2009 Bordeaux Tasting Review with the UGC at Doral
"Wine brings to light the hidden secrets of the soul, gives being to our hopes, bids the coward flight, drives dull care away, and teaches new means for the accomplishment of our wishes." - Horace
The UGC (L'Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux) does some amazing tastings and whenever they are in town I try to make it to the event. It is hard to find this many top level Bordeaux open in one room, a tasting of this magnitude deserves my immediate attention. The room was the Doral Country Club in Miami and this is about an hour from my wine cave so I started my journey around 12 noon to get there an hour ahead of the 2pm start time. There were 109 wines presented for tasting and I needed the entire 4 hours to make it through all of them. Unfortunately I had to rush through the Sauternes to make it and although it appears to be an outstanding vintage all around in 2009, Sauternes was not the highlight for me. These wines were very sweet and did not seem to have a lot of botrytis, nor did some of the wines appear to have a lot of acidity. I love the sweet wines of Bordeaux and will drink the 2009’s right now as they are delicious- why wait when they taste so good now?
I made my way through the room starting with the Merlot based wines of St. Emilion. The palate gets a bit fatigued at around 100 wines for me so the fact that I tasted these wines first may have swayed my opinion but at the end of the day this appellation came out on top for me. They are incredibly rich and forward wines making excellent choices for drinking today but they also have wonderful balance and freshness making them a good choice for setting aside in your cellar for a decade or more. This type of a vintage rarely happens in Bordeaux.
The Pomerols were not far behind with ripe and seductive fruit along with chunky tannins, very drinkable wines but after drinking 20 of these Merlot based wines you started to notice the tannin levels of these wines were in fact very high they are just super ripe.
After making it through the Medoc and the Margaux I started to realize that everything was great in 2009 and most of the wines are a pleasure to drink right now and although the St. Estephe department was short and sweet they also showed at a very high level along with Pauillac and St. Julien.
The whites of Pessac and Graves have a lovely precocious nature and the Domaine de Chevalier, Pape Clement and Smith Haut Lafitte were the winners today but once again every appellation seems to have highs without any lows- so it is hard to miss in 2009.
The most disappointing thing about the 2009 vintage is the price. Many of the vintages top wines are priced at ridiculous levels especially when you consider the production levels of these top estates. It is hard for me to believe that these wines will sell at these prices but I have been wrong before.
With that said there were some GREAT values in 2009 if you searched and tasted through the wines, here are my top picks for 2009 for quality and value.
Chateau Berliquet on sale for Sale $43.56, this wine is an excellent value and Saint Emilion was the strongest showing at this tasting for me and one of the best wines at any price was the Grand Mayne a serious over achiever and at $59 MOST EXCELLENT is all I can say.
The appellation of Pomerol was also very impressive but also very pricy. My pick for best of show for Pomerol is Clinet but at $200-$300 this wine is not in reach for most of us, La Pointe looked like a much better value at $59.
Château Phelan Segur has become one of the stars of St. Estephe, an appellation which really excelled in 2009 this wine is the best value in this appellation at a Sale price of $59.40.
A few sleeper picks: Chateau Poujeaux from Moulis at $39, Sarget De Gruaud Larose St. Estephe the second wine of this property at $27.72.
Are there any top Level wines that are not an arm and a leg? We have a KILLER deal on the second wine of Mouton Rothschild Le Petite Mouton, this wine was not at the UGC but at $79 per bottle it looks like the best deal on this offering.
At the top of the quality scale, or in my words “KILLER” wines Include: Pape Clement Blanc and Rouge, Château Troplong Mondot, Clinet and Pichon Baron at $237.60, but there was a lot of “Most Excellent” and “Excellent” stuff here we have included prices on everything that we could find in the market. If you are interested in any of the wines on this offering that do not have a price just let us know and we will find it for you.
After the list of wines tasted at the UGC I have listed all the wines that we purchased en premier- you may notice the prices are a bit better than the one on the first part of this offering. Check out the Lilian Ladouys St. Estephe Bordeaux 2009 Futures on sale for $24.42 and the La Croix Figeac St. Emilion 2009 Futures on sale for $24.42 both of these scored (92-95) in the Wine Spectator.
