Nederlands
May
Blog, Nieuwsbrief, Producers
Beaune and Beyond Borders: Domaine Bonnardot
Worth the wait
Can you imagine, it took us five years to get the Bonnardot wines. Rex and Ludovic were connecting well, but there simply wasn’t enough on the domain to sell to us. The first sip – in Bordeaux “of all places” – kept lingering in our memory. Every year we would ask for a share in the harvest. Well, our persistence paid off finally. Last month we quietly tasted each wine. And hallelujah, the green light went off. We remembered why this domain made such an impression on us at the time.
Bonnardot is the ultimate expression of the Côte de Beaune. Fruits, minerality, low pH and precision always there in every glass. The brothers Ludovic and Émilien only grow about 10 hectares between Santenay and Pommard. They also have some vineyards just outside the Côte d’Or, which are interesting and off the beaten track. Of each plot they only make a couple of hundred bottles. Including some wines on which they use some alternative techniques. Those are playful and edgy and show the directions Burgundy can also turn to.
The domain
The Bonnardot domain was founded in 1981 in Bonnencontre by mother Élisabeth. She had a modern view on viticulture. She studied oenology and did an apprenticeship with organic wine master Jules Chauvet. Ludovic took over the vineyards from his mother in 2005. He shared the love for organic viticulture with his mother and continued the trend that Élisabeth had started. Today, the domain is entirely biodynamic, although not certified. In 2006 his brother Émilien joined the winery.
The reputation of the domain has not yet reached the Netherlands. Our enthusiasm was purely based on how we enjoyed the wines. How often do you come across a Burgundy house of this level and has no representation abroad yet? The vineyards are mainly located in the classic Côte de Beaune area, but also in the less explored Hautes Côtes de Beaune. They even still have some historical parcels towards Bonnencontre. Although the wines from the classic villages are very successful, it is the eccentric cuvées that make us rave and that we want to share.
Pushing boundaries
The Hautes Côtes are increasingly a guarantee of providing wine with an unique expression of terroir. Previously, those vineyards were not exclusively reserved for viticulture, so wine-making was secondary. Nowadays it is precisely the cooler exposition of these vineyards with more altitude, that benefits from the increasing temperatures. The Hautes Côtes nowadays provide ripe fruit-driven styles full of persuasion.
Talking about looking beyong borders. We are also completely under the spell of the Aligoté and Rosé from Bonnardot. An Aligoté of very old vines (70 years) that has been made with a lot of attention and is balanced out perfectly. Pointy acids that go on for a long time , but also have been rounded through the full malolactic fermentation and barrel maturation. A glass that settles in your memory and makes you want for more.
Also the rosé is unique, full of seductive spices and sensuality. But it also bites back a bit. You will not easily come across a more gastronomic rosé. It needs air and time to uncover its full identity, but when you get to know it you might find it intriguing.
Finally, Bonnardot also makes a series of cuvées “sans soufre”, without sulphite. Each in turn is full of character and typicality. The most exciting is a 100% chardonnay with skin contact. Gewürz expression and stubborn, but completely recognizable on the Chardonnay fruit.
Well, to make it short Bonnardot actually has everything; from classic to modern, juicy wines that you can’t resist to wines that are worth the wait. All made with an equal amount of care. The only problem with Bonnardot is the quantity. There just isn’t enough for everybody. But we will continue to do our best and keep the flow going.
Wines: Click on the product name for direct order
This Aligoté comes from two plots, which have a total of 0.17 hectares. The first plot comes from the Santenay hills, where roots reach deep into the soil. The second part lies on a clay-lime underlay the appellation “Sur le Bois” Maranges.
Hautes Côtes de Beaune ‘En Cheignots’ 2018
The higher altitude of the Hautes Côtes give these vineyards their characteristics. This plot is located close to the beautiful village Orches. The scenery is dominated by a steep cliff and nearby forests. The wines from the Hautes Côtes become better each year and are definitely the ones to watch in Burgundy.
This vineyard is located at the base of Trois Croix hillside near Santenay. At the top you will find forests and underneath are the vineyards. “Saint Jean” is the name of the little church in Santenay Le Haut, which was built in 1220. The adjacent lots are all named after this church.
The vineyards are located in Chassagne on a sloping hill near the Abbey of Morgeot. The plot is at an altitude of 227 meters. Chassagne-Montrachet naturally produces the region’s most sought-after white wines, along with Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault.
Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘La Garenne’ 2018
The Puligny-Montrachet vineyards produce the most refined wines of the Côte d’Or. The Bonnardot plot is planted with 80 year old vines, on a stony slope, allowing natural drainage. The height of 330 meters at the center of the slope is surrounded by forests, which brings a diversity of flora and insect fauna.
Molland is a vineyard near the head office in Bonnecontre east of Beaune. These are the slopes of the Saône valle. Before the phylloxera crisis, this area was covered with 120 hectares of vineyard. This small piece of vineyard is a small legacy of that period. A low-intervention wine based on Chardonnay and Aligoté.
This chardonnay is made from vineyards in Santenay. There has been two weeks of skin contact, giving the wine an orange colour but also a tannic structured. The skin maceration provides a unique flavour profile. The wine is full of exotic spices and fruits. Lychee, welted flowers, orang skin and dried apricot. The bitter finish gives the wine an interesting structure.
The Rosé d’Orches is produced in a limited amount of 600 bottles. The fruits are harvested fat the Hautes Côtes de Beaune vineyards near the picturesque village of Orches. In the Hautes Côtes, the vineyards are on a higher altitude than in the Côte, which gives a cooler exposition.
Maranges is the southernmost appellation of the Côte de Beaune. And includes three villages: Cheilly les Maranges, Dezize les Maranges and Sampigny les Maranges. “Sur le Bois” is a vineyard in the center of the Cheilly hills. Maranges are less known, but well worth it. The wines have a robust and powerful character.
Santenay Village 2018
Santenay is an appellation in the south of the Côte de Beaune. The plot of Bonnardot is located at an altitude of 260 meters, adjacent to 1er Cru vineyard “Clos Rousseau”. Santenay can produce white and reds, but the focus is mainly on Pinot Noir. After Maranges it’s the most southern village of the Côte de Beaune. The more compact soil structure provides denser wines than the northern villages.
Burgundy Hautes Côtes de Beaune ‘Sur Evelle’ 2019
The Hautes Côtes are higher than the vineyards of the Côte and have therefore benefited from higher temperatures in recent years. The plot slopes steeply and is located above a rock face called “Évelle”. Only 800 bottles of the “Sur Évelle” are made annually.
Santenay 1er Cru 2019 ‘Clos Rousseau’
Santenay is with Maranges the southernmost appelation of the Côte de Beaune. Bonnardot owns two plots central in the 1er Cru vineyard “Clos Rousseau”. Both plots are demarcated by dry stone walls. The more compact soil structure provides denser wines than the northern villages.
Pommard just south of Beaune is one of the most famous appellations in Burgundy. Only red from Pinot Noir is made here. The Pommard of Bonnardots plot is a demarcated Clos, centrally located on the hill at 310 meters.
