2010 Bonnes Mares

The 2010 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is much bolder and more extravagant on the nose than the Amoureuses with potent mulberry, raspberry and a hint of tomato vine. The tannins are very supple on the palate, the acidity well-judged with raspberry, red currant and cranberry notes. It builds in the mouth, the tannins taking over to manifest a more serious Bonnes-Mares than the nose implies. This is worth cellaring for at least a decade. Drink 2022-2030. This was the first time I had been back to Louis Jadot’s expansive winery on the northern outskirts of Beaune since their memorable 150th anniversary tasting back in 2008. As I quipped in the previous issue, Jacques Lardiere was then talking about his imminent retirement that seemed to never come. But on this occasion, there was new winemaker Frederic Barnier there to greet me. He has large shoes to fill but he seems up to the task of steering this important Burgundy name to a new chapter, having worked alongside Jacques for a couple of years. “At the beginning, we were not so confident about the whites,” he explained in reference to his 2011s, “but it has been a nice surprise. The dry spring of 2011 affected the level of ripeness but it has lent freshness, but with low acidity.” We did not have time to taste the entire portfolio of over 80 crus, but instead took a sample of 20 white and reds from both the 2010 and 2011 vintages. Importer: Kobrand, Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

Good deep, bright red. Highly complex aromas of wild red berries, rose petal, mocha, clove and black pepper. Fat and lush but with a peppery component energizing the mid-palate. Impressively dense and fine-grained, with noble tannins for a Bonnes-Mares and outstanding length. This will evolve in bottle for a long time, but there's nothing hard about it even today.

From the Chambolle Musigny side. Dark ruby. Solid and intriguing but nervy nose. So much cherry fruit! Explosive! Like fruit compote! Rich and complete and already gorgeous. Pure pleasure! Reverberant. The flavours of a Germanic breakfast somehow – smoked meat? And dark fruit flavours. Great precision. (JR)