ML Cookbook 2020_Eng-23-3.1-sev

Vintages Every vintage is an encapsulation of history. In 1945 ‘Perfect’ vintages are rare, and even if 2000, 2005, 2009, across the world, wine was produced by men and women 2010 and 2015 all lay claim to this description, each who were celebrating the end of the Second World War. has its own character, like different performances of the 2020 will be the year of Covid-19. same piece of music. Every vintage, like a human being, develops in its own way - sometimes surprisingly. Some Beyond this kind of exceptional event and the flexibility take longer to become ready to drink. Some age more and resilience it demands, each year also reflects the quickly and some even go through a sulky phase when climatic conditions leading up to the harvest. they are best left undisturbed. People talk about warm, cool, frosty, great and classic The fact that each grape variety works to its own vintages... Thanks to modern viticulture and the daily timetable, and the existence of regional microclimates efforts by winegrowers, there are no longer any really and soil variations explains the differences in performance bad Bordeaux vintages, but they vary. Cooler years bring between styles and appellations within the same year. lighter wines, ready to drink earlier; warmer years bring In 2007, 2011 and 2013, for example Pessac-Léognan’s rounder, more tannic vintages. Perfectly balanced years whites were more impressive than most of the reds produce the great wines for laying down that have made produced across the whole of Bordeaux. and still make the reputation of Bordeaux. Climate change further complicates the picture, bringing Professor Denis Dubourdieu, of Bordeaux University wider vintage variations and less predictability. But, just and Decanter Magazine’s 2016 Man of the Year, tried to as a skilled sailor can use their skill, experience and the define the ingredients for a perfect vintage. Dubourdieu, design of their boat, to overcome challenges and make the who helped the Bonnie family when they arrived at most of friendly winds, the best winemakers can regularly Malartic, said the weather at the beginning of the season, make finer wines than some of their neighbours. as the vines flower and set their fruit, is crucial. Warm, dry conditions then will make for even ripening. Dry weather The improvement of quality of Malartic’s wines over the in July when the grapes change colour - veraison - is last 25 years owes much to the improvements the Bonnie essential too. August, and September, when the grapes family introduced in the way things were done - including are picked, need to be warm but not too hot, with enough reviving traditional techniques like oak fermenting tanks rain to prevent the vines getting too thirsty, but not so and ploughing with horses. much as to dilute their juice and bring risks of rot. 101

The Bonnie Family Wines Since their arrival in Malartic, the Bonnie family has acquired a profound knowledge of its terroir, strengthened year after year by a search for excellence and the effort to convey the character of each tiny plot of land, from the vine to the barrel and bottle. It is meticulous work that gives the wines of Malartic- Lagravière their own particular radiance and depth. “Our wine reflects the complexity of its mosaic of terroirs. A unique expression that is our signature,” says Jean-Jacques Bonnie. This signature is also found in the wines of Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt, Malartic's neighbour, which receives the same care as the Grand Cru Classé. It is this philosophy that Jean-Jacques and Véronique have passed on to their teams in Argentina, a unique corner of South America where the Malbec grape is king and the Andes mountains queen. At Bodega DiamAndes, French know-how and the local climate and soil come together to produce wines of real character. As in France, the wines reflect the place where the grapes are grown, while showing the balance and freshness that are the hallmark of the Bonnie style. Distributed to wine lovers across the world, some vintages and cuvées are only available directly from the estates. For details visit famillebonnie.com. 102

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