are lacking somewhat in mid palate depth so come across as austere. Certainly not distinguishable as Pinot Noir. Not my preferred style but I can see why others are more enthusiastic.
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11/26/2022 - adnorthup wrote:
30 minutes of air. Bouchard style orchard fruit is there but being shy, hiding under some rugged ginger-ish notes and a bit of acid. Another hour and it’s starting to come alive, but think it’s best to give the 16’s some more time.
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11/21/2022 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hell ya…perfect with pepperoni pizza at La Bicyclette Carmel!
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9/25/2022 - Iskama wrote:
I seem to be in the minority here but this was not particularly interesting. Fine, elegant, and very much identifiable as Bouchard. But a bit simple and to me not worth any more than the €130 paid off the list (based off today’s showing). I do think this has a ton of room for improvement so I wouldn’t open another bottle for at least 5 years, and it can definitely go a whole lot longer than that. But for now probably the least exciting of ~10 different RdJ bottles I’ve tried. Also a stark contrast to a 2015 opened a few months ago that was absolutely rocking, maybe not a surprise given the vintage… that was really, really good.
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9/4/2022 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a champagne! Zen like precision on both the nose & palate, taut, dry, full of energy, freshness & refinement are on a different plane, served blind and guesses were around the 2000s
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5/13/2022 - Charlie N Likes this wine:
Piercing, precise, somehow both explosive and soft. Fresh, juicy red fruits on the nose, crisp orchard fruit, polite nudges of pastry that become more pronounced.
Palate has more fruit forward exuberance, juicy acid balanced by the soft, almost creamy texture that I've come to associate with Bouchard. Pastry comes back accompanied by a bit of sweet lemon entering and fine saline streaks. Powerful but also focused with fantastic clarity.
If I had to guess I would say this will calm down a bit and offer a compelling, finely threaded narrative but I happen to appreciate the intensity of the current state. 95-96pts
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3/1/2022 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
Bouchard always delivers. This is a very vinous example that is bone dry but with pure fruit and fine minerals with a squeeze of red cherry. Delicate and perhaps a touch lighter than I'm used to with this bottle.
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2/7/2022 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points
MMMmmmMMMMmmm...love these wines! The 16 Ursules fantastic as all get out! Little more vinous richness in this one...showing more red apple skin, and cherry pie crust...SUPER zesty lemon and grapefruit squeeze acidity with elegant popping effervescence dances across the palate...calmed by a vanilla and almond liqueur creme mousse that gracefully coats the palate. Plenty of smoky grey salt minerality giving it wonderful salinity...dried apple rings, slight brioche lees, pretty white flower florals...all in perfect harmony, elegance, and balance...yet with flesh and richness. A true pleasure...every time!
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12/31/2021 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a beautiful Champagne to close out the year. Cheers and Happy New Year CT!
MJP
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11/13/2021 - evold89 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Red berry nose together with some red and green apple. Some citrus together with the slightest floral touch.
Lovely density of fruit on the palate with a fresh citrusy cut to it. Although a bit restrained at the outset, it opens up in the glass. Smooth and fresh on the palate with a delicate and luxurious mousse. Saline finish (salty sea). Medium + bodied with lots of character.
Preferred this when it gained a bit of temperature. Lots of potential here, but it still needs time. I will leave this to sleep another 5 + years before thinking of approaching.
93 today, 95 potensial? Rated 94
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10/17/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Dinner out in Jersey with some friends: Been awhile since I've seen this producer although it's traditionally been one of my favorite champagnes. It's always a bit more interesting. This was quite light and perhaps not as PN driven as I'd have expected. Easy drinker. Went down fast. Maybe needed some more time to open up and maybe even warm up a bit.
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9/12/2021 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served on PnP. Generous dose of fruit with the precision of acidity and body that I love in great Champagne. Prefer this so, so much more than Bechalin, but still a clear step below the La Haute Lemble for me.
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8/14/2021 - Richard P Howden wrote: 94 Points
Stunning densely red fruited with gorgeous floral nose. Mineral, more red fruit, apple, herbal notes on the intense palate. So yummy. A powerhouse will age forever but certainly will be drunk sooner.
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8/13/2021 - adnorthup Likes this wine:
left open for 30 before first pour. Loads of that classic Bouchard super ripe orchard fruit that just lingers forever. The acidity ok it sits on the tongue longer than the last bottle, but being at the beach in 100 F weather I’m not complaining. Every RdJ bottle continues to impress across the board.
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7/2/2021 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Another solid winner from the Bouchard lineage, the Ursules offers an impeccable representation of balance and equilibrium of flavor. Everything is properly in its place, with precision and focus throughout delivery. Bruised lemon and red cherry water notes glide across the palate on a smooth train of effervescence, finishing with the same sense of sophistication as when it started. One of the smoothest non-dosage BdNs I’ve experienced, never wanting for more or less of anything. Exquisitely weighted.
In a perfect place right now with a bit of air, allowing the bubbles to best define their center bead in the glass. These smaller production lieu-dit Champagnes from Bouchard put some of the big houses to absolute shame... just sayin’...
Disgorged April 2020. Zero dosage.
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6/13/2021 - B Paul wrote:
No detailed notes, but another winner from Bouchard. Delicious with great energy.
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4/9/2021 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 95 Points
New to the vintage/vineyard CB bottling. Early to open and showed extremely well. No formal notes but dinner party loved kicking of the night with this wine. Next bottle 2022
16 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
18 Matt Morris Heritage
18 Bedrock Enz
16 Cedric Bouchard Les Ursules
80 MA Mas Amiel
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