Bonnes Mares
Encyclopedia
Bonnes Mares is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(AOC) and Grand Cru vineyard
for red wine in the Côte de Nuits
subregion of Burgundy
, with Pinot Noir
as the main grape variety. The AOC was created in 1936. It is shared between the two communes of Chambolle-Musigny
(where the main part is located) and Morey-Saint-Denis
in the Côte-d'Or
département. Bonnes Mares is located a little to the north of the Chambolle-Musigny village, and borders the Route des Grands Crus
in the east and the Grand Cru vineyard Clos de Tart
in the north.
In 2008, 16.24 hectares (40.1 acre) of vineyard surface was in production within the AOC, and 522 hectoliter of wine was produced, corresponding to 70,000 bottles.
's name is unknown, although it is known to have been used since the High Medieval age, and at least three different hypotheses exist. The one most commonly assumed is that it may come from the bonnes mères ("good mothers"), nuns of the Cistercian order at Notre-Dame de Tart. There is also the hypothesis that it originates from the verb marer, cultivate, which means that the literal translation is often given as "good vintage". The third hypothesis, favoured by the Drouhin family, is that a myth of a winegrower who in this vineyard unearthed a sculpture representing three goddesses of fecundity
, the bonnes mères.
, Pinot Blanc
and Pinot Gris
as accessory grapes, but this is practically never used for any Burgundy Grand Cru vineyard. The allowed base yield
is 35 hectoliter per hectare, a minimum planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare is required as well as a minium grape maturity of 11.5 per cent potential alcohol.
or in the style of Chambolle-Musigny wine
, meaning lighter and more elegant.
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) and Grand Cru vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
for red wine in the Côte de Nuits
Côte de Nuits
The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the district and is the regional center...
subregion of Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
, with Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
as the main grape variety. The AOC was created in 1936. It is shared between the two communes of Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.It is one of the wine villages situated on the Côte-d'Or escarpment, and is one of the twelve Cote d'Or communes of France which added/adopted the name of their most well-known vineyard as a suffix to the original name of...
(where the main part is located) and Morey-Saint-Denis
Morey-Saint-Denis
Morey-Saint-Denis is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:Morey-Saint-Denis is situated in the Northern section of the Côte d'Or called Côte de Nuits. It is one of the principal wine producing villages of the region....
in the Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
département. Bonnes Mares is located a little to the north of the Chambolle-Musigny village, and borders the Route des Grands Crus
Route des Grands Crus
The Route des Grands Crus is the name of a tourist route situated in Burgundy, France.The approximately 60-kilometre route runs along the foot of the Côte d'Or escarpment, from Dijon in the north to Santenay in the south. Thus it runs through many of the great appellations of Burgundy wine, hence...
in the east and the Grand Cru vineyard Clos de Tart
Clos de Tart
Clos de Tart is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. It is situated in the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis in the Côte-d'Or département...
in the north.
In 2008, 16.24 hectares (40.1 acre) of vineyard surface was in production within the AOC, and 522 hectoliter of wine was produced, corresponding to 70,000 bottles.
History
The origin of the vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
's name is unknown, although it is known to have been used since the High Medieval age, and at least three different hypotheses exist. The one most commonly assumed is that it may come from the bonnes mères ("good mothers"), nuns of the Cistercian order at Notre-Dame de Tart. There is also the hypothesis that it originates from the verb marer, cultivate, which means that the literal translation is often given as "good vintage". The third hypothesis, favoured by the Drouhin family, is that a myth of a winegrower who in this vineyard unearthed a sculpture representing three goddesses of fecundity
Fecundity
Fecundity, derived from the word fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population. In biology, the definition is more equivalent to fertility, or the actual reproductive rate of an organism or...
, the bonnes mères.
AOC regulations
The main grape variety for Bonnes Mares is Pinot Noir. The AOC regulations also allow up to 15 per cent total of ChardonnayChardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc
Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produced white fruit....
and Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
as accessory grapes, but this is practically never used for any Burgundy Grand Cru vineyard. The allowed base yield
Yield (wine)
In viticulture, the yield is a measure of the amount of grapes or wine that is produced per unit surface of vineyard, and is therefore a type of crop yield...
is 35 hectoliter per hectare, a minimum planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare is required as well as a minium grape maturity of 11.5 per cent potential alcohol.
Wine style
The style of Bonnes Mares wine is in general full-bodied and tannic. A difference in soil types over the length of the vineyard is often reflected in the style of wines, which can be either more in the style of Morey-Saint-Denis wineMorey-Saint-Denis wine
Morey-Saint-Denis wine is produced in the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée Morey-Saint-Denis may be used for red and white wine with respectively Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as the main grape variety...
or in the style of Chambolle-Musigny wine
Chambolle-Musigny wine
Chambolle-Musigny wine is produced in the village of Chambolle-Musigny in Côte de Nuits of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée Chambolle-Musigny may only be used for red wine with Pinot Noir as the main grape. There are 25 Premier Cru vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny, and two Grand Cru...
, meaning lighter and more elegant.