Bouard-Bonnefoy 2020 St. Aubin "Le Combes" 1er Cru 750ml

Intense aromatics of pear, white peach, and a hint of mint waft from the glass and continue gracefully on the palate to include light tropical and floral notes along with hints of spice. The palate is extremely elegant and with a refreshing core of minerality, citrus fruit and a hint of tangy vanilla oak on the finish. This is extremely enjoyable now, and will continue to offer pleasure through 2027.

Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy sets the standard for naturally made, profoundly flavorful white Burgundy. Consider the family’s hand-cranked wooden press, the mini-family cellar and the bottling “line,” where each bottle is corked and labeled by hand—when someone says they are searching for an authentic wine far removed from today’s hypertechnology and trends, they’re looking for Bouard-Bonnefoy wines.

This winemaking family represents a Burgundy most thought long gone, but really the Bouard-Bonnefoy clan embodies the sort of artisanal spirit to which most have always been drawn when visiting the Côte d’Or.

Nothing rattles winemaker Fabrice Bouard, who is already on his second career—his first being a bodyguard for French dignitaries. His wife, Carine Bonnefoy, represents the fourth generation of a Chassagne winemaking family. Their estate has always been small, a labor of love with wines mostly sold to locals and friends. In 2006, Fabrice and Carine took over the family production, with Carine’s father (well-known in the village for being one of the more diligent grape growers around) assisting in the fields.