Tasting notes, reviews comments and scores for all the top 2009 Bordeaux wines.
2009 Bordeaux Wine Wine Tasting Notes, Ratings, Reviews and Scores
2009 Bordeaux Tasting Notes and comments were recorded from June 23 to July 11. They are arranged by appellation from North to South, from St. Estephe to Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux through Graves and over to Pomerol and ending in St. Emilion. That is the order in which they were tasted as well.
St. Estephe
2009 Cos d’Estournel is midnight black, with dark purple accents. The wine smells like a basket of fresh picked blackberries and blueberries with fresh ground spice, coffee, incense, smoke, licorice, and black raspberry liqueur. This powerful wine coats every inch, nook and cranny of your tongue, cheeks, gums and palate with fresh, pure essences of black and blue fruit complicated with chocolate and kirsch. The seamless finish lasts over :60 seconds! I tasted this wine 3 times with similar results. 99/100 Pts
Jean-Guillaume Prats in a discussion on the wine explained the role of the new cellars in producing the wine, “Gravity cellars allow for a complete non intervention in making the wine. This allows for the purest possible expression of the fruit grown in the gravelly rock terroir. The wine is always moved by gravity is never touched by human hands.”
The wine is expensive. For most people, the thought is paying $300 for 2009 Cos D’Estournel is out of the question. That is a perfectly reasonable point of view. Having finished tasting every major property and a plethora of smaller estates in the Medoc, if you are not planning on buying Latour, Margaux or Haut Brion in this vintage, if you desire to own what will be a reference point wine from 2009, this is the wine to buy. I can also share this little known fact, not much 2009 COS was sold to America. Other countries took larger shares. I have no idea what is going to happen in 2011 when the wine is released, but based on the quality, if you can afford it. It is worth considering.
2009 Les Pagodes de Cos is a scaled down version of Cos d’Estournel. It lacks the intensity and completeness, but at a fraction of the price, it offers some of what makes COS sublime in 2009. Dark berries, floral, spice and chocolate aromatics fill your glass. The long finish ends with waves of ripe, dark, fresh berries and spice. 91-93 Pts
2009 Le Crock is another great 2009 selling for a fair price. Located not far from Cos d’Estournel, the wine is filled with ripe berries, rocks and spice. Round in texture, the wine finishes with ripe, beefy, dark cherries and earthy flavors. This is one of the better value wines of the vintage. 89/91 Pts
2009 Haut Beausejour is another value play form the vintage. From a terroir located close to Phelan Segur, this is a supple style of wine and should drink well early. 88/90 Pts
2009 Montrose is dark purple in color. Aromatics of earth, rocks, coco and dark berries are easy to find. Full bodied and massive in concentration, along with a wall of polished tannins, this structured wine finishes with a long mouth filling expression of espresso beans and ripe, fresh picked dark berries. This could be the longest lived wine of the vintage. It will take decades to develop. This is the biggest wine, from the Medoc in 2009. 95/97 Pts.
2009 Ormes de Pez opens with floral and sweet berry aromas. Full bodied and lush, the wine ends with sweet ripe berries. 91/93 Pts
2009 de Pez starts off with Chocolate, blackberries and earthy aromas. Rich, sweet, ripe and round, the wine ends with dark berries, cassis and coco. 89/91 Pts
2009 Tronquoy Lalande sports fresh, ripe berries, licorice and earthy aromatics. Soft and approachable, the wine ends in fresh, chocolate covered blackberry flavors. 90/92 Pts
Pauillac is very successful in this vintage. The wines have a unique style, combining freshness, ripeness, concentration, purity and opulent textures. Interestingly some chateaux that we usually don’t consider, made outstanding wines in this vintage.
2009 d’Armailhac shows ample, fresh black berry oak, cassis and boysenberry notes. The long finish is concentrated with ripe, dark berries. This is finest wine I have ever tasted from this property. 90/93 Pts
2009 Clerc Milon with its cassis, oak, caramel and ripe dark berry scented perfume, is inviting. This full bodied wine ends with fresh boysenberries, cassis and spice. This lighter style of Pauillac has not always been my favorite, due to lack of concentration. 2009 is a big step forward. This is a very nice wine. 91/93 Pts
2009 Grand Puy Lacoste is ruby colored. The open nose of jammy dark berries, cassis, herbs and coffee is easy to find. The wine ends with fresh, cassis and black cherry flavors. This is a nice style of Grand Puy Lacoste, but the wine lacks the depth and concentration found in the top vintages like 82, 90, 96, 00 & 05. Interestingly, Grand Puy Lacoste is difficult to pronounce in Chinese. To make it easier for the market, the win known as the “Crocodile Wine” in Asia, due to the association with the Lacoste name and the bottle and the logo used by sportswear company. 91/93 Pts
2009 Haut Batailey is light ruby in color. Notes of black berry and cedar notes are easy to find in the perfume. Medium bodied, with a short, albeit ripe, cassis finish. 87/89 Pts
2009 Lafite is inky deep ruby in color. Cassis, plums, cedar, lead pencil, fennel, coffee and cedar pop from the glass. The elegantly textured wine melts in your mouth. This is intense, pure and supple. The tannins are ripe and round. The wine finishes with exotic ripe plums and chocolate covered dark cherries. 97-99 Pts
2009 Latour is inky black in color. The exotic nose of perfectly ripe berries, flowers, dark berries, coffee, truffle, fudge, boysenberry, anise, vanilla, lead pencil and assorted dark berry liqueurs is powerful, complex and intense. The wine is full bodied, concentrated and mouth coating. The long, fresh, finish is viscous, opulent and silky. Everything is in harmony with this probably perfect wine. The seamless finish lasts more than :60! 99/100 Pts
2009 Les Forts de Latour is packed with boysenberry, blackberry, minerals and chocolate scents. Full bodied ad rich, this round textured wine is another second wine that is better than many previous vintages of Latour! 91/93 Pts
2009 Pauillac is wine of sublime quality for a third wine! This crowd pleasing, fresh, ripe, full bodied wine will drink well early. Not much of this wine is made, but it’s a very nice, easy drinking stylish Pauillac. 88/90 Pts
2009 Lynch Bages is deep ruby in color. Powerful aromatics of dark raspberry, cassis, cedar, smoke and jammy berries are easy to finish. This exciting style of Lynch Bages is ripe, with round tannins and ample concentration of flavor. The wine ends with a juicy mouth full of fresh, licorice and dark berries. This is the best Lynch Bages since the dynamic duo of 89 & 90. 96/96 Pts
2009 Mouton Rothschild is inky with purple and blue tints. Blackberry, cassis, cedar, lead pencil, spice and coffee make a potent perfume. The wine is flamboyant, opulent and expressive. With refined tannins, this concentrated, silky wine ends with dark fruit and cassis flavors. 96-98 Pts
2009 Pichon Comtesse de Lalande is deep ruby in color with notes of black raspberry, flowers, spice, mocha and coffee. The round textured wine finishes with freshness, elegant dark plums and spicy chocolate. I like the style of the wine, but it did not offer the level of power and concentration found in previous great vintages. 93-95 Pts
2009 Pichon Longueville Baron, offers dark, blackberries, cassis, chocolate, plums, mocha and coffee scents. The wine is a very suave, sexy style of Pichon, which at its best, combines pairs elegance, freshness and silky fruit. 96-98 Pts
2009 Pontet Canet is midnight black with blue and purple accents. Fresh ripe, berries, licorice, cassis, spice and oak explode from the glass. I almost needed a napkin. To wipe off the residue, there was so much going on. This packed and stacked, full bodied and concentrated win is so shy wall flower. It grabs your attention and keeps it there! Power, balance and harmony, with a long intense finish that is filled with perfectly ripe, black and blue fruit, juicy plums, jammy berries and a liqueur of berry finish. This wine lasts more than :60! This is the best wine Tesseron has ever produced. While expensive for people used to paying $25, I get it. But this wine cannot be compared to his earlier efforts. 2009 Pontet Canet is stunning and a wine Pauillac lovers should have in their cellars. 97/98 Pts
St. Julien
2009 is a successful vintage for St. Julien. The best since 2000. The wines are outstanding across the board with power, balance, freshness and complexity. There are values from the region worth buying at all leveland other wines that even though the quality is there, they are over priced for the market.
