2009 Bonnes Mares

The estate's 2009 Bonnes Mares is a strikingly beautiful wine. It reveals stunning inner perfume to match the expressive, multi-dimensional fruit. The finish is simply eternal. The estate's parcel is on the terres rouges, where the wines are more overt in their fruit. Two out of three barrels were new in 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2044. This is a stunning set of wines from Patrick Landager. The vintage yielded a set of super-sized, big wines that may shock some readers for their sheer intensity. These are among some of the most backward 2009s I tasted and will require considerable patience. The estate now farms a total of 19 hectares, which includes the vineyards Landager acquired when he bought Domaine Moine-Hudelot a few years back. In 2009 Landager started harvesting on September 22, when most people were already finished picking. Cuvaison started with 5-6 days of cold maceration and lasted a total of three weeks with one punchdown in the morning and a second in the afternoon. The wines spent 12-15 months in oak (roughly 30% new) on their fine lees with no rackings until they were prepared for bottling, which took place with no fining or filtration. (Note: the Chambolle saw 50% new oak). All of the 2009s were bottled in early February 2010. Importers: North Berkeley Wine, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880; a Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93

(70% new oak, like the Amoureuses) Deep red-ruby. Highly expressive, site-specific aromas of blackberry, licorice, mint, dried herbs and underbrush. Boasts excellent flavor intensity and a distinctly primary character, with the crushed blackberry flavors conveying an impression of strong energy. This very long, saline wine has excellent grip without coming off as hard.