Terroir Insight: Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares

Nicolas Groffier has really improved the quality over the last years – the 2010 vintage was sort of a turning point to me, where he took the step up in the major league. The wines before were also very fine … but the detail, transparency and balance seem to have taken quite a notch up.

A slightly forgotten gem in the Groffier lineup is the Bonnes Mares – a wine that with recent adjustments in the vinification now is amongst the very best wines produced on this large and fragmented Grand Cru.

The estate own almost one hectar of Bonnes Mares – a large and lovely plot from where they produce a focused and refined Bonnes Mares.

Lets take a closer look at the Bonnes Mares plot of Domaine Robert Groffier.

Bonnes Mares – the other part of Chambolle Musigny

Bonnes Mares is a very exiting vineyard, as there is a lot of talented producers making wines from this large and complex grand cru. There are a lot of owners and plots on this vineyard, hence also relatively often a possibility to either rent a plot of buy grapes from this terroir. The ownership structure of Musigny is somewhat more static as is the case with the Vosne-Romanée Grand Crus – where the possibility to get a piece of land or grapes is very rare indeed.

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 Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées – and only 1.52 ha of Bonnes Mares is located in the Morey appellation – just south of Clos de Tart – or actually inside Clos de Tart.

The true Bonnes Mares begins at the southern end of Clos de Tart – but actually there is a part of Bonnes Mares located within the enclosed walls of Clos des Tart – this part is now a part of Clos de Tart, although it’s named Bonnes Mares in the official cadastre (register of plots). The plot was included in Clos de Tart in 1966,

Bonnes Mares continues from Clos de s 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 (a monopole of Domaine Ghislaine Barthod).

Tasting Notes for this producer

• Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle Les Amoureuses “Cuvée Blonde” 2016 November 21, 2019
• Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle Les Hauts Doix 2010 September 4, 2019
• Domaine Robert Groffier, Chambertin Clos de Bèze 1996 November 27, 2017
• Domaine Robert Groffier, Chambolle Les Amoureuses 2004 October 18, 2017
• Robert Groffier, Chambolle Musigny Les Sentiers 2007 June 27, 2016
• Domaine Robert Groffier, Bonnes Mares 2013 May 8, 2015
• Robert Groffier, Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 2007 October 12, 2012
• Robert Groffier, Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses 2010 May 4, 2012
• Robert Groffier, Chambolle Musigny Les Sentieres 2010 May 3, 2012
• Robert Groffier, Gevrey Chambertin Les Seuvrees 2010 April 28, 2012

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