2009 Beychevelle offers spice, cedar, cassis, oak and black raspberry aromas. Full bodied, soft tannins and freshness, the wine ends with a fresh, dark berry finish. Beychevelle is one of the few non First Growths that is popular in the Asian market. In part, this is due to the wines logo. The image shows a boat that was used to ferry barrels of Bordeaux. In China, the boat is called a Dragon boat, which is a symbol of good luck. June 16, 2010 marked the official date of the Dragon Boat festival in China. It is possible that was the same day 2009 Bechevelle was offered for sale a s a future. 90/92 Pts
2009 Branaire Ducru is dark in color with fresh scents of boysenberry, dark chocolate, spice, cassis and mocha. This elegant wine feels round in the mouth, finishing with flavors of licorice, black and blue fruit and spice. This is a polished style of St. Julien. This outstanding wine is probably not going to reach the same level as the sublime 2005. That being said, 2009 Branaire Ducru is one of the better values for serious wine in 2009. 93-95 Pts
2009 Ducru Beaucaillou is midnight black with deep purple accents. Filled with fresh dark berry aromas, cassis, spice and ground espresso beans, this full bodied, lush, intense wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with dense layers of fat, juicy berries, dark chocolate, licorice and spice sensations. 95-97 Pts
2009 Croix de Beaucaillou is not considered a second wine the estate. Due to the fact that the fruit sources are from different parcels than those used to create Ducru Beaucaillou. With aromatics of spicy dark fruit, round textures and a cassis with chocolate finish, this should offer ample pleasure shortly after release. 89-91 Pts
2009 Clos du Marquis, in a continuing theme is another wine that is probably the example ever produced by the property. Deep ruby in color, soft textures, cassis, fennel and fresh strawberry flavors round out the wine. 90-92 Pts
2009 Gloria offers earth, berries and fennel in the nose. This medium bodied, elegantly textured St. Julien should drink well early. 89-91 Pts
2009 Gruaud Larose is deep ruby in color. Cassis, coffee and earthy aromas are easy to spot. This full bodied, structured wine ends with sweet black raspberry finish. This is the best wine from the property since the 2000. 92-93 Pts
2009 Leoville Las Cases from a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc at 13.8 ABV is deep ruby in color with purple accents. There is no sensation of heat from the alcohol. Boysenberry, tobacco, minerality, earth, cedar and blackberry jam scents pop from the glass. This is very concentrated with an essence of purity. The structured wine is round and without a single hard edge. The intense finish includes chocolate, boysenberry, blackberry and blue fruit. The wine remains on your palate for over :60! 2009 was the first vintage using the Optical Sorting Machine. 97/99 Pts
In a discussion with Delon, he said reverse osmosis was not utilized every year. The method is only practiced in select vintages.
2009 Clos du Marquis, in a continuing theme is another wine that is probably the example ever produced by the property. Deep ruby in color, soft textures, cassis, fennel and fresh strawberry flavors round out the wine. 90-92 Pts
2009 Le Petit Lion with its tobacco, cassis and berry scents offers a pleasant mouthful of fresh dark fruit and cherries. 88/89 Pts
2009 Leoville Poyferre, according to Didier Cuvelier owes some the quality for 2009 to changes at the winery. To obtain more precision in the vinification, Didier exchanged 20, 200 hectoliter vats for 40 stainless steel vats ranging in size from 40 HE to 160 HE.
The wine is black with purple tints and springs forth with potent aromatics of blackberry, black raspberry, cassis, licorice, sweet oak and minerality. The style of the wine is fat, rich, sweet and sexy, with a plush mouth feel that ends with long, pure, ripe, spicy, black fruit notes. Didier compares 2009 with his 1982. 96-98 Pts.
2009 Saint-Pierre continues its path of improvement since 2005. Because the property is not as well known as many St. Julien wines, the wine remains well priced for its quality. In fact, along with Branaire Ducru, it offers one of the better deals for fine wine from the Medoc in 2009. With deep ruby hues, the wine smells of fresh picked dark berries, cassis, anise, cracked black pepper and oak. Rich, fresh and round, this full bodied wine finishes with lush cassis, boysenberry, spice and chocolate flavors. 94-95 Pts.
