2013 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru

Christophe Roumier compared his 2013s to his 1995s, noting that the wines “have more strength than the 2014s and are for longer aging.” He went on: “The 2014s are lighter-bodied and more immediate, while the 2013s are more serious. There was a lot of millerandage in 2013," he went on, "and the wines are quite tannic despite the fact that there were relatively few seeds in the grapes. So it’s all skin tannins.” The malos finished late in what Roumier described as “a malic year.” He vinified most of his 2013s with 25% to 30% whole clusters, “like normal.”

Christophe Roumier, who benefited in 2013 from a high percentage of thick-skinned small berries from his old, millerandé vines, started harvesting on October 5. He told me he should have begun a few days earlier, as after "a big rain" on October 9 the mold developed quickly. Potential alcohol levels were in the 11.5% to 12% range and Roumier chaptalized by a maximum of 0.8% to 0.9% "to counterbalance the tannins with alcohol." Although he cut back on the number of punchdowns in 2013 due to the small, thick-skinned berries, he still vinified most of his wines with 25% to 30% whole clusters. "All of the tannins in the wines are skin tannins in 2013," he told me. "The seeds were very small and did not give the wines any astringence." In fact, in November he felt that the whole clusters had actually given his wines "less pepper and orange skin" character than in other years. Another outstanding result here in 2013.