Served blind and from magnum, I was gratified to be able to identify both the vintage and producer of Ramonet's 2014 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Offering up aromas of crisp green orchard fruit, iodine, warm bread and crushed mint, the wine is full-bodied and expansively textural but incisive, with terrific concentration and cut, concluding with a long finish. While I'm more than happy to drink it from my friends' cellars, my own bottles won't be opened for the better part of a decade, and I would counsel readers to approach any other vintage of the decade before they start attacking their 2014s. (WK) - WA
WA95July 2020
This too initially displayed dominating skunky reduction but in contrast to the Champs Canet, it slowly blew off to ultimately reveal notes of both pear and apple along with the classic honeysuckle nuances that are laced with soft citrus whiffs. There is excellent volume to the impressively concentrated flavors, and in particular for the vintage, that possess a sleek and caressing mouth feel before culminating in a sappy and strikingly persistent finish. I really like the sophisticated texture as well as the superb depth flashed on the finish. If for some reason you insist on committing vinous infanticide I would strongly advise decanting this for 15 to 20 minutes first as the nose is initially difficult - that said though this should amply reward extended cellaring. - BH
BH94October 2017