2014 Bonnes Mares

(from 80-year-old vines; 80% vendange entier ; 50% new oak):Bright, dark red. Black raspberry, violet, musky espresso and game on the nose, lifted by a minty nuance. Sweeter than the Sentiers but with a strong supporting spine of tannins and acids. Starts with black fruits, then shades to tart red berries. Offers lovely intensity without any heaviness, but a touch of finishing bitterness will require at least a few years of bottle aging. Groffier described this wine as "the definition of the vintage: fresh and supple, with ripe tannins and a rising finish." It boasts lovely grain and length but still needs to absorb its touch of acidity on the back end.

The 2014 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is the same élevage as the les Sentiers, both picked on the same day, with 80% whole bunch fruit and 50% new oak. It has a quintessential Bonnes-Mares bouquet with small dark cherries, red plum, crème de cassis scents billowing from the glass, the oak nicely integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent black and red fruit, a touch of graphite in the background, very nicely focused with a long and very satisfying, sorbet-fresh finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is a Bonnes-Mares that will inevitably beg to be drunk until it is empty.