   
 The Vintage 2009, some facts
It is not very often that Chateau owners and wine critics agree. There are no secrets to the ingredients of a great vintage in Bordeaux. We need weather like we had in 2009: a great summer, not too hot and not too dry and preferably some rain in mid September. The relatively humid start to spring was soon forgotten. Cool September nights helped to create an acidity, so much needed to create a good balance in any vintage. Of course we compare this vintage with the brilliant 2005. Many tasters found that the 2005 was a more structured vintage where as the 2009 has more fruit and more alcohol as a result of the warmer summer. For an exceptional vintage balance is the keyword. The 2009 is no exception because the wines expressed a great freshness from the natural acidity thanks to the cool nights in September. The tannins are on the highest level ever in Bordeaux. Definitely a millésime de garde, a wine with a great aging potential.
Perfect conditions
As everything is science nowadays the Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology published a report on the vintage 2009. According to this University study the 2009 vintage (like the 2005) met all five conditions for a great vintage: early flowering of the vines, fruit-set in early June with hot, sunny and dry weather. Early veraison or color change in late july. Perfect ripening of the grapes with warm hot weather in August and September and of course a harvest by the book with unusually dry weather in September and October.
All of this resulted in the great wines I tasted this spring. I score the wines on a 20 points scale. In view of the quality I actually needed a 25 points scale...
  
The Vintage 2009: The tastings
Everybody who is anybody in the wine world descends on Bordeaux in spring. Tasting all these wines can be a tough job. To make things easier for us journalists and for the trade these tastings are grouped. The Grand Cru Classé tastings are organized by the Union des Grands Crus Classées (UGCB). They group tastings from the different appellations in different chateaux.
The First Growths (and any chateau that feels that they are on the same level) don't participate. Here you need an appointment and it is granted reluctantly. Each of the top guns receives us differently. At Chateau Mouton Rothschild there is the feeling of a family run company. Julien de Rothschild meets us at the door. His mother, Baronesse Philippine de Rothschild accepts graciously all praise for the great '09.
At Chateau Margaux we taste in the cellar. Owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos pops at our tasting after walking her Labrador "Apple". The aroma of wet dog interferes mildly with our tasting as Apple lies down underneath the table with the barrel samples.
At Lafite Rothschild the doorman announces our arrival through a walkie talkie to ensure our wine is prepared as soon as we enter the tasting room.
Chateau Latour presents its three wines in their minimalistic tasting room. All attention is directed to this outstanding First Growth.
We taste the Chateau Haut Brion 2009 in the Salle de Marbre, along with the other great wines of this property.
2009 First Growths: my verdict
  
Chateau Latour
 Le Pauillac de Latour (17.5 points).
A medium dark wine with an expressive flattering nose. Loads of fruit and hints of laurel and nice round tannins. Remember this is "just a third wine".
Les Forts de Latour (18.5 points)
An exceptional deep color. The wine needed time to open. After a few minutes there is a beautiful explosion of fruit. Firm soft tannins and a long finale. Very well made. This is why Les Forts is often one of my favorites "en primeur". Very well made.
Chateau Latour, Grand Vin (19.5 - 20 points)
More closed than the Les Forts. Strong concentration of black fruit and very elegant. Strong velvety tannins. Almost a creamy texture. The best Latour I have ever tasted on futures!
Chateau Lafite Rothschild
Charles Chevalier (R) of First Growth Lafite Rothschild: "we are very happy with the results this year " |
Carruades de Lafite (18.5 points)
A deep dark purple color. Very closed on the nose. A very elegant wine with loads and loads of fruit (a fruit basket). Soft silky tannins. Very good.
Chateau Duhart Milon (18.5 points)
Again this deep dark color. Loads of fruit with soft tannins and a good structure. Very powerful but yet there is both harmony and elegance.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild (20 points)
A deep dark color, almost like ink but wit a little purple rim. An excellent combination of strength and power but on the other hand there are those soft silky tannins. The most elegant Lafite I have ever tasted. Is this the winner of the vintage?
 
Julien de Rothschild (L) of First Growth Mouton Rothschild: "this is a legend in the making " |
Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild (18 points)
Beautiful purple dark wine with hints of plum and black fruit. Very pleasant wine, you would almost like to drink the sample. Great elegant tannins.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild (19.5 - 20 points)
A deep purple wine with a complex nose with plum and spices. Velvet in a glass. You could drink this wine already! Elegant and fresh with a hint of sweetness. Strong elegant tannins. A great Mouton!
 
