Clos De La Bonette

About Clos De La Bonette

Clos De La Bonette is a French wine house from the southern Rhône Valley, known for its grapes grown in the region's warm, sunny climate. For the curious, it's the story of an abandoned vineyard brought back to life by two people's hard work; for the more seasoned collector, the interest lies in grape quality so high that Marcel Guigal himself — one of the Rhône Valley's most respected names — once wanted to buy it.

History & Background

The vineyard had stood abandoned for many years when Isabelle Guiller and Henri Montabonnet bought the estate in 1992. Since then, they have gradually restored the property — including the many collapsed retaining walls in the fields — and farmed it organically from the start. Henri, an experienced organic vegetable grower and mason, carried out most of the restoration himself, while Isabelle took on nurturing the estate's original flora. The narrow terraces and steep slopes make the vineyard unsuitable for machinery, so all the work is done by hand. After years of effort, the vineyard was fully replanted by 1999, and the quality of the grapes has since become so respected that Marcel Guigal, among others, wanted to buy them — an offer the domaine politely declined.

Production & Style

The wines are made primarily from classic Rhône grape varieties such as Grenache and Syrah, grown in the region's stony soil.

Signature Style

Full-Bodied, Spiced, Fruity
The flavor offers a full-bodied, spiced character with clear notes of dark fruit and pepper.

Facts

Like Clos De La Bonette? You should also try:

Meyer Fonné and Marrenon.