BONNES-MARES: 2008 & 1986 Louis Jadot, 2022 Henri Boillot, 2000 Joseph Drouhin, 2015 Marchand-Tawse, 2018 Bruno Clair, 2015 G. Lignier & 2010 François Bartheau, 2014, 2000 & 1999 Comte Georges de Vogüé

A great evening of camaraderie and friendship at Imperial Treasure Great World on 09 March 2026, generously hosted by the great Dr Ngoi who also came up with the Bonnes-Mares theme, bookended by a couple of outstanding whites. For some reason, people seldom drink around Bonnes-Mares even though there are 15 hectares of this grand cru. Our sampling of eleven vintages from eight different producers revealed a great deal of heterogeneity, proving that there is much to discover between different producers and price points. Many thanks, gentlemen!

2000 Champagne Krug, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Displaying a golden luminosity, this wine is effusive in yeasty overtones amid early autumnal characters with an undertow of musty pochai. Still rather full, imbued with dryish bubbles that impart an evenly tempered intensity and freshness.

2020 Domaine Jean Chartron Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Pale. This wine opens with a distant nose of dryish summer hay before taking on a gleaming tone, matching the sleek fullish well-layered palate, more minerally than fruit-driven, laced with a hint of pomelo, showing fine linearity and precision with just a hint of warmth at its lingering finish to indicate its 14% abv.

2022 Henri Boillot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Good colour. Raspberries and red plums dominate with a bare hint of enamel, its bouquet constantly evolving with a certain feminine grace underscored by a superbly-integrated sleek medium-weight palate, boasting fine density and highly refined tannins that exude supple intensity. Modest finish. This is a beautiful effort.

2009 Joseph Drouhin Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of John. Good colour, proffering a delicious fragrance of rose petals and dark cherries amid plummy tones to match the weighty highly integral supple intensity, framed by slightly dryish tannins underpinned with traces of iron filings.

2008 Domaine Louis Jadot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Very keen nose of haw and rose petals in spite of its faded pinkish crimson, delivering a highly detailed palate underscored by lively acidity. Very well integrated though the finish is modest with a slight plummy tone.

1986 Domaine Louis Jadot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Faded crimson. Rather reticent as the fruit is beginning to recede on the narrow palate though the shortfall is made up for by its sleek acidity and smooth contours, dropping off sharply at the finish.

2012 Marchand-Tawse Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Evolved crimson. Quite delicious on the nose in currants, raspberries and dark plums, boasting a restrained harmonious palate with fine clarity, laced with a sandy tinge. Highly integral, turning a bit minty at its finish.

2015 Georges Lignier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Opaque reddish-brown pinot tint, proffering cedar and mentholic overtones from the abundant mature fruit. Quite full and rounded with a hint of velvety tannins, slightly darkish, underscored by lively acidity with an undertow of ferrous elements. Modest finish. Crafted for elegance rather than outright power.

2018 Domaine Bruno Clair Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Purplish pinot tint. Fairly concentrated in ripe raspberries and darkish fruit, structured with rounded velvety tannins and sleek acidity that impart a sense of juicy succulence and restrained power. Well balanced but still rather primal.

2010 Domaine François Bartheau Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Displaying an evolved pinot tint, this wine displays a surprising concentrated focus and intensity though its refined tannins and acidity offer fine clarity with a bit of medicinal undertow from early secondary development.

2014 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of CHS. This wine opens with a distinct funky warmth on the nose whilst the rounded palate is, somehow, reluctant and backward. Most certainly a function of the vintage, which ought to be drunk up soon.

2000 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Khay Guan. Deep crimson. There is only just an early hint of secondary development in the effusive bouquet of red plums and snuff arising from the concentrated depth of fruit, distinctly masculine in proportion and exuberant character, making up for its modest finish.

1999 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of MH. Crimson. Compared with the 2000, this wine is so complete and integral with a sense of elusive power in its fleeting elegant intensity, structured with sleek silky tannins and exquisite acidity that impart a delicious juicy succulence. Still seemingly far from full maturity. Outstanding.

2010 Château Haut-Brion Blanc, courtesy of SC. Dull golden, proffering a rich creamy bouquet of almonds, walnuts and white tones. Medium-full, imbued with glorious orchard fruit and just the right degree of acidity that impart elegant intensity with great clarity and linearity, developing a trace of austere minerality over time. One is drinking the distilled essence of Graves. Very lovely.