2015 Bonnes Mares, Grand Cru, Domaine Denis Mortet, Burgundy

50% destemmed by hand with a secateur.

Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Sexy, carnal aromas of black cherry, black raspberry and chocolate, with superripe porty and resiny suggestions and an oaky element. Large-scaled and thick, but the dark fruit, mocha and brown spice flavours are energized by outstanding mineral lift. Finishes with substantial dusty, fine-grained tannins and rising, unflagging length. This is nearly impossible to scrape off your palate--but why would you want to? This hugely dense, classically dry Bonnes-Mares will need a good decade in the cellar to express its inherent complexity.

From a .35 ha parcel with vines in the terres blanches portion; 40% whole cluster.

This is quite ripe as there are notes of mocha and wood to the plum liqueur, spice and rose petal-suffused nose. This is rich to the point of opulence, and this impression of lavishness is accentuated by the presence of copious quantities of dry extract that renders the very firm tannic spine all but invisible today on the strikingly long and well-balanced finish. This is a relatively refined Bonnes Mares, but even so, it will certainly require extended cellaring to reach its peak. However, for those who enjoy younger fruit, the sappy mouthfeel should allow this to be enjoyed on the earlier side.

Drink 2030

The 2015 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, another métayage with the Mazis-Chambertin that debuted last year, comes from a mid-slope parcel on the Terre Blanche. It is matured in 70% new oak with 40-50% whole bunches. The bouquet is very pure with blackberry, blueberry, candied orange peel and rose petal aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannin, enormous depth and brilliant precision and tension. This might well constitute the best Bonnes-Mares of the vintage, the finish tingling with energy and concentration. As Kate Bush once sang...wow.

Drink 2020 - 2045