2009 Talbot is earthy, offering licorice covered, dark berries with soft opulent textures and a sweet, cassis and spicy, fennel filled finish. 90-92 Pts
Margaux
2009 L’Aura de Cambon opens with dark colors and aromas of fresh blackberry flavors, full bodied and round, the wine ends with ripe dark fruit and black pepper aromatics. 91/93 Pts
2009 Brane Cantenac shows ample fresh, dark berries, anise, forest, spice and wood aromas. This elegant, supple wine ends with fresh dark fruit, licorice and black cherry flavors. This is my favorite vintage of Brane Cantenac. 91/93 Pts
2009 Cambon La Pelouse is medium bodied with cassis and strawberry flavors and ends in with a slight drying finish. 83/85 Pts
2009 d’Issan with its earthy, blackberry, cassis, licorice and forest aromas smells enticing. Full bodied, silky and opulent for d’Issan, this wine has ample structure to age, round tannins and finishes with sweet dark fruits. This is could be the best wine d’Issan has ever produced! 93/94 Pts
2009 Durfort Vivens shows a medium ruby color. Blackberry and cassis scents are in the nose of this medium bodied wine. While fresh, with attractive flavors, the wine lacks concentration and structure. This should drink well young. 88/90 Pts
2009 Giscours shows cassis, coco, espresso, citrus and black raspberry in the nose. Full bodied with ripe tannins, the wine finishes with sweet black raspberry and chocolate notes. This is the finest Giscours I have ever tasted. 91/93 Pts
2009 Malescot St. Exupery is inky black in color. Fresh, dark, ripe, blackberry, cassis and plums with licorice and bitter chocolate explode from the glass. This is a fat, sexy, rich, flamboyant and intense style of wine that coats your mouth and leaves you with sensations of blueberry, licorice, black raspberry and spice flavors. 95/98 Pts
2009 Margaux pops from the glass with spice, incense, espresso, cassis and juicy, ripe dark berries. Full bodied and intense, according to Paul Pontallier, the wine is more tannic than 05 as well as 86! The tannin is or alcohol is never felt due to the amount of concentrated ripe sweet fruit. The wine finishes with a purity and essence of fresh, ripe, cassis and dark berries. 98-100 Pts
2009 Pavillon Rouge shows floral, dark berry aromatics. The wine is round, soft and mouth filling and carries through in the finish. This is the best Pavillon Rouge I have ever tasted. The wine is better than any Margaux made in the 60’s and 70’s. It’s also better than some vintages of the 90’s that are well thought of, like 94. 90-93 Pts
2009 Palmer is dark in color. Liqueur of ripe dark berries, wood, Asian spice, cassis and floral scents fill the perfume. Opulent, polished and elegant, this rich, concentrated wine is pure silk and velvet. The wine finishes with velvet laced, black raspberries with ampleourity of fruit and freshness. 96/98 Pts
2009 Alter Ego, the property does not consider this the second wine of Palmer. They treat it as a unique wine with its own fruit source and different blend. Black raspberry, anise and spice introduce this supple wine to your nose, followed by a fresh dark cherry and kirsch filled finish. 90/92 Pts
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2009 Prieure-Lichine offers floral, licorice, cassis and plum aromas. Rich, ripe and full bodied, the wine ends in fresh, cassis, plum and dark berry flavors. 90-92 Pts
2009 Rauzan Segla is deep ruby in color. The perfume offers jammy blackberry, fudge, fennel, earth, spice and floral notes. Full bodied with a rich texture, round tannins and structure to age, this sublime wine ends with long, pure, sensations of sweet, fresh picked berries. 94/96 Pts
2009 du Tertre opens with cassis, leaves, vanilla, herbs and pepper notes. Medium to full bodied, the blackberry and cherry finish shows a lot of fresh cracked pepper notes. 88/90 Pts
Graves, Pessac/Leognan
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2009 Branon is deep ruby with purple accents. The wine shows truffle, tobacco, cassis, caramel and coffee notes. The palate enjoys the feeling of rich, opulent, fleshy blackberries being draped across it. The wine ends with a concentrated pure, ripe, sweet berry finish. On average, only 500 cases a year are produced of this wine. 94-96 Pts
2009 Brown has a dark fruit and licorice personality. This is an early drinking, crowd pleaser style of wine. 84/86 Pts
2009 Les Carmes Haut Brion, with its large percentage of Cabernet Franc, produced a light style of wine that expresses earthy, herb, tobacco and blackberry aromatics. This elegant wine ends with chocolate covered blackberry flavors. 90/92 Pts
2009 de Chantegrive is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Truffles, earth, dark fruit and coffee aromas are on display in this soft, already accessible wine. This is a crowd pleaser and top value wine that will drink well early and should be available for about $18. 86/89 Pts
2009 Domaine de Chevalier opens with smoke, dark berries, earth, soil and spicy aromas. Elegant, round and with textures of silk, the wine ends with a fresh blast of spicy, black cherries. 92/94 Pts
2009 de Fieuzal with its floral, berry, oak and spice perfume is round in texture. Fleshy in style, the wine ends with notes of chocolate and blackberry. This wine keeps improving thanks to the consistent efforts of Hubert de Bouard of Angelus who consults with the property. 89/91 Pts
2009 Haut Bailly is a beautiful shade of deep ruby. With fresh shaved truffle, cassis, earth, spice, smoke, licorice, mineral and Cuban cigar tobacco aromatics, this wine offers intensity of flavors and purity of fruit. The wine ends in a blast of cassis, plums and fennel. There is not a hard edge to be found in this sublime expression of Haut Bailly. This is the finest wine I have tasted from the property. 96/98 Pts
2009 Haut Bergey is ruby colored with licorice, ripe black raspberry, coffee and smoke aromas. The wine shows round textures and finishes with a sweet, ripe, dark berry and spice profile. 90-92 Pts
2009 Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for wine of the vintage! This wine has it all. And it went back and got more. Produced from 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 14% Cabernet Franc, this inky black in color with purple and blue tinted wine, explodes with smoke, truffles, cassis, caramel, minerals, crushed rock, spice and cigar box aromatics. This intense wine is packed and stacked with multiple layers of powerful, deep, ripe fruit with intense purity, freshness, harmony and balance. The seamless finish lasts over sixty seconds! Few wines grab you with a single swirl and sniff. This wine does! Now, if only I can find friends with enough money to afford it. While very high in alcohol, 14.2%, there is no sensation of heat. Another interesting statistic, for those that like stats, 2009 Haut Brion shows a high PH level, 3.9, yet the wine displays ample freshness. Because higher levels of alcohol require more care, Delmas shortened the period of maceration to reduce the potential levels of extraction. According to Delmas, that choice made a big difference in 2009. 99/100 Pts
2009 Le Clarence de Haut Brion offers tobacco, smoke and cassis aromas. Full bodied and as good or better than any wine Haut Brion produced in the 70’s, this full bodied, fleshy wine ends with a rich mouth full of fresh ripe dark berries and chocolate. 90/92 Pts
2009 Haut Nouchet is located not far from Smith Haut Lafitte on gravely, clay soils and is produced from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. This is a crowd pleasing, ripe style of wine that offers a lot of bang for the buck. 84/86 Pts
2009 Malartic Lagraviere opens with smoke, crushed stone, black fruit and cassis aromatics. Rich and full bodied, the round textured wine finishes with a blast of licorice, cassis and juicy blackberries. 92—94 Pts
2009 La Mission Haut Brion, with a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot & 6% Cabernet Franc offers a dark purple color with floral, smoke, cassis, earth and plum liqueur aromatics. Full bodied and filled with dense, sweet, mouth filling fruit, the wine is balanced and pure. The velvet textured finish ends with blackberry, smoke and chocolate flavors. The wine reached a whopping 14.7 alcohol level and there is no sensation of heat. As a comparison, in 1989, La Mission Haut Brion reached 13% alcohol with the help of chapitalization. The PH in 1989 was recorded at 4.0 and 3.85 in 2009. Yet, with a very high PH, the wine displays ample freshness. 96/97 Pts
2009 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion offers fresh dark berries, smoke, tobacco and licorice. Round and soft textured the wine finishes with ripe black berry flavors. 90/91 Pts
2009 Passion Haut-Brion will be labeled and sold under a new name, Allary, the last name of the 94 year old owner of the property. This property has been effectively dormant for a generation. In fact, 2008 was the first vintage in 30 years to produce a wine, the previous one being 1978. The fruit has been a part of the second wine of Haut Brion, Bahans Haut Brion for the past 3 decades.
