Bonneau du Martray
Encyclopedia
Bonneau du Martray is a French
wine grower
and producer based in Pernand-Vergelesses
, in the Côte de Beaune
wine-growing region of Burgundy
, France. Bonneau du Martray is the only estate in Burgundy to exclusively produce wine from Grand cru vineyards.
The estate is currently owned and managed by Jean-Charles de la Moriniere who inherited it from his father in 1994. Jean-Charles has been working on moving viticultural management
and the care of the vineyard toward a biodynamic
philosophy and away from the previous use of herbicides to manage weeds and pests. He has also worked to reduce yields significantly in an effort to improve the intensity and quality of the finished wine.
Only two wines are produced from the vineyard holdings of the domaine. A White Burgundy with Chardonnay grapes from the 9.5 hectares the estate owns in Corton-Charlemagne
and a Red Burgundy with Pinot Noir grapes from 1.5 hectares owned in the Corton vineyard. Bonneau du Martray is the largest single owner of vines within the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard and owns the largest area of a single Grand cru vineyard of any producer in Burgundy.
Clive Coates
describes Bonneau Du Martray's white Corton-Charlemagne wine as "one of the very greatest in all Burgundy" and Hugh Johnson lists Bonneau du Martray as one of the leading Côte d'Or
producers and gives the estate his highest rating of 4 stars indicating "exceptionally fine or great quality, consistent over many vintages".
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
wine grower
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
and producer based in Pernand-Vergelesses
Pernand-Vergelesses
Pernand-Vergelesses is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:Pernand-Vergelesses is one of the wine communes of the Côte de Beaune. The western side of the Corton hill is in the commune, including vineyards used to produce the Grand Cru wine...
, in the Côte de Beaune
Côte de Beaune
The Côte de Beaune area is the southern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is home to the great names of Burgundy wine. The Côte de Beaune starts between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Beaune, and extends southwards for about 25 km to the River Dheune...
wine-growing region of Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
, France. Bonneau du Martray is the only estate in Burgundy to exclusively produce wine from Grand cru vineyards.
The estate is currently owned and managed by Jean-Charles de la Moriniere who inherited it from his father in 1994. Jean-Charles has been working on moving viticultural management
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and the care of the vineyard toward a biodynamic
Biodynamic wine
Biodynamic wines are wines made using the principles of biodynamic agriculture. Biodynamic refers to both the agricultural methods and the handling and processing of the fruit post-harvest.-Biodynamic viticulture:...
philosophy and away from the previous use of herbicides to manage weeds and pests. He has also worked to reduce yields significantly in an effort to improve the intensity and quality of the finished wine.
Only two wines are produced from the vineyard holdings of the domaine. A White Burgundy with Chardonnay grapes from the 9.5 hectares the estate owns in Corton-Charlemagne
Corton-Charlemagne
Corton-Charlemagne is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for white wine in Côte de Beaune subregion of Burgundy. It is located in the communes of Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix-Serrigny; and Chardonnay is the only allowed grape variety. Around 300,000 bottles...
and a Red Burgundy with Pinot Noir grapes from 1.5 hectares owned in the Corton vineyard. Bonneau du Martray is the largest single owner of vines within the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard and owns the largest area of a single Grand cru vineyard of any producer in Burgundy.
Clive Coates
Clive Coates
Clive Coates is a British wine writer and Master of Wine, best known for his books about the wines of Burgundy.-Biography:Born in 1941, Clive Coates worked for The Wine Society in Stevenage in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1975 he founded the award-winning magazine The Vine, a monthly fine...
describes Bonneau Du Martray's white Corton-Charlemagne wine as "one of the very greatest in all Burgundy" and Hugh Johnson lists Bonneau du Martray as one of the leading Côte d'Or
Côte d'Or (escarpment)
The Côte d'Or is a limestone escarpment in Burgundy, France that lends its name to the department which was formed around it...
producers and gives the estate his highest rating of 4 stars indicating "exceptionally fine or great quality, consistent over many vintages".