2013 Domaine Arlaud Père & Fils Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

Deep red-ruby. Deep black fruits, minerals and a whiff of white pepper on the nose, plus a positive hint of mulch. Wonderfully fleshy, supple and seamless and more open than usual for young Bonnes-Mares. Conveys an impression of thickness without weight, thanks to excellent retention of acidity. Best today on the strong, building finish, which features big but fine tannins that dust the front teeth. Bonnes-Mares can get a bit too ripe in hot years, but these vines enjoyed a slow, full ripening in the cooler 2013 growing season. Wonderfully fleshy, suave wine with a silky texture. (ST)

(13.2% alcohol; from vines on the Chambolle side of the appellation, on white soil, according to Arlaud): Healthy bright red. Highly nuanced nose combines pungent minerality, crushed stone, raspberry, cherry, fresh blood, white pepper and peony; just a touch of reduction here. Dense, layered and rich; at once fully ripe and totally dry. Seems more filled in today than the Clos Saint-Denis, consistent with the character of these two grand crus. Very rich and very long, finishing with serious tannic clout and great terroir perfume. Here's a 2013 that's definitely in the style of 2010.

Once again reduction prevents a proper evaluation of the aromas. Otherwise there is good freshness to the big, bold and overtly powerful broad-shouldered flavors that brim with both dry extract and minerality before culminating in a robust and explosively long finish. This is an imposingly scaled wine that will clearly need plenty of bottle age yet it should be more than worth the wait. In a word, impressive.