Here are the wines that were tasted at the UGC on Monday January 23rd.
Graves/Pessac Leognan
This was one of the highlights for me especially the whites which appeared to be more balanced than the sweet wines of Sauternes but due to the forward nature of these wines there will be some that say they will not be very long lived wines but I think that with all the advances in technology today that a vintage like 2009 where you had to wait to pick because they growing season was so long, some of the wines showed this fully mature tannins that left the impression of tannins on your tongue but they were so ripe that it almost seemed like they were not very tannic, at the end of the day your palate was over whelmed with this very ripe vintages best trait- ripe tannins.
Graves
Château de Chantegrive Rouge
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Ripe red currant berry fruit with a slight herbal notes and a hint of gravel like mineral. Smooth and polished with hints herbs and an earthy note on the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château de Chantegrive Blanc
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Pineapple and quince like fruit, white grapefruit citrus, pretty floral notes to the bouquet. Ripe delicious fruit here grapefruit and melon with nice freshness and balance on the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Pessac Leognan
Château Bouscaut Rouge
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Fresh minty note to the red cherry fruit light earthy nuance to the nose. Ripe red berry fruit on the tongue, sweet fruit with a short but pleasant finish. Very Good
Château Bouscaut Blanc
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A light musky quality to the white grapefruit citrus fruit. Light and refreshing white with nice tropical fruit and a short but pleasant finish. Finish 30+ Very Good
Château Carbonnieux Rouge
Price $60 Sale $52.8
A hint of barnyard to the red currant berry fruit and light tobacco spice on the nose. Smooth and polished on the palate with a light gravelly mineral note and the tannins very ripe here still with nice freshness on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent +
Château Carbonnieux Blanc
Price $55.5 Sale $48.84
Light gravelly mineral, chalky notes to the quince and melon fruit on the nose light but opens with hints of flan and pink grapefruit coming out with time. Good concentration and richness on the palate with candied grapefruit citrus on the palate rich and ripe with layers of fruit and minerality showing on the finish. 45+ Excellent +
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge
Price: $136.50 Sale $120
Very old world bouquet, fresh plowed earth, fine herbs and exotic spice, new leather, red currants nice complexity on the nose, opening up nicely but you can tell this wine needs time to reveal its true potential. An overachiever even in off vintages Olivier showed the 1981 at the Great Wine Seminar Last year and it really surprised many of the tasters. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
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Quince and exotic spices showing on the nose with vanilla bean notes white grapefruit and pineapple citrus. Wonderful concentration and richness on the palate with layers of melon and grapefruit citrus texture of whole milk with a distinct minerality and wonderful balance through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Château de Fieuzal Rouge
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Dark cherry fruit, toasty oak spice, coffee, espresso like dark earth, damp with fine herbs. Another very ripe wine with tannins like melted chocolate very big but still has elegance. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château de Fieuzal Blanc
Price: $69 Sale $60.72
Vanilla bean spice quince, grapefruit citrus and pretty floral nuance along with a chalky mineral notes. Fresh grapefruit with lovely freshness and a nice zesty finish. Finish 40+ Excellent +
Château Haut Bailly
Price: $240 Sale $211.20
Some barnyard and herbal notes to the red plum and currant berry fruit hints of dark chocolate. Very good concentration and depth of flavors on the tongue with ripe round tannins velvety texture like melted chocolate on the finish very long and with great concentration and depth of flavors. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Chateau Haut Bergey Rouge
Price: $55.50 Sale $48.84
Fresh earth and herbal notes to the red plum and cherry berry fruit, very pretty, classic Pessac, gravelly minerality. Smooth and silky texture on the tongue with lots of tannins but a balanced and forward style with nice spice on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Haut Bergey Blanc
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A slight musky note to the ripe melon and fig like fruit pretty bouquet. Lush ripe quince and grapefruit citrus with a tangy finish rich bit very well balanced. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château La Louvière
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Coffee, light earth, toasty oak with earthy nuance to the red currant like fruit to the nose. On the palate this wine is light and elegantly fashioned on the tongue with a gravelly mineral note to the finish. Finish 40+ Very Good.
Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion Pessac Leognan
Price: $48 Sale $42.24
Toffee and sweet herbs to the nose with notes of fresh earth to the cherry and plum like fruit. An old world fashioned wine with a good bit of that herbal nuance showing through the finish along with some green herbs and light tobacco spice. Finish 40 + Excellent
Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc Pessac Leognan
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Light briny nuance to the white grapefruit along with a musky note. Ripe pineapple and melon fruit to the palate, sweet juicy fruit and although there is nice freshness on the finish, seems just a bit on the fruity side. Finish 45+ Excellent
Château La Tour Martillac
Price: $52.50 Sale $46.20
Fresh earth, toffee, floral notes and toasty oak spice to the black cherry and cassis like fruit on the nose. Very ripe tannins, smooth and round but very well built Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château La Tour Martillac Blanc
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Pineapple and white grapefruit citrus along with melon and fresh floral notes on the nose. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Rouge
Price: $100.50 Sale $88.44
Fine herbs, toasty oak spice and fresh plowed earth, the holy trinity of Bordeaux like qualities showing nicely in the bouquet with a good amount of black cherry and currant berry fruit, espresso notes on the nose. Lovely richness on the palate, ripe tannins with nice concentration and depth of flavors through the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Blanc
Price: $120 Sale $105.60
Honeydew melon and green apple fruit on the nose with hints of vanilla spice and white flowers on the nose. Very forward with lots of ripe melon fruit on the tongue and hints of that vanilla spice on the finish, a very charming and forward wine. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Olivier Rouge
Price: $49.50 Sale $43.56
A strong herbal note to the black cherry fruit along with suggestions of black earth, fairly complex on the nose. Nice richness on the palate with notes of black cherry, currant berry fruit with a very ripe and almost sundried quality has a nice spice on the finish, fruity but still balanced. Finish 45+ Excellent
Château Olivier Blanc
Price: $57 Sale $50.16
Melon rind and a slight musty note to the bouquet a nice amount of ripe fruit to the nose with hints of white flowers. Fruit forward wine with a nice freshness and zest to the finish along with gravelly mineral nuance. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Pape Clement Rouge
Price: $245 Sale $215.16
This property has put forth and effort that is worthy of wine of the vintage over the last decade Bernard Magrez the owner is one of the most motivated owners in terms of making the best wine possible. A very concentrated bouquet of dark spices, cassis berry fruit dark cherry liqueur, espresso very well endowed bouquet. Big and chewy on the tongue with a full array of decadent spice along with robust fruit with a ripe but still balanced approach this wine just seemed to have twice the level of richness than all the other wines from this appellation. If that is a reason to reward this wine I think that along with that it is the biggest and most balanced wine from Pessac this wine is another blockbuster and one of the top wine from this vintage at this tasting. Finish 50+ KILLER
Château Pape Clement Blanc
Price: $258 Sale $227.04
Light flinty note to the bouquet with ripe honeydew melon and fig like fruit very ripe and concentrated and rich but also has an array of mineral components to the nose as well very complex. On the palate this wine has an incredible level of nuance and is concentrated and rich but has multiple layers of fruit, but also has a firm underbelly of acidity leading into a long finish that echoes the nuance from the nose through the finish. Finish 50+ KILLER!
Château Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge
Price: $210 Sale $185
Always one of the standout wines of Pessac, this wine has a rich and decadent bouquet of cassis and black cherry liqueur like fruit, toasty oak spice fresh earth, espresso, a very complex bouquet. One of the top wines of the show, this appellation really shined in 2009 but just a shade behind the Pape Clement for me. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
Price: $147 Sale $129.36
Quince and pink grapefruit citrus with melon rind and a slight musky note to the nose very complex with a slight salted butter note. Wow, this wine has lovely richness on the tongue with gorgeous forward fruit and a long intense finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Margaux
The wines of Margaux tend to be a bit more forward and drinkable that those of the other major appellations of the northern Medoc, this could be due to their higher percentage of Merlot in the bland or their southern location but either way these wines showed a very approachable nature and were some of the more drinkable choices for this tasting.
