The 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is a deep and muscular wine, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, wild berries, peonies and forest floor. On the palate, it's full-bodied, powerful and multidimensional, its concentrated core framed by an ample chassis of rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long and resonant finish. Derived from fully six different parcels, this is another long-lived Bonnes-Mares in the making, and patience will be required to realize all its potential.

The 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru does not quite have the vigour and energy displayed by Bruno Clair on the nose. Open-knit red fruit, a slight chalky character come through with aeration. Understated, yet there is Grand Cru pedigree here and it blossoms with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated, quite bold tannins that frame the peppery dark berry fruit, hints of liquorice and tobacco. Lots of energy here with an almost Musigny-like density on the finish, though the fruit is on the limit of overripeness. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

‘Terres rouges’ is very close to the northern limit, with Morey. ‘Terres blanches’ (ie lots of limestone) is above the path that dissects Bonnes Mares. Roumier had three parcels from far north to far south. Pruning identical. In 2016 he was able to include for the first time the fruit from an extra hectare (2.5 acres) of land owned by Ficofi (planted in 1995) on marly soil and this has increased the ‘saltiness’ of this wine, thinks Roumier, because two-thirds of their vines are on marl with lots of active lime , the other third on rock with clay and pebbles. Now they have six different parcels. Around 65% whole bunch. Barrel sample taken from a 2012 barrel. Deep, ripe fruit, very ripe but not overripe. Almost savoury/smoky. Much drier than I expected, a dark rocky quality that reins in the fruit that seemed so ripe on the nose. Dark and rocky, stony but not drying. Just all corseted. Long, with dynamic tension. Less obvious than some. More ‘robust’ than Ruchottes. More embryonic. Dark and hidden. (JH)