Domaine Bauchet

Domaine Bauchet

I've tasted 4 champagnes from Domaine Bauchet -- a Premier Cru house that works at the intersection between Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims and combines the best of both worlds. The champagnes show Chardonnay clarity paired with Pinot Noir structure -- a combination that works particularly well at Bauchet.

Terroir and Location

Premier Cru sites on Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims -- that's first-class raw material. The chalky soils of Côte des Blancs give the Chardonnay base wines minerality and elegance, while the Montagne de Reims delivers powerful Pinot Noir with structure. The Premier Cru classification is more than a label: It reflects the quality of the sites that Bauchet farms.

Philosophy and Style

Bauchet makes champagnes that are simultaneously approachable and profound. No extreme dosages, no excessive use of oak -- instead a calm, balanced style that shows confidence in the raw material. Particularly the Blanc de Blancs line and the single-variety Pinot Noir (Contraste) show the two poles of the house.

The Range

Four cuvées that cover the full spectrum: from classic Brut through Blanc de Blancs to an exciting single-variety Pinot Noir and a mature vintage champagne. A range without gaps.

The Cuvées in Detail

Mémoire 2018

A full, round and harmonious champagne. Brioche, pastry, nuts and honey on the nose, plus slightly oxidative hints from long lees aging. Full-bodied but harmonious on the palate with supporting acidity and a long finish. The 2018 vintage was warm and sunny, and you can taste it: This champagne has opulence and richness without seeming heavy.

My tip: With a Poulet de Bresse with morels or a mature Epoisses.

Type: Millésimé | Vintage: 2018 | Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Saint-Nicaise 2015

A mature Blanc de Blancs with golden warmth that surprisingly reminds of Pinot Noir. Round, soft and approachable with enough tension, without losing elegance. Peach, pear, brioche and vanilla shape the aromatic spectrum. The warm 2015 vintage has given this Chardonnay an unusual richness -- almost Burgundian in its character.

Compared to the Mémoire 2018, the Saint-Nicaise is somewhat more focused and elegant, despite its richness.

Type: Blanc de Blancs | Vintage: 2015 | Grape varieties: Chardonnay

Contraste

Red apples, mirabelle plum, brioche, fine roasted aromas and slightly nutty spice. Creamy, lively and precise on the palate with cool, elegant tension. 100% Pinot Noir, Premier Cru, without malolactic fermentation -- this gives the champagne a vibrant freshness that you don't always find in Pinot Noir champagnes. The name "Contraste" fits: It's a Pinot Noir that comes with Chardonnay elegance.

My tip: With sushi or sashimi -- the absence of malolactic fermentation gives the wine a freshness that's perfect with raw fish.

Type: Brut | Grape varieties: Pinot Noir

Signature Brut Premier Cru

The all-rounder of the house. Elegant and precise with pear, green apple and citrus, complemented by warmth from mirabelle and stone fruit plus a fine brioche note. A calm, balanced champagne with Chardonnay clarity and creamy depth. Meditatively balanced -- a champagne that suits many occasions and is never the wrong choice.

Type: Brut | Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

What makes Domaine Bauchet special?

The balance between elegance and substance. No champagne in the range is too light or too heavy -- everything sits just right. Particularly the Contraste as a Pinot Noir without malolactic fermentation is a concept I've rarely seen and it works remarkably well.

My Tastings

Conclusion