Henri Bonneau
The secret of his widely acclaimed wines? “There are no secrets,” said Henri Bonneau himself, “yields are naturally low – about 10-12 hl/hectare, which is up to 4 times less than other winemakers in the appellation.” The fermentation takes place very slowly, in concrete vats, with native yeasts and the grapes are hardly or not destemmed.
With an area of approximately 6.5 hectares, the domain is a smaller player in the appellation, but its fame is all the greater. About 90% of the plantation consists of Grenache, together with Counoise, Mourvèdre and Vaccarèse.
The vineyards are located in different terroirs such as the famous 'la Crau' plateau, but also in 'Grand Pierre' next to Château Rayas.
Henri – who passed away in 2016 – let the wines speak for themselves and was not forced to market wines that are not yet ready. He was like: “This year the Cuvée Réserve des Célestins 2010! Maybe next year we will offer you a 2008 or a 2012… The only rule is that there are no rules”.
This idiosyncratic approach produces great wines with exceptional concentration, noble and rustic at the same time, satiny tannins and an unprecedented drinkability coupled with enormous aging potential. A pleasure for every wine lover!
In our October auction you can bid on 31 bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape from this grand master, including 16 bottles of the top cuvee 'Réserve des Célestins' (lot 3196 – 3204).
“I still remember tasting the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Célestins just after bottling (which, given the long elevation here, wasn't that long ago) and it's still open and sexy today, with that classic, incredible perfume that only seems to come from this estate. Kirsch, garrigue, new saddle leather, truffles and spice are just some of the nuances, and this ruby colored beauty is stacked on the palate, offering full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and a bombastic style that's reminiscent of the 1990. It's a heavenly wine that I suspect will have a long life and drink beautifully for all of it.” – 98/100, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
With an area of approximately 6.5 hectares, the domain is a smaller player in the appellation, but its fame is all the greater. About 90% of the plantation consists of Grenache, together with Counoise, Mourvèdre and Vaccarèse.
The vineyards are located in different terroirs such as the famous 'la Crau' plateau, but also in 'Grand Pierre' next to Château Rayas.
Henri – who passed away in 2016 – let the wines speak for themselves and was not forced to market wines that are not yet ready. He was like: “This year the Cuvée Réserve des Célestins 2010! Maybe next year we will offer you a 2008 or a 2012… The only rule is that there are no rules”.
This idiosyncratic approach produces great wines with exceptional concentration, noble and rustic at the same time, satiny tannins and an unprecedented drinkability coupled with enormous aging potential. A pleasure for every wine lover!
In our October auction you can bid on 31 bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape from this grand master, including 16 bottles of the top cuvee 'Réserve des Célestins' (lot 3196 – 3204).