Domaine Bernard Grivelet – Bonnes-Mares ‘Grand Cru’ 1978

Domaine Bernard Grivelet – Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 1978: A Grand Cru from a legendary vintage

The 1978 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru from Domaine Bernard Grivelet is a wine of rare historical depth – a testament to the Burgundian winemaking tradition, hailing from one of the most fascinating Grand Cru sites in the Côte de Nuits and bearing the hallmark of a winery whose roots stretch back to the early 20th century. It was produced in a vintage that the wine world still counts among the great classics of the 20th century.

The vineyard: Bonnes-Mares – between Musigny and Chambertin

Bonnes-Mares is one of Burgundy’s 33 Grands Crus and is one of the most distinctive sites in the Côte de Nuits. The vineyard covers around 15.2 hectares and – unusually for Burgundy – lies within the boundaries of two communes: The far larger part belongs to Chambolle-Musigny, whilst the northern section, bordering Morey-Saint-Denis, belongs to the neighbouring commune . Geographically, the vineyard is situated exactly between the region’s two most famous Grands Crus – Musigny to the south and Chambertin to the north. The wines from this vineyard are characterised by a brilliant ruby-red colour and a complex range of aromas, ranging from sour cherry and raspberry through floral notes to earthy and spicy nuances.

The estate: Domaine Grivelet – a bygone era

Domaine Grivelet was a traditional Burgundian winery based in Vosne-Romanée, whose roots stretch back to the early 20th century. The Grivelet family were originally coopers – a craft that has always been closely linked to viticulture in Burgundy – and, with Fernand Grivelet (1885–1958) and his son Bernard Grivelet, produced two winemaking figures who left their mark on the estate. The family business, which operated under the names Grivelet Père & Fils and Domaine Grivelet, owned vineyards in some of Burgundy’s most prestigious sites – including plots in Chambolle-Musigny (Les Amoureuses, Les Charmes), in Vosne-Romanée (Les Malconsorts), in Bonnes-Mares, in Echézeaux and in Vougeot. Bill Nanson, author of the Burgundy Report, describes Grivelet as “an old family from Chambolle” who were once based at an address in Nuits.

The winemaking process followed the estate’s traditions: the grapes were harvested by hand, rigorously selected and fermented in open vats, followed by ageing in oak barrels. The style of Grivelet’s wines is described as ‘charnus et foncés’ – full-bodied and dark.

The “Cuvée Princess Noura”: A tribute to royal nobility

The name ‘Cuvée Princess Noura’ lends this bottling a special aura. It is a top-tier cuvée from the House of Grivelet, produced only in selected years and in limited quantities. The cuvée range included several of the estate’s Grands Crus, amongst them Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Bonnes-Mares and Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses. The bottles were numbered – a sign of the estate’s special appreciation.

The 1978 vintage: a 20th-century classic

The 1978 vintage is regarded in Burgundy as one of the legendary vintages of the 20th century. Sotheby’s describes it in an auction catalogue as one of the “legendary vintages such as 1969, 1978, and 1979”, which are now rarely found outside the estates themselves. The wines of the 1978 vintage are considered to be particularly long-lived and well-structured – a characteristic that is also reflected in the tasting notes for the Bonnes-Mares.

Tasting notes: A wine of rare splendour

The tasting notes for the Grivelet Bonnes-Mares 1978 paint a picture of an extraordinary wine that has lost none of its allure even after more than four decades. CellarTracker lists two tasting notes with an average rating of 94 points:

A tasting in March 2013 describes the wine as “Perfect ruby. The nose is huge and hugely floral, perfumed, with the essence of rosewater; altogether remarkable – I didn’t expect this kind of glory! The palate is tannic and taut, very much a virile ’78; excellent sweetness, red plum skins, pie cherry. A fine texture. Medium-bodied, with very nice length where it shows a touch of simplicity, but very good nonetheless. An excellent wine! An immaculate wine on both the nose and the palate, bordering on perfection for its type and absolutely at the peak of maturity. Once again, rosewater, perfumed glory.”

A further tasting in November 2007 describes the wine as “Pale brick/crimson. A lovely, round, very floral cherry nose. Lovely, rich, round, sweet, spicy black cherry on the palate. A great example of a mature Burgundy. It was at its best straight from the bottle and definitely lost some of its charm after about 15 minutes in the glass. 94+ pts."

Colour and maturation

The tasting notes describe a colour evolution from deep ruby to a brick-red hue with a ruby-red core – the typical patina of a Burgundy that has matured for over forty years. The nose reveals a highly developed bouquet of floral notes, particularly rose water, underpinned by ripe red fruits such as plums and sour cherries. On the palate , the wine displays a tannic structure characteristic of the 1978 vintage – “very much a virile ’78” – combined with remarkable sweetness and finesse.

A window into a bygone era

For collectors and connoisseurs, the Grivelet Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 1978is a wine of great rarity – a testament to a bygone era of Burgundian viticulture, from one of the most fascinating Grand Cru sites in the Côte de Nuits, vinified in a year that ranks amongst the legendary vintages of the 20th century. Anyone who opens such a bottle holds not only a rare Burgundy in their hands, but a piece of Burgundian contemporary history – and a wine that, after more than four decades of bottle ageing, has retained remarkable depth, elegance and vitality.