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Henri Bourgeois

Henri Bourgeois established his domaine in Chavignol, a town which is probably more famous for its goat's cheese - Crottin de Chavignol - than its wine. Nevertheless, the domaine has become one of the most important houses in Sancerre, operating both as a grower and as a négociant.

The Bourgeois family have been making wine in Sancerre for ten generations, although until recent times the family business has been small. In 1950, under the control of Henri Bourgeois himself, the domaine was just 2 hectares in size. Today the firm is run by Jean-Marie Bourgeois, with apparent boundless energy. Having grown to an impressive 65 hectares, the domaine provides about half of the firm's needs, the remaining half being purchased from local growers.

Henri Bourgeois turns out a range of Sancerre and other appellations, principally Pouilly-Fumé. The range is, in fact, almost beyond comprehension, and if we were to take into account the family's venture in New Zealand then it really would be too much. Nevertheless the most commonly found cuvées are worth detailing. The top Sancerre is the MD de Bourgeois, made from the slopes adjacent to Les Monts Damnés; La Bourgeoise, made from fifty year old vines on the southwest facing slopes of St Satur; Etienne Henri, made from the same fruit as La Bourgeoise but fermented in new oak; and Sancerre d'Antan (pictured), an old vines bottling from silicious soils, which is neither fined nor filtered. In addition to these bottlings, in exceptional years the fruit from Les Monts Damnés may be released as a separate cuvée. The basic Henri Bourgeois Sancerre, La Vigne Blanche, a négoce bottling, is a good example of the appellation, but a step up is the Grande Réserve, made from both purchased and domaine-grown fruit. The red wines include a standard Henri Bourgeois bottling, but also La Bourgeoise cuvée. There are also some late-harvest white wines produced. (16/9/04)

Contact details:
Address: Chavignol, 18300 Sancerre
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 48 78 53 20
Fax: +33 (0) 2 48 54 14 24
Internet: www.bourgeois-sancerre.com

Henri Bourgeois - Tasting Notes

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Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Réserve 2008: Full fruit on the nose, smoky and even a touch creamy, with yellow fruit characteristics. A lovely palate follows, with a nice smokiness to it, and a fine, sappy substance and rocky, dusty minerality. Lots of potential here. From a Charles Sydney tasting. 16.5-17.5/20 (February 2009)

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Réserve 2006: This has a green-tinged hue, and some appealing fruit on the nose, with aromas of pears, and green apples, seemingly leafy, although with a slightly warming, autumnal edge to it. The palate is quite rich too, nicely poised, with a good substance and balancing acidity. There is some flesh to the wine, even a little meat you might say, but this is countered by attractively lifted flavours of blackcurrant leaf. There is plenty of character here, right through to the finish. Very good indeed. From my 2008 Loire wine tasting notes. 17+/20 (July 2008)

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre d'Antan 2005: Sancerre D'Antan translates as Yesteryear's Sancerre. The fruit in question is harvested from vines planted in flinty soils in 1936, the yields closely controlled, and the fermentation takes place in used oak barrels, aged 4, 5 and 6 years. Once the fermentation is complete, the wine rests on its lees with only two subsequent rackings, which are timed according to the lunar cycle. It is then bottled with neither fining nor filtration. This vintage has a good colour, pale but shimmering with light. There are fabulous and profound aromas on the nose, led by passion fruit and pear, presented in a bright and beautiful clarity. The palate shows a plentiful array of fruit as found on the nose, with a fresh and lively demeanour, but underneath it there is also considerable substance. It has a rather full, perhaps even meaty texture, and it is very finely balanced with good acidity. Towards the finish it shows a very solid feel in the mouth, clearly displaying the density due perhaps in part to the vintage, in part to the careful vinification and handling of this wine. Overall I think this is beautiful, and although it flatters now with primary fruit over the texture I think it has a lot of potential pleasure to yield in the future too. It would be interesting to pop a few in the cellar to see. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 18.5+/20 (July 2008)

Henri Bourgeois 'Petit Bourgeois' Sauvignon Blanc (VdP du Jardin de France) 2002: Pale colour. A bit of stink at first, a little like wet paper towel (but not TCA) which quickly disperses to leave a bouquet of green fruit with a grassy edge. A nice palate, very fresh, very primary, but with only a suggestion of depth or richness. Uncomplicated summer drinking. 14/20 (June 2004)

Henri Bourgeois Pouilly-Fumé 2002: A pale golden-green hue. Stylish and pungent nose, expressing green asparagus and greengage fruit, with smoke and minerals in the background. Full, rounded and weighty. Fresh, with lively acidity and a slightly creamy suggestion at the edge. A solid, grippy finish. This would cope well with a couple of years in the cellar. 16+/20 (June 2004)

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Réserve 2002: Moderate colour with a tinge of green. Classic nose, quite stylish, with some ripe kiwi fruit aromas alongside grassy, greengage notes. Ripe, full palate, nicely balanced with a sappy feel and fresh acidity. Clean finish. A very classic Sancerre which doesn't quite match Vacheron's straight cuvée from the same vintage - but this is a bottling dependent on négoce fruit, in part at least. 15/20 (June 2004)