Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)

5 Star Wine. No deeper in colour but immediately the nose shows that we are in the presence of serious quality. There is even more to this, along with a touch of coconut from the barrel. The fruit is fully ripe red, thinking about sliding towards the black but not going that far. The acidity comes over in the form of a high-class mineral line threading its way across the palate. Not as sensual as the Clos St-Denis but there is even more to it. Brilliant wine in the finesse key of the best of the vintage. Drink from 2030-2038.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-98)

A bright fresh mid purple. The bouquet is superb, in a really lush and almost creamy red berry fruit, not as wild as some until a little savoury touch at the finish. Complex, a fine weave to the texture, with pure red berry fruit coming out at the finish. Despite its location I tend to think of Bonnes Mares as a Morey style Grand Cru, but you can certainly see the touch of Chambolle in this. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-97)

Bright and even purple. An ever-increasing depth of ripe raspberry on the nose, yet with some stricter savoury qualities too. Seamless on the palate, unsure of which commune it lies in, close to giving the best of both. A cousin to Chambolle yet with marked Morey tendencies. The complexity continues across the palate (Morey) while the finish has additional sensuality (Chambolle). Drink from 2032-2038. Tasted Dec 2024.

Vinous (89)

Bright, dark red. Slightly high-toned aromas of dark cherry, menthol, earth, leather and minerals; I might have guessed Nuits-Saint-Georges. Surprisingly supple and sweet in the mouth, offering considerable early appeal. Not especially complex but nicely full and satisfying. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and lingering suggestions of leather and saline minerality. This wine was vinified with 40% whole clusters.

Filled with grandeur, the Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018 is a fine gem from the Côte de Nuits region in Burgundy, France. This robust red, by renowned winemaker Pierre Bart, is a testament to the depth of his 6 generations-worth viticulture command.

Made from aged Pinot Noir vines, the Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018 is noted for its sumptuous layers of complexity. Its 18-month maturation in oak barrels imparts a hint of spice that pairs exquisitely with its rich fruit undertones. A waft of crushed red cherries and wild raspberries encapsulates the essence of the wine's terroir, whilst a gentle touch of mineral inflection evokes the limestone-rich soil of the vineyard.

Exuding sensuality yet profoundly structured, the Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018 treads flawlessly between power and elegance, drawing devoted followers. A wine of such mesmerising depth, it remains ever-engaging as it evolves in the glass over time.

The Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2020 is an exquisite red Burgundy that marries finesse with robust intensity. A product of Pierre Bart, a sixth-generation winemaker, it hails from the esteemed Bonnes-Mares vineyard of France’s prestigious Côte de Nuits region. With a meticulous winemaking approach, Pierre Bart cultivates a traditional viticulture, utilising diligent grape selection and traditional vinification methods, an integral part of his age-old family wine-making practices.

The Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2020 embodies an eloquent expression of Pinot Noir, featuring a vibrant palette of luscious red fruit notes balanced harmoniously with earthy undertones and an alluring hint of spice. Aged in carefully selected French oak barrels, it boasts a rich texture and vast ageing potential. The Bart Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2020 is a coveted prize among connoisseurs, a testament to the impeccable winemaking craftsmanship of Pierre Bart, truly reflecting the character and essence of its famed terroir.

Vinous (93-95)

(not racked; from a single parcel of vines on pure white soil on the Morey-Saint-Denis side of the cru, which was barely touched by frost according to Leroux): Healthy dark red. Captivating lift to the sappy aromas of maraschino cherry, licorice and exotic herbs. Dense, vigorous wine with terrific medicinal reserve and punch to its dark fruit, licorice and mineral flavors. Youthfully imploded in a classic Bonnes-Mares manner but not rigid or hard. A wine with outstanding finishing energy and length, built for a slow evolution in bottle--and a classic expression of its terroir. (Incidentally, Leroux is looking to supplement this fruit source with another piece of Bonnes-Mares.)

Vinous (90-92)

The 2021 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet, with a mixture of red and black fruit, undergrowth and dried leaves. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins. It's quite linear for a Bonnes-Mares and has a welcome, bitter edge on the finish. Fine, but a bit gawky.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Naughty heavy bottle. Medium-deep colour. Rich, multi-layered nose of slate, clove, red fruit and spice that is beautifully integrated. That integration and finesse continues through the palate, with beautiful, elegant tannins. This is a triumph of how to handle intensity and structure without being stolid. Bravo!

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-95)

This is all on the red soil part of Bonnes Mares, vinified with 100% whole bunches. Pretty lighter brighter colour, some reduction, then whole bunch strawberries. Generous fruit on the palate, quite complex, very stylish and with fine promise. A fine long aftertaste.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-95)

This is all on the red soil part of Bonnes Mares, vinified with 100% whole bunches. Pretty lighter brighter colour, some reduction, then whole bunch strawberries. Generous fruit on the palate, quite complex, very stylish and with fine promise. A fine long aftertaste.

Vinous (94)

Moderately saturated medium red. Highly nuanced scents of red cherry, raspberry, flowers and underbrush. At once silky and penetrating, showing a positive medicinal aspect to its flavors of red berries, flowers and spicy herbs. Very shapely wine with a rising finish featuring suave tannins and noteworthy finesse. A superb showing; this strikes me as more refined than the larger-scaled 2014.

Vinous (96)

The 2016 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has an intense bouquet with blackberry, redcurrant and cranberry scents laced with tobacco and woodland aromas. Lovely definition and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, enormous depth and great concentration, perhaps the most Musigny-esque of the Bonnes-Mares. Great length but it needs some serious cellaring. Enormous potential here. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (96)

The 2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a lifted, perfumed and quite floral bouquet of brambly red fruit infused with wilted rose petal and a touch of blood orange. Gorgeous! The palate is medium-bodied with fine structure, a killer line of acidity and perhaps some discreet stem addition, as it is overtly peppery toward the finish. Plenty of freshness and quite linear. Classic Burgundy. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Vinous (95)

The 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has closed down a touch on the nose, eventually revealing red fruit, violet petals and a light oyster shell note. Fine delineation and superb focus. The palate is detailed and precise, just a faint touch of dark chocolate in the background with the mineral-driven finish delivering the sapidity to tempt you back for another sip (in 4-5 years time...when it's ready.)

Vinous (94-96)

The 2019 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a rich and generous bouquet with blueberry and black cherry aromas, the most extravagant of Bruno Clair’s wines this year. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, very poised and focused with a mineral-driven finish that lingers in the mouth. Lovely strictness on the finish counterbalances the precocity on the nose.

Vinous (95-97)

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is surprisingly backward on the nose with tightly-wound blackberry, redcurrant and cranberry fruit with sea spray and light pine cone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy redcurrant and strawberry fruit. This is a solid Bonnes-Mares, correct, not flashy but serious and as such, it deserves several years in bottle. It has the substance and complexity to reward those with patience.

Vinous - Neal Martin (97)

The 2021 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is beguiling on the nose with pure beautifully defined red fruit that soars from the glass. Real sophistication and utterly absorbing. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins very focused and harmonious. Precise, complex, engaging hints of Earl Grey infuse the red fruit on the finish that is so refined. Complete class. Precision, precision, precision. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (97)

The 2021 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is beguiling on the nose with pure beautifully defined red fruit that soars from the glass. Real sophistication and utterly absorbing. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins very focused and harmonious. Precise, complex, engaging hints of Earl Grey infuse the red fruit on the finish that is so refined. Complete class. Precision, precision, precision. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.