Born in 1938, Henri Bonneau is the 12th generation winemaker in the family, and he began making wine in 1956. Henry is known for his traditional winemaking style, and he has been hailed as "the last winemaker of the old era to make traditional style wines".
Uniquely styled, Domaine Henri Bonneau is located at the end of the village, with potholes in the walls of the cellars, filled with large and small aged oak barrels, and even barrels that have been moldy due to prolonged use. These conditions are a nightmare for the vitrologer, but it is here that Henry produces the Chateauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Celestins, which is praised by the world's cellars.
The vineyards of Château Henri Bono are located on the Crow Plateau, and although the total area is only 14.8 acres, its unique geographical location and terroir make it a feng shui gem for vine cultivation. Grenache is mainly grown in the vineyards, with a rate of up to 90 percent, including a small number of Mourvedre, Counoise and Vaccarese.
The winery features large oak barrels, Demi-Muid barrels and regular oak barrels, and wine is typically aged in the tank for 2 to 4 years before entering the oak barrels, so the entire winemaking process usually lasts about 5 years or even longer before the wine is bottling and selling. This traditional method of brewing has led many wine lovers to call Henry a master of winemaking. Henry divides the wines into four grades according to the quality of the special wines – Henri Bonneau, Marie Beurrier, Reserve des Celestins and Cuvee Speciale. The wines of Château Henri Bono are one of the few expensive wines in the Châteauneuf-Pape appellation. In the most recent week, the 2007 vintage of Selestan's Rare Wine sold for 775 euros (5,632.39 yuan).
Another winery owner from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation said: "Henry was a very humorous, lively man, very easy-going, very pleasant to get along with, and his profound knowledge I admired. (Compilation/Grace)