Chateau Margaux
Pavilion Rouge de Chateau Margaux (18.5 - 19 points)
Beautiful ruby color. Expressive nose with a strong expression of fruit. Dominated by the purity of the Cabernet Sauvignon but with an excellent balance. This wine has a great structure and seems to last forever. Again a wine you would want to drink already. You would believe this was Le Grand Vin.
Chateau Margaux, Grand Vin (20 points)
Corinne Mentzelopulos of First Growth Chateau Margaux: "I like the elegance of this vintage " |
A beautiful intense color. There is an explosion of fruit on the nose. This is a beauty! Superb complex aroma's (hints of leather?). There is this high concentration of everything, fruit, alcohol and beautiful ripe, silky tannins. Everything is kept in balance by exactly the right level of acidity. Wow!
For me this might be the winner of the vintage. Absolute the best Margaux I have ever tasted! Bravo!
Pavillon Blanc (18,5 points)
This white wine of Chateau Margaux has a wonderful fresh expression on the nose with some hints of smoked almonds. A great balance but not too dry. Even a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste. Very elegant.
  
Chateau Haut Brion (red wines)
La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion (17.5 points)
Somewhat lighter in color than the others. Fairly closed on the nose. A lot of freshness and a good balance and acidity. Strong ripe fruit, dominated a little by the tannins.
Jean-Philippe Delmas of First Growth Chateau Haut Brion: "You have to work with the gift of Mother Nature and in 2009 She was generous" |
La Mission Haut Brion (19.5 points)
Deep dark purple color. An explosion of very ripe (black) fruit on the nose. A beautiful balance and a strong acidity that will help it to age. Keeps developing aroma's in the glass. Very good indeed.
Le Clarence de Haut Brion (18 points)
Deep purple, almost ink in color. Loads of fresh ripe fruit (plum?) on the nose. Incredibly soft velvety tannins and an almost creamy texture. Strong notes of licorice and very long and flattering. We wanted to drink this wine already.
Chateau Haut Brion (19.5 - 20 points)
Color even deeper than the Clarence. A rich dense wine that shows an explosion of fruit. This massive and complex wine has so many aroma's but in the same time is so elegant and on the finesse. The strong tannins again are beautifully ripe and are like velvet.
Chateau Haut Brion (white wines)
For the vintage 2009 Haut brion has revived a tradition and created the "La Clarté de Haut Brion". Grapes that didn't make it into the Haut Brion Blanc or the La Mission Haut Brion Blanc were used to make the Clarté which was presented for the first time ever during the "en primeur" tastings.
 La Clarté de Haut Brion (17 points)
A very pleasant fresh nose with hints of citrus fruit (grapefruit). A flattering wine with a strong minerality and and a hint of sweetness. Fine acidity.
La Mission Haut Brion Blanc (19 points)
This wine used to be called Laville Haut Brion. As of the 2009 vintage it will revert to its original name Chateau la Mission Haut Brion Blanc.
A magnificent white wine with citrus (grapefruit) with a great freshness and a very long finale. The Sémillon (84%) really stands out in this complex wine that shows a strikingly long finale and again a hint of sweetness. Very good.
Haut Brion Blanc (19.5 - 20 points)
This is magnificent. A large spectrum of flavors erupt from this successful wine. A very long finale with citrus and grapefruit. Flawless. This is without a doubt the best dry white wine in Bordeaux.
The vintage 2009, my verdict
Medoc
Tasted at Chateau Desmirail and at
Chateau Batailley |
Batailley, Pauillac, 5th Growth
Belgrave, Haut Medoc, 5th Growth:
Beychevelle, St Julien 4th Growth
Branaire-Ducru, St Julien 4th Gr
Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, 2nd G
Camensac, Haut Medoc, 5th Growth
Cantemerle, Haut Medoc, 5th Gr
Cantenac Brown, Margaux, 3th Gr
Chasse-Spleen, Moulis Cru excep
Clerc-Milon, Pauillac, 5th Growth
Cos Labory, St Esrephe, 5th Gr
d'Armailhac, Pauillac, 5th Growth
Du Tertre, Margaux, 5th Growth
Giscours Margaux, 3rd Growth
Gruaud Larose, St Julien 2th Growth
Kirwan, Margaux, 3rd Growth
La Lagune, Haut Medoc, 3rd Growth
La Tour Carnet, Haut Medoc, 4th Gr
La Tour de By, Medoc
Lafon Rochet, St Estephe, 4th Gr
|
18 17
17.5 17.5
18
16,5
17.5
17.5
17
18.5
17
18
18
18
16
17
17.5
17
16.5
17
|
Lagrange, St Julien 3rd Growth
Langoa Barton, St Julien, 4th Growth
Lascombes, Margaux, 2nd Growth
Léoville Barton, St Julien 2nd Growth
Léoville Poyferré, St Julien 2nd Gr
Lynch Moussas, Pauillac 5th Growth
Lynch-Bages, Pauillac 5th Growth
Malescot St-Exupery, Margx 3rd Gr
Marquis de Terme, Margaux,
Maucaillou, Moulis
Pichon Baron, Pauillac 2nd Growth
Pichon Comtesse, Pauillac 2nd Gr
Pontet Canet, Pauillac 5th Growth
Poujeaux, Moulis
Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, 4th Gr
Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux, 2nd Gr
Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2nd Growth
Saint Pierre Saint Julien 4th Growth
Talbot, Saint Julien 4th Growth
|
17.5 17.5
17.5
18
18
17
18.5
17.5
17
16
19
18.5
18.5
17
17.5
16.5
18
17.5
17
|
  