Produced from gravel, sand and clay terroir and planted to the highest proportion of Cabernet Franc in the Graves, 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, this soft, elegantly styled wine offers smoke, black raspberry, herb and spice notes. Medium bodied and softly textured, the finish end with smoky ripe berries. The wine is produced with the efforts of Stephane Derenoncourt. 90/92 Pts
2009 Smith Haut Lafitte is dark ruby in color. Truffle, earth, spice, smoke, coffee, berry and caramel scents are easy to discover. Full bodied and filled with ripe, fleshy, opulently textured fruit, if all the oak fully integrates, (And I suspect it will) this will be a very strong wine. The fleshy finish ends with chocolate, coffee and dark ripe berry and pit fruits. 94/96 Pts
Pomerol
2009 Clinet is deep ruby in color. Produced from 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine opens with an explosive perfume of jammy strawberry, blackberry, caramel, spice, flowers and dark berries which seem to pop from the glass! Intense concentration of deep, ripe, dark berries, licorice, freshness and jammy berries, this full bodied wine fills your mouth with fruit and freshness. This robust, decadent Pomerol comes in at a whopping 14.5%. But there is so much ripe fruit and freshness, you never notice it. 96-98 Pts
2009 Clos du Clocher is medium bodied and opens with dark plums, black cherry and bitter chocolate. This should show well young. 88-90 Pts
2009 Clos L’Eglise, from vineyards located next to the chateau on the break in Pomerol plateau, the terroir consists of argile clay, with gravel and iron deposits. With a pungent nose filled with fresh blackberry, plum liqueur, violets, espresso, chocolate fudge and dark cherry aromas, the wine is a pleasure to sniff. With intensity of flavors, this opulently textured wine coats your palate, ending in waves of flamboyantly textured, chocolate covered juicy plums. 96-98 Pts
2009 La Conseillante from 81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, with its ruby color is never the deepest colored Pomerol. In the nose, floral, spice, fennel, oak and ripe, plums and dark berries. There is intense freshness in the mouth, accompanied by a long pure, sweet black cherry and licorice flavored finish. The wine comes in at 14.2% alcohol, but there is not sensation of heat. 96/97 Pts
2009 La Croix St. Georges produced from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc is aged in 60% new, cigar shaped, oak This shows earth, licorice, floral, oak and black raspberry aromas. Full bodied, with ripe black fruit and some oak in the finish. 89-92 Pts
2009 L’Eglise Clinet is inky, black with hints of purple. With pungent aromatics of flowers, blackberry liqueur, oak, earth, coffee and spice, the wine fills your mouth with incredible levels of concentration and intensity. Flashy, flamboyant and fat, this serious wine ends with ample freshness, licorice, chocolate, boysenberry and coco. 97-100 Pts
2009 L’Evangile clocks in at 14.6% alcohol! But there is no sensation of heat found in this 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc based wine. Inky in color, the wine opens with scents of a fresh flower market, plum liqueur, chocolate and pure, blackberry jam. On the palate, this is dense, rich, concentrated, fleshy and powerful. This opulently styled Pomerol ends with pure, fresh, chocolate covered black raspberries. Jean-Pascal Vazart prefers the 2009 over other recent vintages. When asked to compare the styles of 05 & 09, Vazart called the 05 strict. 96-98 Pts
2009 La Fleur de Bouard expresses oak, dark berries, spice and hints of plum, topped with chocolate. Full bodied, powerful and rich, this should offer pleasure early. 89-91 Pts
2009 La Fleur de Bouard Cuvee Gaspard is normally known as Plus. But to celebrate the first grandchild of the de Bouards, the wine was named after Gaspard, the son of Coralie de Bouard who had the good fortune to be born in 2009. This dark as night colored wine shows floral, black raspberry, licorice, espresso and dark chocolate aromatics. Fleshy and full bodied in character, with silky tannins and round textures, the wine ends with licorice, black plum and mocha flavors. 94-96 Pts
2009 La Fleur Petrus pops from the glass with fresh ripe black and red berries, licorice, spice, mocha and chocolate. Full bodied, rich and silky with velvety tannins, this sensuous wine ends with a long, fresh finish filled with layers of fresh, black berry, dark cherry and spice flavors. While more powerful and concentrated than the 05, everything is in balance and harmony. 94-97
2009 Le Gay is deep ruby in color. Tobacco, truffles, forest floor, blackberry, boysenberry and oak in the nose. Full bodied and concentrated, silky and round, this ripe dark berry flavored wine is outstanding, but for me the reference point of the modern era remains the 2005. 93-95
2009 La Grave a Pomerol offers chocolate, earthy and berry aromas. Elegantly styled with dark plum and coco flavors are found in this lighter style of Pomerol. 88-90 Pts
2009 Hosanna opens with an inky purple hue. Smoke, black and blue fruit,
earth, fudge and kirsch. Powerful, full bodied and concentrated with layers of silky fruit, this decadently styled Pomerol fills mouth, coats your teeth and palate with fresh, dense, ripe berries, chocolate and spice. The long, finish lasts close to :60 seconds. 97-98 Pts
2009 Lafleur was produced from 47% Merlot and 53% Cabernet Franc. At 14%, this could be the highest level of alcohol recorded by the property, yet, there is no sensation of heat. With an opaque color, the wine blasts from your glass with blackberry, blueberry and kirsch, complicated by earth, spice, soil, clay, floral and minerality notes with a little truffle thrown in for good measure. In the mouth, this concentrated, velvet textured wine fills every nook and cranny of your palate with fresh, pure dark berries. Like all great vintages of Lafleur, this will take at least two decades before it opens up. 96-98 Pts
2009 Latour a’ Pomerol offers a dark, ruby hue. The perfume is filled with chocolate, fresh dark berries and floral scents. With ripe tannins and opulent textures, the wine finishes with fresh, ripe dark raspberries, sweet chocolate and black cherry. 92-94 Pts
2009 Montviel is the second vintage for this property using micro-vinification. The wine kicks off with jammy berries, licorice and espresso. Round textures, but some dryness intrudes in the finish. 87/89 Pts
2009 Nenin with spicy blackberry and chocolate flavors is a powerful, structured style of Pomerol. The dark berry, kirsch and coco finish displays a lot of brawn for Pomerol 89-91 Pts
2009 Petit Village opens with fresh, dark, plums, herbs and a touch of oak. This round textured, medium bodied wine needs a bit more stuffing. 87-89 Pts
2009 Petrus is deep ruby with purple tints at the rim of the glass. Spice, ripe plums, blackberry and blueberries with cinnamon, clay, mint, mocha and kirsch make up the complex perfume. The wine is rich, concentrated, intense and packed with surreal levels of glycerin. This viscous, thrilling treat ends with a seamless finish of spicy, intense purity, jammy cherries and chocolate. 98-100 Pts
2009 Le Pin offers coconut, dark berries, black cherry and hints of citrus flowers accompanied by spice notes in the perfume. Velvety textured, and richly concentrated, this exotic wine finishes with a blast of fresh plums. Le Pin,which is known almost as much for their humble chateau as they are for their wine, is building a new cellar. The small, ramshackle building is already in the process of being replaced. 95-97 Pts
2009 La Pointe is filled with black raspberry jam with notes of cassis and coffee. This chateau has shown marked improvements since Hubert de Bouard began consulting the property. 88-90 Pts
2009 Providence starts with ripe, jammy berries, chocolate and spicy scents. Full bodied and richly textured, this vintage lacks the excitement, complexity and length of the 05. The wine finishes with finishes with elegant, dark cherry and black raspberry flavors. 93-95 Pts
2009 Trotanoy sports a dark ruby color. Spice, jammy dark berries, black raspberry, truffle, plum liqueur, Valhrona chocolate, fresh flowers and licorice. This wine is packed and stacked with endless layers of silky, velvet drenched fruit. The textures offer incredible sensations of opulence, richness and cashmere. This very concentrated wine coats your palate with endless layers of perfectly ripe, intense, decadent layers of fruit, freshness, chocolate and spice. The seamless finish lasts more than sixty seconds! This wine should be forced to carry a warning label stating. “Open when in need of extreme hedonistic pleasure”!
