The 1994s (cuvees one, two, three and four) possess slightly coarser tannin than the 1995s, but wonderfully sweet, rich, concentrated fruit, huge body, and old vine intensity and power. Henri Bonneau's is one of the few cellars where the bottled wines are significantly superior to the individual component parts tasted in the cellar (it's just the reverse in Burgundy). The 1994s are powerful, rich wines with the potential to be among the longest-lived and most massive wines of the vintage if the top cuvees are kept separate and bottled as Celestins, rather than blended together and bottled only as a Marie Beurrier.
This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996.
The legendary and irrepressible Henri Bonneau was in fine form when I saw him in June. Tasting in his dark, hodge-podge of tiny rooms was once again a memorable experience. Bonneau is not yet sure which designations he will use on his 1994s or 1995s, but I suspect there will be both a Marie Beurrier and Reserve des Celestins. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173