Vinous (94-96)

The 2019 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a rich and generous bouquet with blueberry and black cherry aromas, the most extravagant of Bruno Clair’s wines this year. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, very poised and focused with a mineral-driven finish that lingers in the mouth. Lovely strictness on the finish counterbalances the precocity on the nose.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2021 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a fragrant nose, a mixture of red and blue fruit, well-defined and focused. The palate is well balanced with fine tannins, layers of red and black fruit, a little reduction from the lees at the moment that will protect the freshness and allow them to add less SO2. Very persistent on the finish. Excellent.

Vinous (96)

The 2016 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru has a generous and pleasing nose with scents of strawberry preserve, crushed stone, rose petals and subtle orange-blossom. This is refined and transparent. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins. Beautifully balanced, this has a symmetry that is beguiling and classic. A little austere finish suggests it will benefit from several years in bottle. Utterly beguiling with enormous ageing potential. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru, populated by ancient vines planted in 1912, suffered a lot of millerandé berries. The bouquet is very well defined with white pepper and tea leaf infusing the mineral-rich black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very harmonious and smooth in texture, perhaps just needing a little more depth and grip to come through on the finish. Wonderful.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-94)

A new contract from 2019. Mid crimson colour. The nose here is a stylish red fruit but with some depth behind more together than Les Véroilles. Very even across the palate with medium plus length. You have to wait a bit but the finish shows quite how good this is. Drink from 2026-2032.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-96)

The first sample was from a 2018 barrel which marked the wine a little too much. Mid purple. Riper on the nose and has taken the oak a bit more. Try another one. Much better. A sublime weight of perfectly ripe fruit whereas the other seemed over ripe. Excellent. Drink from 2030-2037.

Burghound (90-92)

Highly restrained if not mute aromas are comprised by notes of green apple, just sliced lemon, anise and plenty of mineral reduction character. There is both excellent intensity and minerality to the big-bodied and powerful flavors that conclude in a bone-dry, linear and borderline strict finale that doesn't have the length it usually does. This of course may change but it would be fair to say that it's awkward today.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a very delineated, focused bouquet, well controlled with citrus fruit, lemon verbena, and light orange pith scents. The palate is poised, quite intense and certainly has superb tension. There are Golden Delicious and light marzipan notes on the persistent finish, completing a very promising Corton Charlemagne.

The Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos du Fonteny 2011 is a riveting exhibit from the esteemed house of Bruno Clair. Constructed within the notable terroir of Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of Burgundy, this wine proudly represents its Premier Cru status. The 2011 vintage seduces the palate with a harmonious blend of black fruits, ripe berries and lighter floral notes, underpinned by the quintessential minerality that is a testament to its chalky-clay soil origin.

Bruno Clair, a benchmark Burgundian producer, exhibits masterful traditional winemaking methods, from hand-harvested grapes to aging in French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months. This meticulously crafted bottle, rightly named 'Clos du Fonteny', is well-regarded for its depth, elegance and remarkable ageing potential. A premier choice for collectors and enthusiasts seeking the refinement of Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos du Fonteny 2011.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-97)

Glowing purple. The bouquet is absolutely regal. What else to say? The palate offers a fantastic complexity varying from the sweetness of perfect ripeness through to a more savoury character from the terroir. The length of flavour transcends anything else. Gracefulness personified. Drink from 2032-2040.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (88-91)

The fruit comes mostly from old vines in Carougeots, plus En Jouise and Belair. Lively pleasing red fruit, shows strawberry behind, raspberry up front, with the peppery finish of a wine which has just missed reaching optimum ripeness. Drink from 2025-2030.

Vinous (88-91)

(losses to frost were only 30% here, vs. 80% for the Grasses Têtes): Good dark red. Very ripe aromas of black cherry and mocha. At once sweeter and sappier than the Grasses Têtes, offering noteworthy concentration and definition to its juicy dark fruit flavors. Showing much more early personality too. Finishes with serious but pliant tannins.

The Bruno Clair Marsannay Rouge 2016 is a splendid embodiment of fine French winemaking. Expertly crafted in the heart of Burgundy, this charming Pinot Noir captures the essence of its Marsannay terroir with finesse. Its brilliance stems from Bruno Clair's philosophical winemaking approach, one that emphasizes minimal interference and meticulous attention to detail. An advocate of sustainable viticulture, Clair's respect for the soil affords a robust concentration of flavour.

This wine displays vibrant ruby hues, exuding ripe red fruits, including cherries and currants on the nose. On the palate, it impresses with its elegant tannins, the subtle spiciness of clove blending with its fruit-driven core. The wine's natural acidity and balance make it accessible within its youthful stage, whilst indicating a long life ahead.

The Bruno Clair Marsannay Rouge 2016 is a testament to the producer's profound understanding of the vine and a dedication to the authentic expression of its origin.

Vinous (89-92)

(no hail or frost here in 2015, according to Clair): Medium red. Musky, deeply pitched aromas of raspberry, strawberry and smoky, flinty minerality. Quite taut in the early going, even a bit tough, and not showing the vintage's fleshy side today. But this firmly structured wine finishes with palate-stimulating salinity and subtle length. I would not be surprised if this eventually merited a rating at the top end of my projected range.