A beautiful red, dense and broad, with concentrated black cherry, plum and mineral flavors. Shows an old-vine richness and is backed by a firm structure, with ripe, fine-grained tannins. Fine length. Best from 2012 through 2025. – BS

This is now just starting to display the initial hints of maturity with really lovely complexity on the earthy and ripe dark berry fruit and dried floral/spice aromas. There is a beguiling sweetness to the round, intense and still somewhat muscular flavors that display a discreet minerality on the wonderfully long, mouth coating and enveloping finale. This is a wine of harmony and balance and thanks to the undelrying reserve of material should be capable of living for years. I should note that this bottle seemed a bit more developed than one I had several years earlier and it could actually be drunk now with pleasure. Still, I would advise holding for a bit longer. Tasted several times with consistent results with respect to quality though not necessarily in terms of bottle evolution. Try from 2017+

I have not tasted the 2002 Bonnes-Mares for several years. This bottle has an exquisite, delineated bouquet that suggests those precocious dark berry fruits have mellowed and given way to scents of Indian ink and a splash of balsamic. The palate is marked by a fleshy sweet entry and forward, slightly aggressive tannins that coalesce with aeration in the glass. There is a touch of hardness toward the finish, indicating that it might benefit from another two or three years in bottle. This is a stubborn Bonnes-Mares that has yet to really settle into its groove, although that may come in time. Tasted November 2013. - NEAL MARTIN