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Henri Bonneau was a critically acclaimed producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. He was the 12th generation winemaker in his family, which has an extensive history in the southern Rhône. He first started working in the vineyards in the 1950s, though due to the popularity, value and scarcity of his wines, early vintages are virtually non-existent. Bonneau's last vintage was 2015, and he passed away in 2016.
The estate consists of 6 hectares (15 acres) of estate vineyards in various Châteauneuf-du-Pape sites, including the esteemed La Crau plot. There are three cuvées – a simple Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Cuvée Marie Beurrier and the top-tier Réserve des Célistins, rounded out with the Les Rouliers Vin de Table. The high quality of the 1990 and 1998 vintages also led Bonneau to make a Cuvée Speciale.
Henri Bonneau's vineyards are planted with around 90 percent Grenache. The farming practices specifically produce low yields and the fruit is harvested relatively late for the region. The winemaking process avoids destemming, except in poor vintages, and fermentation takes place in cement vats. The wines are then aged in large, old barrels.Henri Bonneau's wines are known for their lengthy aging potential.
| Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1998 |
| Rating | 98 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Location | Southern Rhone |
| Producer | Henri Bonneau |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Rating | 98 RP - Finally before the end of 2004 the 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins will be bottled. This is unquestionably the greatest wine Bonneau has produced since 1990. Tipping the scales at 16.2 - 16.4% natural alcohol this offering which has been resting in various sized old barrels since its birth continues to concentrate itself. It is simply a magnificent wine of extraordinary flavor dimension. A dark plum/garnet color is followed by an exceptionally sweet perfume of a liqueur of aged beef intermixed with black currants kirsch pepper spice box and herbes de Provence. Massive concentration conceals some lofty tannin but the tannin is sweet and virtually buried by the plentiful glycerin and extract. A spectacular effort it is another modern day legend from this idiosyncratic producer who will not change his ways for the modern world ... and why should he? All of us who love wine are so much better off because of him. Because of its size and sweetness the 1998 should be relatively drinkable upon release but it has three decades of life ahead of it. One of the controversies surrounding Henri Bonneau is what happened to those cuvees that were supposed to go into the Cuvee Marie Beurrier in 1998. Bonneau has maintained over the last several years that everything was so spectacular in 1998 that there would be no Marie Beurrier. But he did bottle a tiny quantity prior to the harvest in 2004 to satisfy one of his European customers. However I do not believe any of that wine will be allocated to America unless it comes through the grey market since so little was made and the quality was so high in 1998 that all of the cuvees that fermented dry will be designated as Reserve des Celestins. That said one never is quite sure what Henri Bonneau intends to do until the wine is in bottle. Readers should be prepared for just about anything. RP |
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| Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 1998 |
| Rating | 98 RP |
| Bottle Size | 750 ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 1 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Location | Southern Rhone |
| Producer | Henri Bonneau |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
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