This is a remarkable Trotanoy. The wine offers a more complete tasting experience than the two finest modern vintages; the off charts 2008 as well as the sublime 1998. As good as those vintages are, stating this wine is makes a strong statement! 98-100 Pts
2009 La Violette starts off with chocolate, floral, boysenberry, plums, coffee and spice. This concentrated wine displays ample layers of decadent fruit, ripe, silky tannins. The wine finishes with spicy, rich, plush, sweet dark berries, licorice, fudge and spice. 94-96 Pts
2009 Vieux Chateau Certan from a blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc is deep, dark, ruby in color. The wine displays ripe fresh berries, flowers, chocolate, licorice and plum liqueur. This concentrated wine is packed with elegant, powerful, sweet round fruit, velvety textures and ends with a long, pure, decadently textured finish of chocolate covered plums and black cherries. It was one of the finest Pomerol wines from 2009. 97-99 Pts
During the tasting, Alexandre Thienpont stated without hesitation, “2009 is the best Vieux Chateau Certan of the modern era”! He added, “The wine is similar in style to the famous 1950 and is the most concentrated vintage for the chateau since 1950 as well”. He concluded by saying, “2009 is a perfect vintage for him”. It is known that some vintages at the property favor Cabernet Franc, while others are better for Merlot. 2009 is a Merlot year. This might not please all the traditionalists who prefer the large percentage of Cabernet Franc usually found in the wine. But I loved it and purchased a case after tasting it. Regardless of a note or score, the highest compliment any taster can pay to a chateau after tasting a wine is buy it for their own cellar.
2009 Vray Croix de Gay is filled with fresh, ripe plums, dark chocolate and spices with soft, elegant textures. The only drawback was the slight dryness found in the finish. 88-90 Pts
St. Emilion
In 2009, St. Emilion lacks the same level of consistency and freshness found in the 2005 vintage. 2005 remains the reference year for fans of St. Emilion wines. That being said, there are some outstanding wines worth purchasing from 2009 at all different price points. Interestingly, in this inconsistent vintage, a few St. Emilion chateaux produced the best wine they have made in decades and some made the finest wine they have ever produced.
2009 Angelus is opaque in color. Ripe dark berries, oak, licorice, minerals and black raspberry flavors pop from the glass. This is fleshy, flashy, sensuous, thick wine coats your palate with rich, ripe, dark berries. Hubert de Bouard thinks the 09 is a better wine than 2005. I do not agree. But 2009 is a stunning wine. 97-98 Pts.
2009 Les Asteries starts off with licorice, minerality, plums and coffee. This powerful, mineral driven wine finishes with crushed stone and dark berry flavors. 90-92 Pts
2009 Ausone is pure crushed stone, smoke, fennel and black with blue fruits in the nose. Full bodied and supple, this rich, silky, voluptuous wine, produced from 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot ends with pure sweet plums, minerals and fresh dark berries. 96-98 Pts
2009 Chapelle d’Ausone, with its mineral, smoke and mixed berry nose comes across as a mini version of its big brother, Ausone. 91-93 Pts
2009 Barde Haut is deeply colored, with floral, licorice, cherry and dark berry aromas. Silky textured, ends with sweet, dark berry flavors and freshness. 91-93 Pts
2009 Beau-Sejour Becot is a deeply colored wines filled with freshness, minerality, ripe blackberry, licorice and chocolate. This full bodied, opulent, round textured, ripe wine ends with a long chocolate covered black cherry finish with hints of licorice. 92-94 Pts
2009 Beausejour Duffau-Lagreosse is no longer a one hit wonder. 1990 was the last time this stunning terroir produced a must have wine, but the 2009 is the real deal. Thanks to the assistance of St. Emilion’s dynamic duo, Stephan Deroncourt and Nicholas Thienpont, things have officially turned around at Beausejour Duffau. Inky in color, with intense minerality, licorice and jammy dark fruits, this wine stains your palate. Decadently textured, with freshness and length, this serious wine ends with licorice, chocolate covered black cherries and fresh plums. This is one of the top wine from St. Emilion in 2009. 96-98 Pts
2009 Beausejour 1901, produced from vines planted in 1901 is stuffed with ripe jammy berries, licorice and spice. Not much of this is produced, but it’s worth seeking out as it sells for a song.
2009 Belair-Monange has a perfume of chocolate covered black raspberries, licorice, floral and minerals. With supple textures, medium/full bodied, the wine ends with fresh, black cherry and licorice notes. 92-95 Pts
2009 Bellevue comes from the recently acquired property across the street from Angelus. Hubert de Bouard thinks the terroir is as good, or better than much of the Angelus terroir. The inky colored wine with its potent, black raspberry, licorice, floral and stone aromas is enticing. Made from 99% Merlot, this is full bodied, concentrated and opulent in texture. Low in acidity, the wine fills your mouth with ripe dark berries. 93-95 Pts
2009 Bellevue Mondotte is inky black in color. Blackberry, fresh picked, perfectly ripe blueberries, spice rack, jam, smoke and stone quarry aromas waft pop from the glass. Thick, dense and filled with rich, round, concentrated layers of lush, opulent fruit, this intense wine ends with crushed velvet and silk textures and a powerful, dark, jammy berry finish. 96-98 Pts
2009 Berliquet comes from a 9 hectare vineyard planted at 6,000 vines/ha with an average age of 40 years on clay, rocky chalk and limestone soils. Net yields in 2009 were only 19hls/ha. For the first time the property employed laser optical sorting. This is a practice they will continue. Malo took place in barrels with subsequent aging on the lees for six months. Plans call for the wine to be aged for 15 months in 50% new and 50% one year old barrels. Produced from 73% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine offers supple textures, round tannins and ripe dark berries with hints of licorice in the finish. Due to the participation of Stephane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont, coupled with their spare no expense attitude, this is a property to watch out for. 80-91 Pts
2009 Cadet Bon is earthy, filled with stone, dark fruit and jammy strawberries. Produced from 85% Merlot, this fleshy wine should drink well early. 87-89 Pts
2009 Canon is dark ruby, mineral, floral, dark raspberry, spice and licorice aromatics pair well with a mouthful of intense, silky, sweet berries, purity and freshness that end with ripe plums, spice and licorice. Canon now includes some fruit from the replanting that was done in 1998. New plantings are taking place with Cabernet Franc vines. The vineyards are currently 25% Cabernet Franc. This will be increased to 35% over time. According to the director John Kolasa, “At Canon the goal is to produce a wine that will age and improve for decades. Canon is not at its best when drunk young”. 93-95 Pts
2009 Canon La Gaffeliere is produced using as much of a bio dynamic approach as possible. Herbicides, pesticides, or insecticides are never used. Fermentation of the whole, uncrushed berries, takes place in temperature-controlled oak tanks, punctuated by regular, pneumatic pigeages. Malolactic is performed in 100% new barrels from eight different cooper . The wine shows minerality, floral, spice, coffee, leaves, plums, round tannins, fresh berries, full bodied, stone and berries in the finish. 92-94 Pts
