Founded
in 1932 by Fernand Bouquemont, the great grandfather of current proprietors and brothers, Jean-Emmanuel and Jean-Etienne Bonnaire, this Côte des Blancs based estate has
made a name for itself by making top quality Champagnes for four generations.
In the wake of the financial crisis of 1929-30 in France, Fernand decided to
stop selling his grapes to his surrounding neighbors and instead make his own Champagne. This decision
put him at the forefront of the movement of Grower Champagne we now know and adore. From
its first vintage of 1932, which won a gold medal at the prestigious 'Concours
Général Agricole de Paris,' the Bonnaire brand has been known as one of the top
recoltant-manipulants in Champagne. The
brothers have been at the helm now for a decade and they continue to push
forward with their unwavering eye towards quality.
For
the past 25 years, the family has been committed to making exquisite wine in its modern facility nestled amongst the vines in the village of Cramant. Half
of the estate's 22 hectares are in Cramant, and the other half are spread over the Grand Cru
villages of Chouilly, Oriy and Bouzy with holdings also in the Premier Cru
villages of Cuis and Bergeres-les-Vertus and Pinot Noir and Meunier planted in
the Valle de la Marne village of Fossoy. As
you would imagine for an estate based in the village of Cramant, they rely
heavily on the Chardonnay grape and most of the bottles coming from the estate
are Blanc de Blancs. Overall, the wines strike a balance between their rich, opulent flavors and their sleek elegant textures. The tension between the two
are highlighted by the intense minerality coming from the chalky soils of
Cramant and the result is an insanely delicious sparkling we can't seem to put down.
Bonairre's
wines are polished, yet rich and complex. They are focued with chiseled acidity and firm structure with all the flavors and aromas working in unison. These bottlings are distinct unto themselves and are worth
searching out!
This
pure Chardonnay vintage Champagne comes only from selected plots in the Grand Cru of Cramant and is excellent with its finesse and elegance as a companion to any occasion with or without food. 2012
was a Chardonnay year par excellence with great minerality and freshness!
Despite low yields thanks to frost, hail and disease early in the season,
August saw conditions improve dramatically resulting in exemplary maturity,
acidity and grape health at harvest. There are notes of brioche, minerality, citrus, and candied fruit. Drink now or collect to enjoy in the years ahead!