Chateau Angludet
Dried tobacco, dark coco, coffee, and earthy notes to the currant and cherry berry fruit very forward and seductive. This appellation always has a more forward and seductive style this wine is elegant with notes of fresh earth very drinkable with good freshness and balance with notes of mineral and tobacco spice on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Brane Cantenac
Price: $115.5 Sale $101.64
Coffee, tobacco, fresh earth, lots of toasty oak spice notes to the red currant and cassis berry fruit on the nose. Very charming and drinkable on the palate, the tannins very ripe and round with excellent concentration and a host of the earth and spice notes showing up again on the finish. Very drinkable today but has everything in proportion leading you to believe this wine will last decades in your cellar but as with many of the other 2009’s they are hard to resist right now! Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Cantenac Brown
List $130.5 Sale $114.84
Black cherry and fresh black earth, soy and exotic spices on the nose, excellent concentration and depth of aromas on the bouquet. Lovely spice on the palate with ripe drinkable tannins and balanced freshness on the finish along with a nice hand of spice, a very drinkable style. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Desmirail
Light coffee and gravelly mineral note, fresh earth to the red currant plump ripe berry fruit on the nose. Plump ripe currant berry fruit on the tongue with notes of fresh earth and spice on the finish, lovely balance and length. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château du Tertre
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Sweet red plum and cherry fruit on the nose with tobacco spice and milk chocolate like aromas lifting from the glass. Decadent on the palate with very ripe tannins, smooth and velvety on the tongue with layers of fruit, toasty oak concentrated and rich but still nicely balanced. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Durfort Vivens
Price: $64.50 Sale $56.76
Not available to taste but available to buy...
Chateau Ferriere
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A very unique bouquet of coffee and animal like notes fresh earth, very old world with dark spices and currant berry fruit. Somewhat light and tangy on the tongue with red berry fruit, a very forward and pleasant wine. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Giscours
Price: $112.50 Sale $99
Smoke dark spices and a good amount of herbs on the nose along with red currant and cherry fruit very forward and seductive wine. Ripe plush fruit on the tongue with a sweet ripe character notes of milk chocolate on the finish good balance but very forward. Excellent +
Château Kirwan
Price: $93 Sale $81.84
Coffee, toffee and chocolate spicy toasty oak very pretty and also has a plethora of black currant and cassis berry fruit along with a fresh earth/gravelly mineral component, very complex and layered bouquet. A chewy and ripe wine on the tongue like most of these 2009’s very ripe tannins this wine also has a very complex array of toasty oak, fresh earth, tobacco, dark chocolate very complex finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Labegorce
Price: $45 Sale $39.60
Light toffee nuance, herbs and a light smoky character to the red currant and red cherry fruit very seductive bouquet. Soft and round tannins on the tongue with milk chocolate hints to the red cherry berry fruit, very easy to drink with lots of ripe seductive fruit but has lots of everything. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Lascombes
Price: $162 Sale $142.56
Wonderful ripe cassis and currant berry fruit black cherry kirsch, notes of soy, exotic spices sweet tobacco, coffee very complex and nuanced bouquet. Silky smooth on the palate with lots of mouth coating tannins but ripe and very agreeable at this early stage. This wine has taken it up a notch every year for the last decade and has emerged as one of the top wines of Margaux, it has it all but has also brought the price up to ridiculous levels. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Chateau Marquis De Terme
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Dark spice along with cassis, currant berry fruit, sweet tobacco spice and fine herbs on the nose. Smooth red berry fruit on the tongue with nice richness and a nice tangy acidity, slight herbal note to the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent
Chateau Prieur Lichine
Price: $97.50 Sale $85.80
Ripe cherry and currant berry fruit on the nose with highlights of coffee and toasty oaks spice very forward and seductive bouquet. Very ripe and forward on the tongue with hints of spice and although very plum and ripe this wine finishes with savory notes nicely balanced. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Rauzan Gassies
Price: $90 Sale $79.20
Toffee, fine herbs, red currant fruit, classic Margaux bouquet fresh earth but the focus is on the ripe forward fruit here on the nose. Very elegantly fashioned wine with notes of barnyard and toasty oaks spice to the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent
Château Rauzan-Segla
Price: $172.50 Sale $151.80
Light smoky notes, toasty oak and tobacco spice to the red currants and plum fruit very forward and enticing. Smooth and polished on the tongue with hints of raw meat and coco spice on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Pomerol
Pomerol was also one of the standout appellations for me at this tasting, Merlot, Merlot, Merlot is the star here. This was a merlot vintage and the wines of Pomerol were all very impressive with the obvious stars like Clinet and La Conseillante taking top honors but Gazin and Petite Village were equally as good in this ripe forward vintage from Bordeaux. The Gazin won the exotic competition and the Clinet would be my overall winner from this appellation.