2009 Le Carre is filled with caramel, dark berries, licorice and coffee. This full bodied wine ends with chocolate covered dark berries, licorice and plums. 91-93 Pts
2009 Cheval Blanc is on fire in this vintage. Produced from 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, which is a very high percentage of Merlot for the chateau, the wine explodes with intense jammy black raspberry, flowers, spice, and incense aromatics. Powerful, ripe, sweet, velvet textured and perfectly balanced, this opulent, deep wine finishes with endless waves of ripe spicy berries. This wine personifies decadence, elegance and power. 96-99 Pts
2009 Le Petit Cheval produced from 65% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Merlot is medium bodied and filled with silky black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. 90-92 Pts
2009 Clos Dubreuil is stuffed with ripe black raspberries, limestone, dark cherry and espresso beans. Full bodied with rich, supple textures, this is a major improvement over previous vintages. The wine is concentrated with fresh, ripe, jammy berries, plums and chocolate. 92-94 Pts
2009 Clos des Jacobins is filled with ripe, mixed berries, anise, smoke, espresso and fresh herbs. Full bodied with ample rich, fresh, dark, ripe pit fruit that fills your mouth in the licorice tinted finish. Hubert Bouard consults the property. 91-93 Pts
2009 Clos Fourtet located almost in the center of the St. Emilion village, with a terroir of clay and limestone is dark, ruby in color. Filled with jammy blackberry and licorice scents, this powerful fleshy wine ends with a pure, silky, black fruit filled finish. 94-96 Pts
2009 Clos de l’Oratoire is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The owner, Stephan Neipperg works the vineyards with a biodynamic approach. No herbicides, pesticides or insecticides are used. Yields were only 28 hls per ha, in part due to the May hailstorm. Smoke, licorice, coffee and fresh blackberry scents are coupled with supple textures in the mouth. The wine finishes with fresh dark cherries and blackberry jam. 90-92
2009 Clos La Madeleine offers intense minerality along with ripe dark berries. This fleshy wine is the best example from this property I remember tasting. Situated just outside the village next to Belair-Monange, the vineyard is planted on limestone based soils with a cepage of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. The winery is consulted by Hubert de Bouard of Chateau Angelus, and the improvement shows. 89-92 Pts
2009 Clos St. Martin, the smallest classified wine in the Bordeaux appellation comes from a 1.33-hectare vineyard. Planted to 7,000 vines/ha, with an average age is 31 years and soils of clay and limestone soils over the limestone plateau. The wine is filled with spicy dark fruit, anise, stone, plums and espresso scents. This richly textured, sultry wine was produced from 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine ends with fresh black cherries infused with anise. 92-95 Pts
2009 La Clotte from limestone, sand and clay terroir offers dark ripe fruit, minerality and freshness along with opulent textures. This wine remains one of the insider’s secrets of St. Emilion. Due to its high quality, great style and low price, this wine is often purchased by many of St. Emilion’s most famous wine makers. 91-93 Pts
2009 La Commanderie produced from 90% Merlot and the remainder Cabernet Franc is an easy drinking style of wine that does not demand time before showing its light, red and dark berry charms 82-84 Pts
2009 La Confession from a blend of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc, is dense, rich, fat and mouth filling. The wine finishes with licorice coated plums and blackberries. 91-93 Pts
2009 Cote de Baleau is a definite candidate for top value Right Bank wine of the vintage. This Eight hectare vineyard planted at 7,000 vines/ha is a blend of 70% Merlot, 15 Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. 3,000 cases were produced. Licorice, ripe berries and hints of oak are easy to find. Fleshy in texture, with a round, dark berry filled finish that will drink well early. It’s not often consumers are offered good wine, from a great vintage at reasonable prices. Lovers of St. Emilion should be all over this wine. 89-91 Pts
2009 Couspade offers licorice, dark berries, smoke and coffee aromas. Soft and round, this ripe wine with its licorice, coco and black raspberry flavors will drink well early. 88-90 Pts
2009 Le Dome is inky black. Produced from a whopping 80% Cabernet Franc, this unique wine offers licorice, fresh herbs, black raspberries, black cherry jam, coffee, espresso and smoke aromas. Full bodied and filled with ripe fruit, this powerful wine ends with a long finish of fresh blackberry, toasty oak, licorice, and mocha flavors. 92-94 Pts
2009 Faurie de Souchard opens with crushed stone, ripe blackberry and licorice scents. This round style of wine will drink early. 87-89 Pts
2009 Figeac opens with fresh ripe blackberries and cassis, minerality and licorice notes. The wine finishes with dark berries and spice. 90-93 Pts
2009 Fleur Cardinale from a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, opens with a kirsch, black raspberry, espresso and jammy blackberry nose. Full bodied, rich and ripe, this wine finishes with sweet black cherries, licorice, mocha and spice. 91-94 Pts
2009 Fonroque is filled with spicy dark berries and fennel. Medium to full bodied with soft textures and a dark cherry filled finish. 90-92 Pts
2009 La Gaffeliere opens with limestone, ripe dark berries, spice and smoke aromatics. Silky in texture, this Merlot based wine ends with ripe, fresh boysenberries and licorice. 92-94 Pts
2009 Godeau was produced from 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc from a 5.5 hectare property located not far from Tertre Roteboeuf and Troplong Mondot. Stephane Derenoncourt started consulting the property in 2007. 2009 is their first success story. Dark in color, this mineral filled wine offers spice, floral, black raspberry, chocolate and licorice aromas. Supple in texture, this round wine ends with fresh black cherry, anise and coco flavors. Due to the high quality and low price point, this is a property to watch. 91-94 Pts
2009 La Gomerie produced from 100% Merlot is filled with black licorice, fresh plums, coffee, chocolate and black raspberries with hints of jam. Soft, sexy and round in style, this blends elegance and opulence, finishing with rich, ripe black raspberry and dark cherry sensations. 92-94 Pts
2009 Grand Corbin Despagne is a medium bodied wine with jammy blackberries, spice and minerality. The wine ends with a round, black cherry filled finish. 89-91 Pts
2009 Grandes Murailles is a knock out! This tiny, 1.46-hectare vineyard is planted at 7,500 vines/ha, exclusively to Merlot. The soils are sandy-clay atop the Saint Emilion limestone plateau. Deeply colored, with coco, spice, baked fruit pie, cinnamon stick and fresh jammy berries explodes from the glass. This sexy stylish wine pours into our mouth with an intense, thick, black and blueberry filled finish, complicated by licorice and dark cherries. This is the first time I have scored this wine higher than their Clos St. Martin property. But they deserved it. 94-96 Pts
2009 Grand Mayne is deeply colored with fresh ripe black raspberries, plums, boysenberry, fennel and coffee scents. Full bodied with round tannins and concentrated with ripe berries, the wine ends with fresh, dark berry and juicy plum flavors. 91-93 Pts
