Domaine Bruno Clair Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2023 is a red Burgundy from one of the Côte de Nuits’ great Grand Crus, made from old Pinot Noir vines on the Morey-Saint-Denis side of Bonnes-Mares. It is a powerful, floral and profoundly mineral wine—rich and layered in youth, with the structure, tension and depth to age for decades.
Producer tasting notes: (2023 vintage)
"Very deep red robe Nose of black fruits and spices A powerful and complex wine of remarkable length" - Domaine Bruno Clair
Critic tasting notes: (2023 vintage)
"A touch of bitter chocolate gives extra appeal to this powerful, highly structured wine that has a lot of earthy, meaty, forest-berry depth. This has a much firmer finish, bold and crisp, than the majority of Bonnes-Mares grands crus. From the Morey-Saint-Denis side of this site, where the soil is deep and red." - James Suckling
Technical Details
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Producer: Domaine Bruno Clair, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
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Wine: Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
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Appellation: Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Côte de Nuits
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Vintage: 2023
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Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
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Vineyard: Bonnes-Mares, Morey-Saint-Denis side
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Parcel size: 1.64 hectares
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Vineyard location: Adjacent to Clos de Tart
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Vineyard aspect: Southeast-facing
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Altitude: Approximately 280 metres
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Vine age: Planted in 1942, 1946, 1962, 1978 and 1980
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Soil: Three-quarters red soil, one-quarter white limestone marl
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Harvest: Manual
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Fermentation: Spontaneous, with indigenous yeasts, 30–50% whole bunches
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Maceration: 10–15 days in wooden vats
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Ageing: 18–20 months in French oak barrels, approximately 45% new
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Bottle size: 750 ml
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Alcohol: 13.5%
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Critic scores: 95–97/100 — William Kelley, Wine Advocate; 95–97/100 — Neal Martin, Vinous; 96–98/100 — Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com
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Drinking window: 2027–2055 per Neal Martin; 2030–2050 per Jancis Robinson
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Serving temperature: 15–17°C
The Producer
Domaine Bruno Clair is a respected Burgundy estate based in Savigny-lès-Beaune, with holdings across the Côte de Nuits. The domaine is known for its terroir-driven Pinot Noirs that combine aromatic complexity, mineral precision and exceptional ageing potential.
Bruno Clair’s Bonnes-Mares is one of the estate’s most prized Grand Cru bottlings, sourced from a 1.64-hectare parcel on the Morey-Saint-Denis side of the appellation. The wine reflects the domaine’s commitment to precision, freshness and the expression of one of Burgundy’s most distinctive terroirs.
Vineyard and Terroir
Bonnes-Mares is one of the great Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits, located between Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. Bruno Clair’s parcel lies on the Morey side, adjacent to Clos de Tart, and is defined by its southeast-facing exposure and average altitude of 280 metres.
The terroir features distinctive white limestone soils, with three-quarters red soil-based vines and one-quarter white limestone marl-based soils. This combination gives the wine its hallmark intensity, vigour and mineral precision, while the old vines contribute depth and complexity.
The 2023 Vintage
The 2023 Burgundy growing season was warm and generous, producing ripe, healthy fruit with good concentration. The resulting wines are rich and layered, but retain the freshness and precision that define great Bonnes-Mares.
The 2023 Bonnes-Mares is described as a beauty, bursting with notes of orange zest, black raspberries, exotic spices, potpourri, violets and incense. It is a wine of great potential, with a cool core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and animated by lively acids.
Winemaking and Ageing
The Pinot Noir is hand-harvested and fermented with ambient yeasts, with 30–50% whole bunches. Maceration takes place in wooden vats over 10–15 days, preserving the wine’s fruit purity and aromatic lift.
The wine is aged for 18–20 months in French oak barrels, with approximately 45% new oak. The final blend is assembled from multiple sub-sections, creating a wine of remarkable complexity and balance.
Tasting Profile
The 2023 Bonnes-Mares opens with a well-defined bouquet of black cherries, wild strawberries and light loamy aromas, with a floral quality that is captivating for a Bonnes-Mares at this stage. Peony, lily and rose notes provide a sense of sensuality, while a touch of cacao adds depth.
On the palate, the wine is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a cool core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and animated by lively acids. The finish is long, saline and persistent, with a firmer, bolder and crisper profile than most Bonnes-Mares.
Aroma and flavour: black cherry, wild strawberry, plum, orange zest, black raspberry, potpourri, violet, incense, cacao, exotic spice and crushed stone.
Palate: medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with fine tannins, lively acidity, saline minerality and a long, structured finish.
Style: a powerful, age-worthy Grand Cru Pinot Noir—rich and aromatic in youth, with the structure, tension and depth to evolve for decades.
Drinking Window
Neal Martin assigns an anticipated maturity window of 2027–2055, noting that the wine is a fabulous Bonnes-Mares with great potential. Jancis Robinson suggests a window of 2030–2050, highlighting the wine’s length, freshness and balance.
For current drinking, extensive decanting is recommended. Allow the wine 4–6 hours in a decanter or large Burgundy glass to reveal its full aromatic complexity and mineral depth.
Food Pairing
Serve at 15–17°C with roast duck, pheasant, guinea fowl, venison, lamb or beef in a light red-wine sauce. Its acidity and fine tannins also suit mushroom-based dishes, truffle preparations and semi-aged cheeses such as Époisses, Comté or Cîteaux.
Avoid very spicy or heavily smoked dishes, which can overwhelm the wine’s delicate fruit, floral aromatics and mineral precision.
Collector Note
This is a rare allocation wine from one of Burgundy’s most respected producers, made from old vines in one of the Côte de Nuits’ great Grand Crus. Domaine Bruno Clair’s Bonnes-Mares is produced in limited quantities, and the 2023 vintage’s exceptional quality has earned it 95–97 points from Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 96–98 points from JancisRobinson.com.
The combination of the domaine’s reputation, the exceptional Bonnes-Mares terroir and the richness of the 2023 vintage makes this a compelling long-term proposition for collectors of age-worthy red Burgundy.
Recommended serving: decant for 4–6 hours before serving at 15–17°C; use a large Burgundy glass to allow its perfume, fruit and mineral depth to unfold.