Château Clinet
Price: $307.50 Sale $270.60
Toffee and toasty oak very nuanced bouquet with a nice amount of ripe currants and plum like fruit fresh black earth lovely complexity on the nose. Very elegant and stylish like great pomerol with a plush and velvety texture dark plum fresh earth and that coffee, toffee note showing through the finish. Finish 50+ KILLER
Château La Cabanne
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Sweet tobacco spice with red plum and currant berry fruit on the nose with fresh earth notes and milk chocolate very seductive. Soft and smooth on the palate with a nice touch of spice and good length on the finish a very plumy and ripe wine drinking very nicely right now but has enough concentration to last a decade or two in the cellar. Finish 45+ Excellent
Château La Conseillante
Price: $394.50 Sale $347.16
Sweet cherry and currant berry fruit on the nose very pretty with notes of toffee, tobacco spice and chocolate very complex array of aromas. This is sexy juice it appears to be light on the tongue but the flavors that come out of this wine as it opens are amazing and last quite long on your palate. It is a wine that requires a bit of thought but is of stunning quality and complexity La Conseillante is one of my favorite Pomerols because of its unique and subtle nature. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Château Gazin
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A bit funky on the nose with a toasted marsh mellow quality that was very different from the rest of the wines from Pomerol. Sundried cherry and red plum jelly fruit on the nose with a good amount of coffee and brown spices . One the palate this wine is fat with an almost sundried quality to the fruit dark spice, a velvety texture and hints of cola and that toasted marsh mellow nuance through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Petit Village
Price: $130.50 Sale $114.84
Lots of fresh earth showing on the nose with notes of fine herbs, dark chocolate spiced tobacco a very complex bouquet, red currants and plum like fruit very rich and with a long finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Chateau La Pointe
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Sweet herbs and tobacco spice with ripe plum and currant berry fruit along with a chalky earthy nuance milk chocolate very forward and seductive on the palate with ripe round tannins and lovely balance along with this ripeness. Finish 45+ Excellent +
St. Emilion Grand Cru
This appellation really stood out for me and the Merlot based wines seemed to have faired very well all over Bordeaux in 2009.
Château Beau-Sejour Becot
Price: $132 Sale $116.16
Gorgeous fruit on the nose ripe red cherry and red plum very seductive with light tobacco spice and suggestions of fresh earth, good complexity on the nose. Smooth and silky on the tongue with lots of ripe delicious fruit along with a healthy dose of acidity on the finish, the tannins here very ripe making this wine drinkable today but this has the structure to last a decade or two in your cellar easily. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Berliquet
Price: $49.5 Sale $43.56
Milk chocolate highlights to the sweet plum and currant berry fruit with a touch of raw meat nice complexity on the nose. Smooth and polished on the tongue with a very forward and precocious nature, ripe but balanced with notes of dark chocolate and fresh earth on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Canon
Price $235.5 Sale $207.24
Bright red cherry and plum fruit with a pretty floral note to the nose very seductive. Smooth and velvety on the palate very smooth, there are tannins but very ripe and charming this wine has some fresh earth and mineral notes on the finish leaving the palate fresh with a long finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Canon La Gaffeliere
Price: $162 Sale $142.56
A very distinct truffle fresh earthy note with coffee and exotic spices on the nose very rich with cherry and plum like fruit and excellent structure and depth of flavors on the tongue. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Clos Fourtet
