Domaine Bonneau du Martray

Why we follow Domaine Bonneau du Martray

The estate

Bonneau du Martray makes two wines, both grand cru, and nothing else. For much of the last century that made it one of only two estates in Burgundy able to say so, the other being Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The land traces back to 775, when Charlemagne gifted vines on the Corton hill to the Abbey of Saulieu. The Le Bault de la Morinière family held it for two centuries, and Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière converted the estate to biodynamics during his tenure. In early 2017 Stan Kroenke, owner of Screaming Eagle, bought a majority stake. Thibault Jacquet directs the estate, and the technical team that mattered stayed on: Fabien Esthor in the vineyards since 2003, Emmanuel Hautus in the cellar since 2011.

The vineyards

One hill, farmed intensively. The Corton-Charlemagne holding was historically 9.5 hectares, making the family among the largest owners of the cru, with a further hectare and a half of Corton for the red. In late 2018 the estate leased 2.8 hectares of its Corton-Charlemagne to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which began harvesting it from 2019. It was a deliberate reduction in scale, and it freed cellar space to hold the remaining wine longer before release.

In the glass

The white is the reason people queue. Blended from three distinct microclimates across the holding and given further ageing in tank before bottling, it is structured, mineral and built for the long haul rather than for early charm. Thibault Jacquet points to 2020 as the vintage where the changes made since 2017 came together. Set against Corton-Charlemagne from the more celebrated names on the same hill, this remains one of the better propositions in white Burgundy.

With Lamont’s

Offered through the Private Cellar Selection, generally following the March – April release. Register your interest and we will contact you when the next allocation is confirmed.