The 2012 Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse (not Mouche!) is a monopole located toward Pommard where the soils are very shallow, around 25mm deep. The vines here are planted north to south rather than the orthodox east to west. It has very good definition on the nose with scents of mulberry and marmalade, floral scents emerging later. The palate is medium-bodied, lively and vigorous, hints of orange zest and marmalade once again infusing the red berry fruit. The tannins are fine and lithe with good delineation on the vibrant finish. This is very fine. Although I tasted the wines of this Burgundy grand maison in London, I spent a morning with winemaker Philippe Prost to go through at least part of their large portfolio to get an insight into Bouchard Pere & Fils. Ever since Michel Bouchard established the house in 1731, it has been a permanent fixture in Burgundy, surviving seizure by the State after the Revolution, phylloxera, two World Wars and periods when the world simply was uninterested in Burgundy. Today they own 130 hectares of vines, more than any Bordeaux chateau, including 12 grand crus and 74 premier crus. Importer: Henriot Inc. and John E. Fells in the UK.