Henri Bonneau, who died in 2016, was the 12th generation in his family to make wine and one of the most respected producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. His very high quality wines had a unique personality. The 6-hectare vineyard is planted primarily to Grenache (85%) and supplemented by small amounts of Mourvèdre, Counoise and Vaccarese. Although Henri Bonneau never considered converting to organic farming, he ran his vineyard the “old-fashioned” way: no chemical products, low yields, grapes harvested at optimum ripeness, indigenous yeasts during fermentation and long élevage periods of 4 to 10 years. His wines stand out for their complexity, and although very concentrated they have remarkable, if not astonishing, finesse. The various cuvées he produced in limited volumes are particularly hard to come by. Since his death, it goes without saying that there is a fight to get hold of his wines.

Comparatively speaking, Cuvée Marie Beurrier (named after Henri Bonneau's wife's aunt) is more accessible than the Réserve des Célestins. Less intense but more complex, this grandiose wine has captivating aromas of black berries and spices.