Bordeaux. November 2021. We had an appointment in Blaye (the westernmost appellation on Bordeaux’s right bank) with Pascal Montaut of Chateau Les Jonqueyres. What he hadn’t told us before was that he had just retired and sold his vineyards. “Come with me and meet the new owners,” he said.
We drove to Chateau Bonnange to taste his wines and theirs. The short version is, we tasted without a price list and the Bonnange 2017 was a revelation – quite an achievement in a supposed off-vintage. Wow. Such flesh and suppleness. If you had told us it was a swanky Pomerol well north of €80, we would not have baulked. It turned out to be substantially less.
The sunnier 2020 vintage is much lauded. Amazing depth and concentration from low yields. 90% Merlot/10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in equal thirds: oak, tank and amphora. Lush, ripe nose, succulent and supple in the mouth, silky tannins on the finish.
