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Description
Tasting notes

Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Harry Gill’s annual lunch. The Bonnes-Mares 2000 has a delectable, pure, minerally nose that has semblances of Vosne more than Morey. Dark cherries, bergamot, rose petal tea, crushed stones with an underlying stalkiness that becomes more accentuated with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, backward, taking its time to unfurl in the glass, that stalky element remaining but complementing rather than detracting from the wine although the acidity is quite sharp. Mulberry and plum towards the finish with just a dash of pepper, tannic and masculine at the moment but mellowing all the time in the glass (so allow this plenty of decanting.) Excellent. Drink now-2025. Tasted February 2010.

Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A similar hue to the 2002. The nose is more open and expressive with cherry, redcurrants, hedgerow and cut grass. Not as intense as the 1999 or 2002, but very good delineation. The medium-bodied palate is harmonious, perhaps a little angular with sharp acidity. Bitter cherry, raspberry leaf with an almost citrus raciness to it. Not great persistency, this will merit uncorking in 5-6 years time, though the finish suggests that it may close down for a few years. Tasted October 2006.

Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani
The star at chez Roumier in the 2000 vintage is Christophe’s Bonnes Mares. Its beguiling aromas of spiced sweet cherries lead to a medium-bodied, silky-textured character crammed with cherries, currants, and candied raspberries. Lush, generous, and pure, it is deep, concentrated, and possesses a long, expressive finish. Projected maturity: 2004-2011. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel; (212) 572-7725
About the Producer
The domaine was founded in 1924 by Georges Roumier, who began domaine bottling in 1945. He was succeeded in 1957 by his son Jean-Marie and now grandson Christophe, who joined his father in 1982 and took over completely in 1992. Most of the wines are rented (en fermage) from family members although Ruchottes Chambertin is held on a share cropping deal with an external proprietor, Michel Bonnefond. The wines are seductively fruity in their youth yet with excellent ageing potential. The grapes are sorted in the vineyard, with a table de tri at the winery since 2003. They are mostly destemmed, albeit depending on vineyard and vintage, with a few more stems being used recently – then placed in wooden fermenters. The juice is given a cool soak at 15° then allowed to start naturally. The juice is punched down twice a day and temperature controlled so as not to exceed 32°C. There is no great reliance on new wood in the maturation cellar, with 15-25% being used for village wines, 25-40% for premiers crus and no more than 50% for Bonnes Mares. In recent years Christophe has been searching for, and achieving, a greater sense of precision in his wines.