Wine Advisor
Robert Groffier, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2014
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2014 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is the same élevage as the les Sentiers, both picked on the same day, with 80% whole bunch fruit and 50% new oak. It has a quintessential Bonnes-Mares bouquet with small dark cherries, red plum, crème de cassis scents billowing from the glass, the oak nicely integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent black and red fruit, a touch of graphite in the background, very nicely focused with a long and very satisfying, sorbet-fresh finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is a Bonnes-Mares that will inevitably beg to be drunk until it is empty.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2014 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a very well defined, earthy bouquet but backed up by sufficient red berry fruit. Touches of woodland come through with continued aeration, a touch of autumn bonfire. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. Quite supple in the mouth for a 2014 with touches of tobacco, black pepper and light spices that emerge on the sappy finish. Superb. Tasted at the Domaine.
About the Producer
The Groffier family are among the best wine makers in the Côte de Nuits. Originally founded by Robert Groffier’s father, Jules in the 1950s, the domaine is now run by Robert’s grandson, Nicolas. The domaine consists of almost 8 ha of fine vineyards, including 1 ha of Bonnes Mares, almost 0.5 ha of Chambertin Clos de Bèze and a full 1 ha of Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses (the biggest single owner of this vineyard). The wine making technique is flexible and the proportion of stems to be retained is decided annually. nowadays, up to 20% of stems are retained, compared to 50% 20 years ago. The destemed grapes are transferred to stainless steel vats without crushing and cooled to 10-12 degrees so the natural yeast fermentation starts 4-5 days later – to allow further extraction of colour from the skins. Frequent short pigeages are done, and the temperature is allowed to rise up to 35 degrees – which retains even more colour to the liquid. After 17-20 days maceration, the temperature descends to 20-22 degrees and after pressing age in oak, the percentage of new one vary per cuvée and vintage – from none to the Bourgogne to up to 100% for the grand crus. The wines are only racked once, usually only a year after the vintage. The wines return to vat as the new vintage is put into barrel, so only one vintage is in barrel at any time. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration.
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