Châteauneuf du Pape, Cuvée Marie Beurrier Magnum 2013, Henri Bonneau

Henri Bonneau (1938-2016) was considered by many aficionados to be the ‘King of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’. His rare wines possess a magical, ethereal, silky quality, with astonishing finesse and nuanced subtlety, which sets them apart from the more typical, robust style of the appellation. This unique character arose from vines situated in ‘Le Crau’ – perhaps the finest sector – and always ageing the wines for 5-10 years in old Burgundy barrels before deciding whether to bottle as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or the more celebrated Cuvée Marie Beurrier or Réserve des Celestins. If a vintage didn’t pass muster, it might never actually be bottled as Châteauneuf, but instead find its way into the vin de table, ‘Les Rouliers.’ Since Henri’s death, his son, Marcel, has taken the reins as the 13th generation proprietor of this legendary estate.