March 17, 2024 - Heater week; 3/8/2024-3/17/2024 (Chicago, IL): Archetypal CdP. Slightly sweet with its ripe fruit, and more black than red. Heavyset but not actually heavy. A bit of barnyard here, this is pretty much the way CdP ought to be. Accessible now, but certainly plenty of potential ahead.
March 7, 2024 - Rhône or Nôwhere 2.0 (Malcolm, NE): I opened this bottle of the 2013 “Cuvée Marie Beurrie” the day before and poured into a ship’s decanter for a couple of hours before returning to the bottle. In the glass, just, wow. This is developing still with the darkest brambles and stone with purple flowers and garrigue. This is so beguiling, so deep with tannins and acid for days. Full of power and grace and stunner with cassoulet, Toulouse sausage and duck confit. This could use another decade easily and drink well through 2053.
February 3, 2024 - Saturday late night at Maison Dakota. Wife asked for one more bottle to cap the night off! Pop and poured. Drank in Grassl Cru.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of fragrant stewed red plums, licorice, garrigue, nutmeg oil. Developing.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of garrigue, licorice, sweet stewed red plums, very sweet red cherries, sweet spices, nutmeg oil. Long finish.
Very good quality. Relatively elegant rendition of CdP. Cooler vintage. Nice drinking already.
January 30, 2023 - Wow quel vin époustouflant !
Le nez est d'une pureté incroyable et nous transporte aucunement en Chateauneuf. Bonneau a une signature Bourguignonne bien évidente et ce vin ne fait pas exception. Fleurs fraîches, petits fruits des champs, Acidité présente et bien équilibré avec cette légère chaleur qui nous amène sur un terroir plus sudiste que la Bourgogne tout en gardant cette finesse incroyable.
Grand vin qui ma procuré un plaisir immense !
September 26, 2022 - Belle robe rubis d'intensité moyennement pale -
Nez aux accents italien et même de Toscane aux notes de vinaigre balsamique puis cerise, épice léger.
La bouche est fluide dans un style assez nordiste et dans laquelle on a l'impression qu'un coulis de fruit nous traverse la gorge.
Des cuvées dans le Rhône Sud qui sont à ce niveau de plaisir, je n'en connais malheureusement pas des dizaines.
August 22, 2022 - First time with this cuvee and I really liked it. The nose was more red fruited and floral than the Celestins I have tried. Felt more typical of grenache, but still had some earthy and herbal notes; the balance on the palate was excellent and the finish was delicious. Doesn't seem like it will age for a really long time, but should be good for the next decade.
August 3, 2022 - Quite drinkable but no fireworks here. In fact wine seems a bit tired and really needs to be consumed. Storage issues? 89 if I ranked it, but I’ll call it defective.
July 30, 2022 - I am coming back to this after a few years. Opened for 2.5 hours. Color is deep garnet with some orange showing on the rim. On the nose: Strawberry, cherry, licorice and some herbs. On the palette: Strawberry, lots of dry tannins, black licorice, cherry , spice notes and herbs. This is really getting good. It is very elegant.
February 4, 2022 - Classic old school CdP. A nice contrast to many of the “modern styled” overly alcoholic wines hyped by some critics. Red fruit with forest floor and garigue. Strawberries and red licorice. Nice freshness and acidity. Tannins are a bit drying on the finish.
January 27, 2022 - La Tablee: Bonneau retrospective (Mercerie): And while I had young many times in my note on the '14, this came across as even younger. A bit more alcohol. Very fruit dominant. Not close to ready. We'll be holding on ours.