Last October, when I met up with Domaine Bousquet‘s Anne Bousquet in NYC’s Baires Grill for what seems to have become an annual catch-up on their new releases, I realized that there waws one question that I’d never asked her.
Bousquet has a lot of SKUs, relatively speaking (over 50, by my last count); how do they manage that without f*cking some (or all ) of it up? Doesn’t it drive them nuts?
Turns out, there’s a simple answer to that: No, it does not really drive them nuts.
“This was built from nothing,” Anne told me during our lunch and tasting. “That was virgen land” when her father arrived on what is now their estate in Argentina in the 1990s. Their portfolio is not difficult to manage for the simple reason that they built it all from the ground up, literally, in a very measured and slowly progressive fashion.
So, yeah, lots of of balls in the air when it comes to 50+ bottlings, but nothing has been added on a whim, according to Anne. Everything is by design, so the fact that t hey now have a wine for almost any taste one could imagine in a wine drinker only looks like a jumble from an outside viewpoint. It’s actually grown more like a tree (or, ok, a vine…).
Anyway… here are some highlights from our little get-together:
2024 Domaine Bousquet ‘Gaia’ Rosé of Pinot Noir 2024, Tupungato, $20
It’d be tough to turn down a glass of this at almost any time you could imagine. Pithy, with lovely and lively citrus, rose petal, red berry, and pomegranate action, this pink is instantly appealing. It’s easy-going enough to be approachable, yet just complex enough to be elegant.
2022 Domaine Bousquet Gran Chardonnay, Tupungato, $25
“The Burgundy grapes react very well” to the evening coolness of Bousquet’s climate (thanks to their higher altitude plantings), according to Anne. This white, which sees a small percentage of new barrel aging, is a delicious testament to that claim. Meyer lemon, grilled peaches, and nectarine all show up here. The palate tends a bit towards the heavier, riper side, with cream and tropical fruit flavors, but maintains a nice balance throughout.
2023 Domaine Bousquet ‘Virgen’ Natural Malbec, Tupungato, $13
This line gets its name from the fact that there are no added sulfites. Fruity, mineral, juicy, vibrant, and floral, it’s a red that will please a crowd, like most of their offerings. BUT… it’s kind of insane that a) it stays so lovely despite having to travel without the extra stabilization, and b) they are able to offer it at this kind of price-point.
2021 Domaine Bousquet ‘Ameri’ Single Vineyard Red, Tupungato, $36
A Malbec-based blend that also includes some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, this red spends twelve months aging in new French oak, followed by another year in bottle before release. Expressive, earthy, and incredibly plummy, it also offers currants, cassis, and dried violets. It’s anything but shy, and I can’t help thinking that if the words “Napa Valley” appeared on the label that it might command $20 more per bottle…
Cheers!