Domaine Henri Bonneau
One reference of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation.
Nested in one of the most beautiful terroirs of the Northern Rhône, the mythical Domaine Henri Bonneau has humbly stood in the heart of the Comtat Venaissin plain for 12 generations now. Its guardian, the legendary Henri Bonneau, made his first wine there, back in 1956. His vineyards, with the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, cover 6 hectares in the prestigious plateau of Crau, surrounded by the characteristic rolled pebbles of the region.
Born in 1938, the winemaker bottled his first vintage at the age of 18 years old. It will be the first of a long series. His sparkling personality, his mischievous humor but above all, his love for wine and its terroir made Henri Bonneau an extraordinary wine producer, who thrilled wine lovers throughout his life. He will sadly pass away on March 21, 2016, at the age of 77, leaving behind the captivating grenaches at the origin of his outstanding wines, at the same time traditional and modern, which are the living memory of a brilliant artisan.
It is within the walls of his precious cellar that his 59 vintages were elaborated. His cellar, which he liked to call "the mess", has more of a damp, rural cave appearance and testifies a genuine humility. Henri was a simple man and entering his cave, for those who had the privilege, was the promise of a journey out of time. Inside, the barrels aged by the years, the different bottles piled up and the casks blackened by the wine, form a labyrinth of memories. Since his passing, a small white card inscribed "Closed cellar" above the doorbell, eternally seals the doors of Henri Bonneau's atelier.
During his life, this perfectionist had only one thing in mind: making good wine. And he achieved that goal with brilliance. When people asked him what the secret of his exceptional wines was, he liked to answer: "The secret is that there is no secret!". Indeed, it is his old-fashioned methods that have always been at the root of his success: an absolute knowledge of his parcels, an entirely natural production and a high-quality raw material.
To do this, he cultivated his vines without using any chemicals, as in the days there were no such products, and harvested the grapes at the right time of ripeness. The grapes were then placed in concrete tanks, without temperature control and aged in very old barrels for 4 to 10 years. Fermentation was done with indigenous yeasts during at least one year, to finally be bottled.
The result of this approach, which is the opposite of modern oenology, is the incomparable opulence of the wines, the balance between their concentration and their amazing finesse, without ever becoming heavy. In this way, Henri Bonneau wines are complex, spicy and full of nuance.
Henri's passion is not only based on the respect of traditions and terroir, but also on its philosophical aspect: when he elaborates a wine, he distills a fragment of existence of the people he loves, of his doubts and feelings. What he really likes is the hidden side of the wine, which is in fact, the mirror of the one who created it.
Nowadays, the Domaine Henri Bonneau et Fils is run by his wife Jacqueline, his son Marcel and Régis Charmasson, who oversees the vineyards since several years. The latter is one of the few people who perfectly knows the working methods of Henri Bonneau. Together, they work to perpetuate the tradition of these renowned wines.
Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are in fact a remarkable concentration of ripe fruit, nobility and traditional know-how. It goes without saying that with the disappearance of this great winemaker and a limited production, it is very difficult to obtain a bottle of this precious elixir. Currently, there are only about twenty thousand vintages produced by Henri Bonneau himself on the market.
DOMAINE HENRI BONNEAU - Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Réserve des Célestins - Millésime 2015 - Bottle of 75 cl
DOMAINE HENRI BONNEAU - Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Réserve des Célestins - Hommage à Henri Bonneau - Millésime 2014 - Bottle of 75 cl and Magnum of 150 cl
DOMAINE HENRI BONNEAU - Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Cuvée Marie Beurrier - Hommage à Henri Bonneau - Millésime 2014 - Bottle of 75 cl and Magnum of 150 cl
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