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Walls: Domaine Bonnefond’s inspiring next generation

Matt Walls visits Domaine Bonnefond in Côte-Rôtie, where, in an appellation domainted by male winemakers, 26-year-old Léa Bonnefond is making quite the impression.

The small Suzuki 4×4 came to an abrupt stop and we teetered at the top of a steep path in lieu-dit ‘Les Rochains’, high in the hills of Côte-Rôtie. It had been raining all day and the ground was a slick of slippery brown mud. The Rhône was flowing grey in the valley far below us. Léa Bonnefond flicked a button on the dashboard and the car switched to four-wheel drive. She pushed the accelerator, and down we went.

The cover of my notebook still displays my fingernail marks, but Bonnefond was unconcerned – just another day in the vines for this 26-year-old, who grew up next to the winery in the tiny hamlet of Mornas.


Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for five vintages of Léa Bonnefond’s stunning wine



Notes and scores for five vintages of Léa Bonnefond’s exceptional cuvée:

Wines are listed youngest to oldest


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