Bonnes Mares, Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier 2022

The 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is deep and resonant, unfurling in the glass with aromas of raspberries and red cherries mingling with rose petal, Indian spices and vanilla pod. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's dense and multidimensional, yet it avoids the hulking muscularity of which this cuvée is capable, retaining a cool core of fruit and concluding with a long, sapid finish. Roumier prefers his more ethereal (and more overtly whole-cluster inflected) Amoureuses, but I gravitate towards the profound Bonnes-Mares.

A more deeply pitched nose features notes of spiced plum, newly turned earth and violet hints. The powerful and solidly concentrated big-bodied flavors brim with sappy dry extract that imparts a suave character to the mid-palate while also buffering the very firm tannic spine shaping the equally persistent finish. This is also superb and equally highly recommended. Note: from six different parcels totaling 1.89 ha that are divided between 30% terres rouges and 70% terres blanches

An intense mid purple, the bouquet just made me burst into smiles at first sniff. This wine is always too multi-faceted to admit of simple fruit descriptors. There are quite a few berries in the bowl. Some fresh red fruit then much darer notes, I turn lightened up by the peppery notes to finish. This really kicks on magically behind! 75-80 whole bunch vinification.