2009 Haut Corbin from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc is medium bodied and light in style. The wine offers some plush dark berries in its soft, easy to drink style. 86-88 Pts
2009 Jean Faure with its dark berry person is an early drinking St. Emilion. 84-86 Pts
2009 Laforge, which takes its name from the trade of a former owner who was a blacksmith, is deeply colored. With licorice, blackberry and coffee notes, this full bodied, richly textured wine finishes with fennel and dark berry flavors. 90-92 Pts
2009 des Laudes with is spicy jammy berry and licorice flavored profile is a nice value wine. 84-87 pts
2009 Lucia comes from a 3.06-hectare vineyard, part of which was planted in 1901, in clay, and limestone soils. The wine, a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc produced yields of only 25 hls/ha. With its ripe dark fruit, licorice and mineral driven personality, this finishes with fleshy dark cherries and anise. 89-91 Pts
2009 Le Jurat offers spicy berries in the nose. Medium bodied with a slightly drying finish. 81-83 Pts
2009 Larcis Ducasse produced from 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc is dark purple in color. Limestone, black raspberry, smoke and spicy aromatics start the wine off. Soft rich and full bodied, but lacking the intense concentration found in the remarkable 2005, this rich, sultry wine ends with spice filled, dark fruit and licorice flavored finish. 94-96 Pts
2009 Magdelaine opens with minerals, dark raspberries, chocolate and licorice aromas. The wine is medium bodied, soft textured and ends with dark berry and chocolate flavored finish. 89/91 Pts
2009 Monbousquet is dark ruby in color. Spice, jammy dark berries, oak and licorice make up the perfume. The wine ends with jammy black raspberries, chocolate and spice. 90-92 Pts
2009 La Mondotte comes from a 4.5-hectare vineyard planted at a density ranging from 5,500 to 7,500 vines per hectare on clay and limestone soils. The property is located directly above Pavie-Decesse and across the road from Bellevue-Mondotte. Net yields in 2009 were a whopping 18 hls/ha! Malo was conducted in 100% new oak and the wine will be aged on the fine lees for an estimated 18 months. From 80 Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine is inky dark in color. The perfume starts with deep black raspberry, minerality, spice, and forest aromatics, builds in the nose and mouth. Concentrated with multiple layers of stone and fruit, fresh, intense, powerful, filled with crushed rocks, very silky, round, lush, blackberry jam, this is serious wine that requires aging, but the purity of fruit is stunning. 95-97 Pts
2009 Moulin St. Georges is filled with floral scents along with blackberry, plum, spice and licorice notes. Medium to full bodied, this elegant wine is slightly short in the finish. 89-91 Pts
2009 Pavie from vines close to 50 years of age is as black as a moonless sky with hints of purple. Incense, licorice, ripe jammy dark put fruit and minerals are the first things you smell. This incredibly concentrated wine fills every nook and cranny of your palate with dense, ripe, decadent berry sensations. The wine finishes with a mélange of chocolate, plum liqueur and jammy black cherries. This is a hedonistic style of wine. 96-98 Pts
2009 Pavie Decesse is inky in color. Jammy black fruit, plums, licorice, minerals and dark cherry aromas are easy to find. This sexy style of wine is sweet, ripe and lush, ending with a blast of licorice coated, dark berries. 95-97 Pts
2009 Pavie Macquin from clay and lime stone soils is a blend of 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. The moment the wine hits your nose, scents of crushed stone, sweet blackberries, fresh black plums, licorice and chocolate are all over the place. Full bodied and intense, with silk and satin textures, this exciting wine ends with a supple, long, sweet black cherry filled finish. 95-97 Pts
2009 Pierre de Lune is owned Tony Ballu, the wine maker for Clos Fourtet. This small, 1 hectare, biodynamically farmed vineyard is planted on sand and gravel soils. From a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine offers black and blue fruit aromas, with licorice and espresso notes. Full bodied with round textures, this rich wine ends with supple, ripe, dark jammy berry flavors. 92-94 Pts
2009 La Prieure is filled with minerality, anise, spicy dark berries and smoke. Soft, round, fleshy and flashy, this opulent wine should deliver pleasure early. 89-91 Pts
2009 Quinault L’Enclos is being produced in a different style since being purchased by the owners of Cheval Blanc. The wine is fresher, less ripe and should probably age better as well. One of the key reasons behind this is the fruit is being harvested earlier. Dark berries and licorice scents mesh well with the fleshy, soft textures. The wine ends with a blast of ripe black cherries. 90-92 Pts
2009 Rol Valentin has new owners who are related to the Robin family, the previous owners of the famed Chateau Lafleur from Pomerol. Interestingly, the fruit is sourced from two separate vineyards. 60% of the crop emanates from vineyards located in the eastern sector of St. Emilion, not far from Valandraud on clay and limestone soils. The remaining 40% comes from property located close to Gomerie on sandy soils. The wine opens with stone, floral, black cherry and fresh plum aromatics. Soft and velvet textured, this elegant style of wine should drink well after a few years of bottle age. I’ve always liked the style of this wine, but the lack of the wines ability to age has put me off from buying it. This is the best vintage I’ve tasted from this chateau and hopefully the quality and style of this vintage will allow it to age better than previous years. 90-92 Pts
2009 Soleil offers licorice, dark berries, soft textures and a dark, jammy berry finish. 5,000 cases retails for $25. 87-90 Pts
2009 Soleil le Rival offers simple ripe berry flavors, soft textures and a ripe, plum, blackberry filled finish. This will drink well early. 89-91 Pts
2009 Tertre Daugay is another candidate for one of the top value plays from 2009. With licorice, chocolate and sweet, berry aromas, this richly textured wine finishes with a round, chocolate covered plum finish. 88-90 Pts
2009 La Tour du Pin is now produced by the same team that makes Cheval Blanc. Made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the offers dark berries, licorice and fresh herb scents. Round in texture, the wine finishes with soft, ripe kirsch flavors. 90-92 Pts
2009 La Tour Figeac is made by Christine Derenoncourt. Soils are a mix of gravel, and sandy-clay, atop a subsoil of rich clay. This Biodynamically farmed estate, with a blend of 78% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc expresses minerality, floral and jammy berry notes in the perfume, this fleshy, round textured wine ends with ripe, spicy berry and anise flavors. 89-91 Pts
2009 Teyssier is filled with fennel, chocolate, plums and spearmint scents. The wine finishes with spicy dark cherries and blackberry. Some dryness is noted in the finish. 87/89 Pts
2009 Troplong Mondot is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine is opaque with purple tints. Sweet jammy plums, licorice, coffee, minerality caramel and dark berries occupy your nose. Full bodied and intense, this thick wine is filled with ripe jammy dark berries, chocolate, licorice and plums. Even at 15.4% alcohol, only a minor touch of heat is experienced in the palate. 94-96 Pts