Pessac-Léognan
Tasted at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte |
| Red |
White |
Bouscaut
Carbonnieux
Carmes Haut Brion
Chantegrive
Chevalier
Fieuzal
Haut Bailly
La Louviere
Larrivet-Haut-Brion
Latour-Martillac
Malartic-Lagravière
Olivier
Pape Clement
Smith Haut Lafitte
|
16,5 16,5
17.5
16.5
17.5
17,5
19
16.5
16.5
17.5
18.5
17.5
18.5
18
|
Bouscaut
Carbonnieux
Chantegrive
Chevalier
Fieuzal
La Louviere
Larrivet-Haut-Brion
Latour-Martillac
Malartic-Lagravière
Olivier
Pape Clement
Smith Haut Lafitte
|
16 17
16,5 16
17
17
16
17.5
17.5
16
19
18
|
Pauline Vauthier of First Growth Chateau Ausone:
"Luckily we were spared by the hail in 2009 " |
Right Bank: First Growths A
La Chapelle d'Ausone (19 points)
Beautiful dark with a very pleasant fresh nose. Elegance finesse and complexity with loads of fruit. Soft elegant tannins. Very well made, and this is "just" the second wine.
Chateau Ausone (20+ points)
Deep dark without being ink black. Wow what a beautiful complex nose. Loads and loads of fruit and incredibly complex. Such power but yet soft and elegant tannins. This sample you want to drink already because this is perfection in a glass. For me the absolute winner of the vintage. I need some extra points here... Bravo!
 Le Petit Cheval de Cheval Blanc (18 points)
Soft fruity expression on the nose. Very soft elegant tannins and a lot of black fruit and a long fresh finish. Needs time.
Chateau Cheval Blanc (19.5 points)
Some spices and herbs on the nose. Beautiful classic fruit and a lot of elegance. Some hints of coffee. Strong but very ripe and elegant tannins. This powerful wine will age for a long time.
   
Right Bank
Tasted at Chateau Beauséjou-Bécot and Chateau Gazin |
| Saint Emilion |
Pomerol |
Ausone
Angélus
Balestard de la Tonelle
Beau-Séjour Bécot
Canon La Gaffelière
Cap de Mourlin
Cheval Blanc
Clos Fourtet
Figéac
Franc-Mayne
La Gaffelière
Laniote
Pavie-Macquin
Petit Cheval de Cheval Blanc
Troplong Mondot
Trottevieille
|
20
19 16,5
17.5
17.5
16,5
19.5
18.5
18.5
15
17.5
17
18
17.5
18
18
|
Beauregard
Clinet
Gazin
La Conseillante
La Croix de Gay
Le Bon Pasteur
Petit Village
Vieux Chateau Certan
La Fleur de Boüard
|
16 18
18.5 18.5
17
18
17.5
19.5
17.5
|
Wine Tours 2010: Last spots available!
 Our aim is to create unique Bordeaux Wine Experiences. We don't organize many tours each year, it’s just a few! There is not a lot of space here. So if you were thinking about touring with us, you have to start acting right now. It is still possible for five couples to tour with us in 2010. So why not join us on The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2010 on November 22 - November 27 or on the Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2010 from September 20 - September 25. These last spots are highly sought after. So if you really are interested you should ask us to hold your spot now, because you don’t want to miss out on this great Wine Experience. So check out our tour schedule, or contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!
Our Bordeaux Wine Tours 2011: Our exciting new schedule!
 We have been receiving a lot of emails about our 2011 schedule. We understand that many of you are planning long ahead. So we are proud to announce our exciting schedule for 2011
§ The Grand Tour of Bordeaux 2011
-May 23 - May 28, 2011 and
-July 4 - July 9, 2011 and
-September 5 - September 10, 2011
-November 21 - November 26, 2011
Limited to 10 guests per tour
§ The Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2011
-September 26 – October 1, 2011
Limited to 10 guests
Fix those dates for you and contact us now for a detailed itinerary and more information!
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