Chateauneuf du Pape, Réserve des Célestins--Vintage 1962 Rhône, Domaine Marcel Bonneau One label slightly nicked. Levels: two 3cms & two 4cms below cork Although the Bonneaus are extremely reclusive they do without question produce one of the greatest and most individual wines in the world today. Due to this reclusive nature little has been written about them, what I can tell you is that the Bonneau family has its roots in Châteauneuf du Pape going back into the 18th century and that production rarely gets above a thousand cases for the Réserve des Célestins cuvée. It is a very, very rare wine and apart from a bottle of the 1945 sold 7 years ago, the 1962 offered here is, to the best of my knowledge, the oldest vintage ever to appear at auction. It was made by Henri's father Marcel, and interestingly it is Henri's son Marcel who is now at the helm. Robert Parker, a big fan, comments in his Wines of the Rhône Valley "In fact, if the question is posed as to what is the quintessential Châteauneuf du Pape at the highest quality level, the answer can only be Henri Bonneau's Réserve des Célestins." he goes on further to say " These wines are almost immortal in terms of ageability." And of the 1962 vintage Michael Broadbent in his New Great Vintage Wine Book gives it four stars. The only 1962 Châteauneuf du Pape I have had was a remarkable bottle of Paul Jaboulet's Châteauneuf du Pape, Les Cêdres early last year. At nearly 40 years of age it was one of the greatest Rhône wines I have ever consumed. David Wainwright