2009 Bonnes Mares

This opens with noticeable reduction and though it doesn't dissipate immediately, it eventually recedes to the background where it doesn't overtly detract from the otherwise attractive mix of dark berry fruit, earth and rose petal aromas. The supple, round and delicious yet utterly serious medium-bodied flavors possess good verve and a sophisticated mouth feel and while this is not an especially concentrated or powerful example of this grand cru, it is beautifully balanced. An understated 2009 that, much like the Amoureuses, will drink well young yet should be capable of rewarding 7 to 10 years of cellar time.

The 2009 Bonnes Mares opens with knockout aromatics that meld into layers of fresh, vibrant fruit. Medium in body yet wonderfully intense in its flavors, the Bonnes Mares impresses for its class and balance. An array of dark fruit, minerals, violets and white flowers linger on the pointed, saline finish. Groffier’s vines in Bonnes Mares sit on a slope with both terres rouges and terres blanches. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. This is a beautiful set of wines from Groffier. The estate farms eight hectares of vineyards, all of which it owns. The fruit receives a cold soak prior to fermentation that accounts for much of the trademark perfume these wines show. The 2009s were bottled between mid-December, 2010 and mid-January 2011. Various US importers, including: Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; tel. (650) 328-6639 and a Peter Vezan Selection, Paris, peter.vezan@wanadoo.fr