Praise continues to pour in for the Domaine Patrick & Christophe Bonnefond. Their Northern Rhône reds are pure syrah, and display an exquisite balance of texture, fruit, subtlety and depth. The wines continue to improve each year — Josh Raynolds of Vinous declared his tasting this year “the single most impressive set of bottlings I have had here.”
Bonnefond’s Côte Rôties and Condrieus are magnificent — they’re not cheap, but we think they’re worth every penny. But luckily for us the Bonnefonds also make a humble VDP Syrah as well — a way to sample their excellent winemaking at an affordable price.
The 2019 Bonnefond Syrah has just arrived and it’s a delight — dark, spiced, elegant wintery red.
Syrah grown in most of the world is bold, rich, mouthfilling and voluminous. In the Northern Rhône the grape takes on a different style: lower alcohol, less mouthfilling, more spice, more energy. The dark berry complexion remains the same, but with more definition and intricacy.
Bonnefond’s Syrah is classic Northern Rhône. Raynolds awarded 91 points, finding “blueberry, dark chocolate and a hint of black pepper” in the wine, and praising its “good depth and touch of olive.” The bottle we opened this week had a cool berry intensity with notes of smoke, earth, licorice, and plums.
Serve this with lamb stew, or sheep-milk cheese on crackers. It’s a cozy, dark, balanced red for the winter.
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Bonnefond Syrah 2019
bottle price: $25
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES
