Terroir Insight: Domaine J.-F. Mugnier Bonnes Mares

One of the gems of Bonnes Mares is the elusive and elegant wine from Frédéric Mugnier of Domaine J.-F. Mugnier. The Bonnes Mares is like the other Chambolle wines from Mugnier very rare, as the production is rather limited.

I must say adore the Mugnier wines, and the Bonnes Mares is no exception, as the hedonistic element is prominent “even” for the Bonnes Mares – one could rhetorically say.

But lets take a closer look at the Bonnes Mares of Domaine J.-F. Mugnier.

Bonnes Mares – the darker side of Chambolle Musigny

Bonnes Mares is sort of the “dark side” of Chambolle-Musigny, a vineyard that represents a hybrid between Chambolle and Morey – a vineyard that sometimes is a bit disregarded when compared with the mighty Musigny.

In very few cases Bonnes Mares is mentioned as matching Musigny – aside from perhaps Domaine Georges Roumier (although I personally think the Musigny is the greater wine) – and in the Mugnier case the Musigny clearly the king, and the Bonnes Mares is perhaps regarded to be on more equal terms with Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses quality wise.

Bonnes Mares is 15.05 ha – hence almost 40% larger than Musigny – and is located in both Chambolle Musigny and Morey-Saint-Denis. The main part is in Chambolle-Musigny – north of the village and Les Fuées – and only 1.52 ha is located in the Morey appellation – just south of Clos de Tart.

Bonnes Mares begins at the southern end of Clos de Tart – actually there is a part of Bonnes Mares located within the enclosed walls of Clos de Tart – and this part is now a part of Clos de Tart, although it’s named Bonnes Mares in the official cadastre.

Bonnes Mares continues from Clos des Tart to Chambolle Musigny Les Fuées and the village part of Chambolle Musigny Les Cras, with the top of the slope not being a part of Bonnes Mares, but either village or the 1er cru part of Chambolle-Musigny Les Véroilles (the 1er cru is a monopole owned by Domaine Ghislaine Barthod).