Price: $183 Sale $161
This is one of the premier houses in St. Emilion and very few people outside of the Bordeaux cognizant have ever heard of Clos Fourtet. Sweet cherry and plum fruit on the nose with toffee and a raw meat like quality to the bouquet. Concentrated and rich on the tongue with a long finish echoing the toffee and coco spice from the nose through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Dassault
Price: $52.50 Sale $46.20
Bright red cherry fruit, tobacco spice and some fresh earth mineral like nuance, new leather. Smooth and polished on the tongue with fine chalky tannins and nicely balanced plump ripe fruit with coco and mineral notes through the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Figeac
Price: $420 Sale $369.60
Some nice cigar box spice on the nose along with some fresh earth and a slight medicinal note, red cherry and plum like fruit. Tangy red cherry fruit on the tongue with notes of tobacco spice and a gravelly mineral nuance to the finish, very decadent. Finish 50+ Excellent +
Château Grand Mayne
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Spiced tobacco and red plum fruit on the nose with a very warm and ripe nature to the bouquet the cherry and plum fruit being the highlight here but despite the richness and concentration there is still balance and freshness at the finish along with notes of coco and fresh herbs on the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château La Couspaude
Price: $90 Sale $79.20
Coffee toffee notes to the nose with black spice and black plum and dark cherry notes to the nose with firm tannins on the tongue but ripe and forward but with good grip this wine is a bit dry at the finish but the tannins are still managed by the fruit dark coco and spice through the finish. Finish 50+ Excellent +
Château La Dominique
Price: $90 Sale $79.20
Dried tobacco, cigar box spice on the nose with notes of coffee to the rich red currant and plum like fruit on the nose. This wine is the epitome of great St. Emilion today with a rich and plumy feel on the tongue along with dark, coco, bittersweet coco and layers of spice and mineral through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château La Gaffeliere
Price: $162 Sale $142.56
Not available to tasting but available…
Château Larcis Ducasse
Price: $105 Sale $92.40
A fresh and gravelly note to the red currant berry fruit a nice spice and mineral/fresh earth nuance to the nose. Silky smooth on the tongue with lovely concentration and depth of fruit flavors like velvet on the tongue. Concentrated and rich on the tongue, a real blockbuster style with some dry tannins showing up at the end. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Larmande
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Fresh earth and fine herbs with sweet cherry fruit plum and milk chocolate. Smooth and polished on the tongue with fine tannins another very ripe and forward wine that has balance and although finishes a bit dry this wine is still balanced but a bit dry at the end. Finish 40+ Very Good +
Château Pavie Macquin
Price: $157.50 Sale $138.60
Exotic floral and coffee/toffee spice to the currant and plum fruit, very ripe and seductive this is another one of the blockbuster wines of Saint Emilion in 2009. This wine is very well built with ripe plum and currant berry fruit showing a very forward and drinkable style that begs to be consumed today but is built to last for decades in your cellar- don’t underestimate Merlot based wines they can last for just as long as Cabernet!
Château Troplong Mondot
Price: $262.50 Sale $231
Wow this wine has an incredible array of aromas in the bouquet with a slight earthy musty note to the nose but plenty of currants, cassis and a rich plumy fruit very decadent opening up in just a few moments of swirling in the glass. Wow! Lots of everything on the palate with rich and ripe plum and dark cherry fruit, dark chocolate and layers of fruit that seems to go on and on for minute. This was one of the best wines of the day for me- the first KILLER wine sighting of the night!!!
