Reviews for the 2003 Clos Mimi Hommage a Henri Bonneau:
"Deep ruby with a light amber rim. Deep, raisiny dark berry and kirsch aromas are complicated by
exotic chestnut honey, toffee and roasted coffee. Deep and sweet, with rich cherry and plum liqueur
flavors and a wild array of confectionary qualities: candied fig, dates, ambrosia salad and toffeed
nuts. Finishes with good acid grip and lift (the malo apparently stalled), which helps to enliven
the exotic qualities.
Reminds me of a 30-year-old Graham's Tawny Port, but with more vivid red fruit. The grapes for this
were harvested at 33.3 degrees brix, with a pH of 3.94. It was bottled with 33 grams per liter
residual sugar, reportedly after spending four years in a seven-year-old French barrique This would
be magical with an aged Comte or serious cheddar, such as Montgomery's or one of the fantastic
cloth-wrapped versions coming out of Vermont.
(92 points)"
Josh Raynolds
International Wine Cellar
Issue 135
Nov/Dec 07
"A barrel sample [taken at 31 months] of the 2003 Hommage à Henri Bonneau (100% Grenache
from the Core Vineyard, macerated 20 days with 100% whole clusters) displays a distinctive
Amarone-like style that brought to mind certain vintages of late-harvested Châteauneuf du
Pape. Like all the Clos Mimi cuvées, it is fermented with 100% indigenous yeasts, and no
acidulation, enzymes, nutrients, or water are utilized. According to winemaker Tim Spear, the
residual sugar is approximately 2-3%. It is very sweet, thick, rich, and clearly late harvest
in style. The most controversial of Clos Mimi's wines, it is hard to know exactly where it is
headed, but I suspect it will age well. It will be bottled in the fall of 2007, after 48
months in barrel! (88-91+ points)"
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The Wine Advocate
Issue 166
28 August 2006

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