2009 Valandraud is deep, dark ruby with purple tints. This pungent wine offers aromas of freshly picked flowers, ripe jammy blackberries, licorice, black raspberries, kirsch, coffee and black cherry notes. This richly textured, full bodied wine is concentrated with pure ripe fruit. The long, clean, powerful finish offers freshness, paired with cherry and blackberry flavors. This is the best Valandraud since the stellar 1995! 95-96 Pts
2009 Vieux Chateau Mazerat is deeply colored with a strong mineral presence. From 65% Merlot and the remainder Cabernet Franc, this limestone based wine feels like pure stone and fruit, coupled with coupled with licorice, dark berries, chocolate and cherries. 89-91 Pts
2009 Villemaurine located not far from the village of St. Emilion starts off with minerality, spicy dark berries and fennel. With soft textures and a medium body, this wine should offer pleasure early. 87-90 Pts
2009 20 Mille is produced from a 1.4-hectare section of the Croix Mouton vineyard. The chateau takes its name from the fact it’s planted to 20,000 vines per ha. Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine expresses dark jammy fruit, licorice, round textures and chocolate, accented dark fruit. 50% of the wine is aged in the cigar shaped barrels. With vines planted this closely, work in the vineyards can be exacting. According to the owner, Jean-Philippe Janoueix, the purpose of this density of planting, is to show quality Bordeaux can be produced from terroir that is not only from the finest regions. 88-90 Pts
2009 Ad Augusta produced from 90% Merlot and the rest, Cabernet Franc is a fun, fleshy, early drinking, crowd pleasing style of wine. 84-87 Pts
2009 d’Aiguilhe – This 50-hectare vineyard is planted on thin clay on top limestone. Net yields in 2009 were 8 hls/ha. The wine is aged in 50% new oak. This 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc wine is deeply colored with aromas of spice, oak, dark jammy berry, anise, strawberry and chocolate. Full bodied and round, this fresh, supple wine finishes with dark cherry, spice and licorice. 90-92 Pts
2009 Clos Chaumont is produced from 90% Merlot and an even split of Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon is filled with charm, soft textures and ripe dark berries with licorice hints. This will drink best young. 85-87 Pts
2009 Clos les Lunelles is produced from vines averaging 40 years, from a blend 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Yields were a miniscule 22/hls/ha. The wine is filled with ripe, blackberries coffee and anise. Round in texture this mouth filling wine ends with lush, jammy dark berries, chocolate and plum flavors. 91-93 Pts
2009 Croix Mouton is 87% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot in this vintage. The wine will age for nine months in 33% new and 67% one-wine old barrels, 45% of which are “cigar shaped” barrels. This medium bodied wine offers licorice and jammy black raspberry notes, ending in black raspberry and kirsch flavors. 84-87 Pts.
2009 Le Conseiller, produced from 100% Merlot opens with sweet dark berries, soft textures, fresh fruit and fennel. This sweet, ripe wine will offer pleasure early. This is a top value wine for the vintage. It will sell for about $15 in the states. 88-90 Pts
2009 Cote Montpezat offers soft, ripe round dark berries in a crowd pleasing style. This is a great value play wine. 86-88 Pts
2009 Domaine de Courteillac was purchased in 1998 by Dominique Meneret from Stéphane Asseo when this latter left to create L’Aventure in Paso Robles, in which Dominique remains a partner. Planted in clay and limestone, from a blend 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, this wine offers fresh sweet, dark, anise coated berries. With soft textures, the wine finishes with ripe black raspberries. 86-88 Pts
2009 La Croix Lartigue is ripe, roundly textured, simple and without faults. 84-87 Pts
2009 Domaine de l’A, owned by renowned consultant Stephane Derenoncourt and Christine Derenoncourt is produced from a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon biodynamically farmed vineyards planted in clay and limestone soils. Filled with jammy dark berries, plums and black pepper, this soft, open, plush wine ends with ample dark fruit in a fleshy and flashy style. 89-91 Pts
2009 Jean Faux is produced from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The wine opens with dark berries and mocha, finishing with simple round textures and berry flavors. 83-85 Pts
2009 La France is medium bodied and offers light berries in a clean, user friendly style. 83-85 Pts
2009 de Francs Les Cerisiers is 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc. This Hubert de Bouard consulted property is filled with spicy, dark berries and oak. With round supple textures, the wine ends with licorice and ripe dark berry flavors. 88-90 Pts
2009 Gigault Cuvee Viva from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc is a supple styled, ripe wine that will give bang for the buck and drink well on release. 86-88 Pts
2009 Les Grands Marechaux is produced from 84% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Net yields in 2009 were only 26 hls/ha! Medium bodied with black raspberry and cherry scents, this easy drinking wine will be a crowd pleaser the day it’s released. This is another top value play. 85-87 Pts
2009 Gree Laroque comes from 95% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. This will be aged in 55% new oak. This supple, round, ripe berry and licorice flavored wine will deliver ample pleasure almost as soon as it’s released. 85-88 Pts
2009 Haut Bernat with black raspberries and soft textures is an easy to like, early drinking wine. 84-86 Pts
2009 Hostens Picant is a medium bodied wine with soft textures that ends with ripe berry and hints of coco in the finish. 84-86 Pts
2009 Lucullus Cuvee d’Exception is the top wine from Hostens Picant. Minerality, dark fruit, ripe blackberry and pepper with soft, round textures are the signature of this wine. 87-90 Pts
2009 Lyonnat from 95% Merlot is a dark cherry flavored wine that will drink well on release. 83-85 Pts
2009 Mont Labat from 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium bodied wine with simple berry flavors. 82-84 Pts
2009 Le Pin Beausoleil is a Le Pin we can all finally afford. Even though this is the other Le Pin, this black cherry and dark berry scented wine offers supple textures and a soft, ripe black cherry filled finish. 87-89 Pts
2009 La Prade is 100% Merlot in 2009. This small property used optical laser sorting for the first time this vintage. With soft, ripe, elegant and round textures coupled with minerality, blackberry and licorice, the wine ends with a nice display of ripe, juicy plums. This is the best La Prade I’ve ever tasted. 88-90 Pts
2009 Puygueraud, like La Prade, both of which are made by Nicolas Theinpont, utilized an optical sorting machine for this vintage. Produced from a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec is medium bodied and the tannins feel rustic. The wine ends with a berry filled finish that is slightly drying. 84-86 Pts
2009 Trois Origines opens with minerality, dark pit fruit and fennel. Soft and fleshy, the wine finishes with dark berry flavors. 87-89 Pts
2009 Vrai Canon Bouche is 98% Merlot and 2% Malbec. Yields in 2009 were just 20 hls/ha! The wine will be aged in 70% new oak. With soft textures, ripe berries and a kiss of oak, the wine will be a very popular, crowd pleaser that will drink well the moment it’s released. 86-88 Pts
2009 Vieux Chateau Palon opens with earth, berry, licorice and spice aromas. This easy drinking wine ends with a berry filled finish. 84-87 Pts
If anyone has questions or comments, please free to post.
