Domaine Bruno Clair : Bonnes-Mares Grand cru 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2021 from Domaine Bruno Clair

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep ruby red hue with intense purple highlights, bearing witness to beautiful concentration and remarkable aging potential.

Nose

The nose reveals aromatic complexity that unfolds gradually with aeration. The initial notes evoke ripe black fruit, notably cherry and blackberry, accompanied by floral touches of violet. Spicy nuances of black pepper mingle with aromas of licorice. With aeration, the bouquet becomes richer with tertiary notes evoking damp earth, fine cocoa and dark chocolate, a testament to the aging in oak barrels.

Palate

The attack is full and silky despite the impressive structure characteristic of a Grand Cru. The aromas of ripe black fruit, cherries and blackberries, extend harmoniously from the nose to the palate. Remarkable minerality brings tension and freshness, reflecting the limestone nature of the terroir and the respectful winemaking philosophy. The tannins stand out for their exceptional finesse and silky texture, while maintaining an assertive presence. The finish reveals remarkable length, persistent, marked by black fruit, chocolatey notes and the mineral tension that gives the wine its distinctive identity.

Food and wine pairings

This Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2021 goes magnificently with noble red meats such as beef tournedos or rib steak. It also harmonizes with roasted game, notably roasted duck or wild boar. Matured cheeses like Comté or aged Parmesan make for choice pairings. More surprisingly, this wine pairs with glazed Asian dishes, particularly spiced glazed duck or pork in soy sauce.

Service and storage

The Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2021 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature of 16 to 17°C. Decanting for one to two hours is strongly recommended for bottles consumed young, allowing the wine to fully reveal its aromatic complexity and soften its tannic structure. This wine can be appreciated now but will evolve beautifully until around 2031, with optimal expression expected between approximately 2036 and 2046.

A Burgundy Grand Cru combining power and mineral elegance

The estate

Founded in 1979, Domaine Bruno Clair perpetuates six generations of winemaking know-how in Burgundy. Established in Marsannay-la-Côte, the estate today covers around 27 hectares spread across eight communes and thirty-two different appellations. Bruno Clair, born in April 1957, still manages the property alongside his wife Isabelle, who is responsible for commercial development. Since 2010, their three children Édouard, Margaux and Arthur have gradually joined the family business, ensuring the transmission to the third generation. The estate benefits from an exceptional heritage of old vines and plant material selected by Bernard Clair, Bruno's father. Recognized by the prestigious Bettane & Desseauve and Revue du Vin de France guides, Domaine Bruno Clair figures among the essential references of classic Burgundy viticulture.

The vineyard

Bonnes-Mares is an exceptional Grand Cru extending over approximately fifteen hectares between the communes of Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. Domaine Bruno Clair owns approximately 1.64 hectares within this prestigious appellation, including plots in both communal sections. The vines, planted between 1946 and 1980, rest on clay-limestone soils with a subsoil composed of limestone marl and ostrea fossils. Located at 280 meters altitude with a south-east exposure, these plots benefit from optimal conditions for prolonged phenolic ripening. The estate practices sustainable viticulture, favoring natural treatments and the absence of herbicides since the 1990s. Regular organic amendments and autumn cover crops maintain the natural fertility of the soils. Since 2015, Guyot-Poussard pruning preserves the longevity of the old vines.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy proved particularly demanding for winegrowers. Spring was marked by frosts that affected many vineyards, followed by irregular weather conditions throughout the growing season. Despite these climatic challenges, the most rigorous producers with healthy and old vines succeeded in crafting wines of remarkable elegance and transparency. The cooler conditions of this vintage favored the expression of aromatic purity and mineral character, particularly in limestone terroirs like Bonnes-Mares.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2021 are harvested manually then sorted meticulously in the vineyard and upon reception. Winemaking integrates between 20% and 50% whole cluster according to the plots. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in open wooden vats for about fifteen days, using exclusively indigenous yeasts with minimal addition of sulfites. Extraction is adapted to the specific characteristics of the appellation. After the natural malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged for eighteen to twenty months in French oak barrels, with a proportion of new wood capable of reaching fifty percent for this Grand Cru. This classic approach allows the wine to be structured while preserving the expression of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir