2014 Bonnes Mares

The 2015 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru is really blossoming now that the wine is safely in bottle. It has a gorgeous, floral bouquet with scents of blueberry, blackberry and briary, wonderful mineral expression here with a palpable sense of energy and precision. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin, what you might call a "cool" Bonnes Mares, sleek and sensual with very fine tension towards the red cherry and kirsch tinged finish. What a gorgeous Bonnes-Mares, though I would be inclined to afford it several years in bottle. Tasted November 2016.

Good dark red. Musky, soil-driven aromas of dark cherry, sappy pomegranate, wild herbs and brown spices. Densely packed and silky but with excellent definition and energy to its dark berry, menthol, dark chocolate and herb flavors. Much broader than the Chambolle 1er Cru but also less evolved. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and terrific length.

Bright, dark red with ruby highlights. Brooding aromas of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, licorice, menthol and black pepper, plus a touch of bitter chocolate; compared to the wines of Roumier and Arnoux that I tasted earlier the same day, these wines struck me as more Cabernet-like in their black fruit and licorice character, and yet this is the only set of the three made entirely from destemmed fruit. Powerful, gripping wine with strong acidity framing the classically dry flavors of dark berries, minerals, flowers, bitter chocolate and leather. Finishes saline and long, with a firm tannic spine. Showing the serious side of the vintage.