Maison Joseph Drouhin   Bonnes Mares

2017 Bonnes-Mares

By Maison Joseph Drouhin

2017 Bonnes-Mares from Maison Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy, France

The regal 2017 Bonnes-Mares from Maison Joseph Drouhin stands emphatically as a testament to the resilience and finesse of Burgundian terroir in a year that tenderly toyed with vignerons' nerves. Having navigated the climatic capriciousness of an unwontedly frost-free winter and a summer beset with intermittent hail, this offering is a defiant flourish from vineyards brushed by adversity.

 

A Vintage Defining Resilience and Elegance

In the glass, the 2017 Bonnes-Mares shows poise and depth. It seems the mild stress of fluctuating conditions has coaxed forth a remarkable concentration in the fruit. A heady bouquet of black cherry, violet petals, and a whisper of earthy truffle hint at the complexity to be unfurled upon the palate. This is a wine that seamlessly stitches together the embroidered warmth of sunlight-drenched berries with the cool precision afforded by nights of Burgundian air.

 

Terroir's Triumph: The Alchemy of Earth and Climate

The palate is treated to an articulate expression of layered minerality – a stony undercurrent that carries aloft sumptuous notes of plum and a peppering of spice. The tannins, ripe yet unobtrusive, offer structural depth without overshadowing the wine's innate charm. In tasting the 2017 vintage, one recognises the encompassing embrace of Bonnes-Mares' lush fruit juxtaposed with finely etched acidity; it is a dance of robustness balanced with ethereal grace.

Investors discerning enough to hold 2017 Bonnes-Mares from Maison Joseph Drouhin in their portfolios will find its narrative compelling; from its climatic challenges to its triumph as a vintage that sings the praises of its notable pedigree. Moreover, with time's passage, I anticipate layers of nuance will emerge to reward patience. Thus, it assures one not only of exquisite taste but hints at promising valuation peaks worthy of keen attention.

 

Closing Notes on an Opulent Oeuvre

As I reflect upon the 2017 Bonnes-Mares from Maison Joseph Drouhin, it emerges clearly that this is a vintage etched indelibly by its origin story. Within each bottle lies an epic tale woven from delicate vineyard blossoms through to the assertive dispatch of bottled vigour. It is no idle boast to state that such vintages resonate deeply for connoisseurs and investors alike, heralding both tasting enlightenment and assertive cellar-worthy acclaim.

Market price (GBP)

£4,410.00

12x75cl

Highest score

93

POP score

339.23

Scores and tasting notes

92-94

There are two barrels of the 2017 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru, a decidedly promising wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis, dried peony, licorice and sweet soil tones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and depth for the vintage, framed by a broad-shouldered chassis of fine-grained but chalky tannin and underpinned by a lovely line of acidity.

William Kelley - The Wine Advocate, 31 January 2019

Vintage performance