Carnot
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 7 to 15 years from the vintage, though outstanding years can continue to develop complexity for up to 20 years.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, roasted pheasant
✨ Technical Specifications
The 'Ancienne Cuvée Carnot' is sourced from the highly esteemed Volnay Premier Cru 'Les Caillerets' vineyard, a site famed for its stony, limestone-rich soils (from 'cailles', meaning pebbles). The history of this cuvée is deeply intertwined with the Carnot family—most notably Lazare Carnot, the prominent military engineer and political figure of the French Revolution known as the 'Organizer of Victory.' The Carnot family acquired this exceptional parcel in 1775, and it was later secured by Bouchard Père & Fils, who have proudly maintained the historical designation. The terroir's steep, well-drained slopes yield a Pinot Noir of legendary grace, characterized by its silky tannins, vibrant red fruit, and delicate floral aromas. The wine is traditionally fermented and aged in French oak barrels within the subterranean cellars of the Château de Beaune, preserving its classic, ethereal Volnay character.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in Beaune in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, Bouchard Père & Fils stands as one of Burgundy's most venerable houses, headquartered within the historic fortress ramparts of the 15th-century Château de Beaune. Across centuries of dedicated plot acquisition, the estate developed an unparalleled patchwork of terroirs spanning classic limestone-clay slopes throughout the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Now under the stewardship of Artémis Domaines, the house has phased out third-party négociant volumes to focus purely on estate-grown holdings, completing full organic viticultural certification across its vines. Modern vinification takes place in the gravity-flow Cuverie Saint-Vincent in Savigny-lès-Beaune, where precise temperature management, gentle extraction, and judicious French oak aging highlight transparent site expression. Celebrated benchmarks include the historic Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus, the monopole Beaune Premier Cru Clos de la Mousse, Beaune du Château, and crystalline expressions of Chevalier-Montrachet and Meursault.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
13% - 13.5%