2005 Bonnes Mares
By Domaine Georges Roumier
2005 Bonnes Mares from Domaine Georges Roumier, Burgundy, France
In the pantheon of Burgundy's most vaunted crus, the 2005 Bonnes Mares from Domaine Georges Roumier stands as a monument to the year's exceptional conditions. The seasoned oenophile will recall 2005 as a year when the stars aligned in the Côte de Nuits, offering a vintage of robust structure and depth that has become emblematic of the region's potential.
The Quintessence of Terroir and Time
Nestled in its ethereal bottle, this particular 2005 vintage claims its pedigree from the serene terroir known for complex, mineral-rich soils and an idyllic microclimate. The genius loci of Bonnes Mares is vibrant within this creation by Roumier, which articulates the opulence and subtlety of Pinot Noir underpinned by masterful vinification.
A Vintage Eclipsing Expectations
As I let the 2005 vintage unfold on the palate, it declares itself with assertive yet polished tannins — a hallmark of both its climatic providence and its meticulous élevage. A nose so redolent with ripe cherries, violets and hints of earthy truffle invites contemplation. To savour this wine is to taste the zenith of balance and concentration: a striking compendium of fruit purity intertwined with mineral tenacity and a lingering finish that resonates with echoes of oak-aged sophistication.
For investors looking to augment their portfolios, this wine stands among those majestic offerings where enological excellence coalesces with collectable allure. The convergence of an extraordinary vintage year at the hands of a reputable viniculturist such as Domaine Georges Roumier results in an investment-worthy contender with promising maturity trajectory.
Sumptuously Compelling: A Connoisseur's Investment
The 2005 Bonnes Mares is a study in Burgundian perfection that befits a place at the forefront of any discerning collector's cache. Its enduring vitality and complexity present not only an apex in drinking pleasure but also in investment merit. To imbibe this wine is to partake in a historical alchemy — one that continues to unfurl its splendour with each resplendent year.
Current market price
£25,800.00
12x75cl
Highest score
96
POP score
1612.5
Scores and tasting notes
Roumier vinifies separately and later assembles the fruits of white chalk and red (iron-rich) parcels that inform his 2005 Bonnes Mares. At the time of my visit he had retained one pure barrel of each component as an investigation into terroir and the results were as fascinating as the blended wine is fascinatingly and profoundly beautiful. The ferrous lot (55% of the final assemblage) displays ripe blackberry and raspberry berries, along with (red soil-born) pungent smokiness, Chartreuse-like herbal and floral essences. A liqueur-like presentation of black fruits temporarily overshadows the mysterious (white rock-born) meld of chalky minerality and beef marrow that wells up gradually on a creamy palate with tannins of utmost refinement. The tension and energy are riveting – lending the wine a dynamic, fleet-of-foot impression for all of its manifestly huge extract – with incisive brightness of palate-staining fruit and vibrant minerality leading to a finish of sensational clarity and length. Even here, by the way, Roumier employs only around 40% new wood. One senses that Christophe Roumier considers 2005 a high point of his career, and my visit with him was among the high points of my recent trip. He describes this as “a classic vintage lending itself to very calm, classic vinification,” which given the opportunities afforded by perfectly healthy, firm, dry, ripe fruit involved triage almost solely to remove ladybugs, and included around 25% whole clusters in the fermenters at the Premier Cru level and 50% at that of Grand Cru. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400.
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 29 April 2007