The Last Top Wine Of The King Of Chateauneuf-du-Pape Is Much Coveted

”This will be the last wine ever vinified by Henri Bonneau, and it certainly looks to be a fitting tribute to an incredible winemaker.”

-The Wine Advocate, 95–97 point

Henri Bonneau's wines have a style of their own in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and have contributed to Henri Bonneau's widespread tributes and fame. For many, the wines appear almost ready to drink on release, but they have fabulous ageing potential that will seriously reward those who can wait. But very few are lucky enough to find these wines - even at a young age, and as for the mature versions, they are almost impossible to find.

Uncrowned King: Henri Bonneau (1938 - 2016)

Henri Bonneau was the uncrowned king of Chateauneuf-du-Pape - a man who produced some of the most magical wines in his lifetime. 2015 Reserve Celestins is the last top cuvée that Henri made and put on barrels himself. An incredible wine to crown and sum up his lifelong work. Following the death of Henri Bonneau in 2016, it is now the 13th generation, in the form of his son Marcel, who has taken over. Marcel has been in the cellar with his father for most of his life, so he knows the little signals that the wines send out. He is assisted by Régis Charmasson, who has been helping both in the vineyard and in the cellar for decades. What is certain is that the path is set for the Bonneau family wines and that they will remain at the absolute top of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Despite a still unique level, collectors and connoisseurs will still distinguish between before and after Henri Bonneau - as when the greatness of an artist is only properly recognized after their death.

Extremely Limited Production And The Recipe For Success

The recipe for the success of these magical wines is no secret. The family owns 6.5 hectares of the best soils in the area, whose vines are pruned to produce an absolute minimum of grapes to encourage the highest quality. The harvest yield in the area is set at a maximum of 35 hectolitres per hectare, but at Bonneau, they harvest much less, for the reason already mentioned. In fact, Bonneau limits the harvest yield to 10-15 hectolitres per hectare in order to achieve the desired quality of the fruit. At the same time, this leads to extremely limited production, which of course makes these wines both rare and extremely difficult to find in older vintages.

So, there is both a bit of mystery and a bit of secrecy about the amount of wine produced, but we can ration our way to a qualified assumption. It is known that Bonneau produces 10-15 hectolitres per hectare on the 6.5 hectares of the domain. This is equivalent to 6,500-9,750 liters of wine or 8.125-12.187 750 ml bottles. This total production is divided among the five wines of the domain, with the Reserve Celestins being the finest and, by all accounts, the smallest cuvée of the house. But even if the same quantity of each wine is produced, only 1,300-1,950 bottles of Reserve Celestins can be produced per year.

But even if only the domain itself knows exactly how many bottles are produced, one thing is certain: this is not a wine you pass by every day, and if you want to buy it at optimal age, it is almost impossible ...

The King Abdicated In 2015

2015 was the last vintage of Chateauneuf-du-Pape vinified by the master himself. With the overall greatness of 2015, Bonneau's Reserve Celestins also set a fine record in Henri Bonneau history with a score of 95-97 points from Wine Advocate - a score that has the potential to be placed among the best Reserve Celestins.

From an investment perspective, all of Henri Bonneau's Reserve Celestins is interesting, and although the domain's legacy also seems to be ensured for the future, the 2015 vintage, as the last of the king himself, will be considered something very special for anyone interested in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It also directs thoughts towards the late Burgundy legend Henri Jayer, where, among other things, his wines sold for up to €500,000 per case around eight years after his death. A case that cost not much more than €300 when it was released.

In many ways, the market seems to have its own way of paying tribute to icons, and history has also shown that the great works of great artists receive special interest from their posterity. And one artist of Chateaunef-du-Pape - is Henri Bonneau.

RareWine Invest’s Opinion

If the basic criteria for a wine to increase in price are high quality, limited production, and a strong name, then Henri Bonneau's Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve Celestins seriously meets the criteria to see strong price increases in the future. If you are looking for top wines from the Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, you cannot avoid Henri Bonneau and his top wine Reserve Celestins - both now, and in the future.

After the death of Henri Bonneau in 2016, the Henri Bonneau domain has undergone a generational change. Today, his son Marcel Bonneau continues to run the Domain well and keeps the heritage and name of the domain relevant in the future. Nevertheless, there will forever be a difference between the wines of the domain from before and after Henri Bonneau's time, and the 2015 Reserve Celestins will stand as an impressive farewell to the King of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the future.

Now is your chance to invest in the 2015 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve Celestins, one of the greatest Rhone wines from a production that is probably limited to a few thousand bottles.

These wines are rare today, but just wait until they reach their drinking window...