This must be the first time that I have tasted the Bonnes-Mares from barrel and thought it could be mistaken for the Musigny! The 2013 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has an intense black pepper and blackberry bouquet, touches of mint and forest floor in the background, growing in intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with tensile and quite obdurate tannin, the acidity finely tuned and cutting through the surfacing blueberry and blackberry fruit. There is plenty of spice furnishing the finish and lingering long after the wine has departed, completing a seriously fine Bonnes-Mares that is stylish and intellectual.

Bright, dark red. Bracing aromas of crushed black cherry, blueberry and medicinal herbs. Dense and tactile on the palate, showing a restrained sweeteness and good medicinal reserve to the saline dark fruit, spice and wild herb flavors. Powerful, youthfully imploded wine with a sappy finish displaying terrific juicy lift.

Pungent and concentrated. Lots of ‘minerality’. Masses of bumptious, almost gamey, fruit. Not massive in terms of alcohol but massive in terms of flavour. Great freshness – almost raw red-fruit character. Very fine tannins. Great texture. Real energy. 18.5/20 points.