Chateau Soutard
Price: $75 Sale $66
Pretty tobacco spice and fresh plowed earth, new leather ripe plum and sweet cherry pie like fruit on the nose. Smooth and silky on the palate a trait of this 2009 vintage very forward and ripe style with a long finish balanced and fresh- this wine should last a very long time. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Troplong Mondot
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Spiced plum and again a toffee coffee like note to the nose a character that seemed common to many of the Pomerols in this tasting this wine also had notes of fine herbs. One the tongue this wine is silky smooth with velvety tannins and a good amount of fresh earth and tobacco spice on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Haut Médoc
Château Belgrave
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Black cherry and plum like fruit, a ripe and forward wine with sweet tobacco spice and hints of black earth. Fruit forward wine on the tongue with ripe and round tannins notes of coco and spice on the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Cantemerle
List $57 Sale $50.16
Fine herbs, pencil lead, coffee notes to the currant and cassis berry fruit on the nose. Smooth and ripe cherry and currant berry fruit on the tongue with good structure forward but still fresh at the end with hints of tobacco spice and fresh earth on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Citran
Red cherry and red plum like fruit on the nose with floral nuance light tobacco spice and milk chocolate. Smooth and polished on the tongue a very drinkable wine with lots of delicious fruit and light spice and coco notes on the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Coufran
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A bit light on the nose almost like a burgundy, with some herbs and tobacco and dried plum like fruit. Light Currant and plum like fruit on the tongue with a bit of a sundried character to the fruit on the finish, some dry tannins showing on the finish. Finish 35+
Camensac
Sweet black plum and currant berry fruit very ripe but has hints of fresh earth and coffee notes. A very ripe and forward wine with smooth tannins a bit of a sundried character to the fruit here but nicely balanced. Finish 35+ Very Good
Château La Lagune
Price: $97.50 Sale $85.80
Dark plum and currant berry fruit on the nose with sweet tobacco spice, new leather nice complexity on the nose. Smooth and silky on the palate with ripe and round tannins, sweet herbs and spice on the finish with earthy notes and dark coco spice. Finish 45+ Excellent
Chateau La Tour Carnet
Spiced red currant and cherry fruit on the nose with notes of fresh earth and toasty oak spice. Ripe and smooth on the tongue with nice richness but also has elegance and freshness on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Moulis en Médoc
Château Chasse Spleen
Price: $63 Sale $55.44
Spiced tobacco and herbal notes to the red currant and plum like fruit on the nose, very forward and seductive. Fine tannins, a bit dry at the end but has lots of fruit here to match and some gravelly mineral notes to the finish. 40+ Very Good +
Chateau Maucaillou
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Red plum, tobacco spice, fresh earth, coffee, fine herbs and gravelly note, a fairly complex bouquet. Smooth and velvety tannins on the tongue nice depth of flavors with everything in proportion here. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Poujeaux
Price: $46.50 Sale $40.92
A distinctly herbal nuance to the red cherry and currant berry fruit on the nose hints of coffee and fresh earth. A very forward and drinkable wine with good concentration and depth of flavors, notes of toasty oak spice, dark coco on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent
Listrac Médoc
Château Clarke
Price :$36 Sale $31.68
Red cherry and floral nuance to the very forward and seductive bouquet, hints of raw steak. Tangy red berry fruit on the tongue with ripe cherry and currant berry fruit and nice freshness on the finish. Finish 40+ Very Good +
Médoc
Château Greysac
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Red cherry and plum like fruit on the nose with hints of fresh earth and light tobacco spice. Very drinkable style with smooth tannins, hints of dark coco and spice through the finish. Finish 30+ Good+
Château La Tour de By
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Light earth and herbal notes to the red currant. Light berry fruit on the tongue with notes of spice and a short but pleasant finish. Finish 30+ Very Good
St. Estephe
This was a very strong appellation with several Most Excellent wines. The wines of his appellation tend to be a bit austere in their youth but with this ripe and fruit forward year these wines seemed to have a lot to offer even at this early stage in their evolution. I was most impressed with the Phelan Segur this wine is one of the best bang for your buck wines from St. Estephe at this event. It would have been nice to see the Cos’D’Estournel but at over $300 per bottle, I don’t know if I have any customers for this wine at this price.
Château Cos Labory
Price: $57 Sale $50.16
Red cherry, fresh floral notes and gravelly mineral notes, this wine has lots of ripe fruit here on the nose very forward and seductive with an array of aromas lifting from the glass. Sweet ripe fruit on the tongue with layers of ripe tannins and sweet tobacco spice and toasty oaks nuance, very complex and long finish, forward but drinking nicely for such a young St. Estephe. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Chateau de Pez
Light coffee and herbs with gravely mineral nuance to the red currant and plum like fruit. Smooth and polished on the tongue with layers of spice and earth to the ripe berry fruit. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Lafon Rochet
Price: $78 Sale $68.64
A beautiful bouquet of coffee, espresso and fresh gravelly mineral, earthy notes to the currant and cherry fruit on the nose, very complex and nuanced bouquet. Loaded with ripe berry fruit and lots of ripe tannins here with a long and complex finish forward but has excellent structure and depth of flavors through the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
Château Ormes De Pez
Price: $55.50 Sale $48.84
Floral notes and tobacco spice to the red currant berry fruit, light smoky toasty oak notes to the nose. A good amount of ripe tannins on the tongue sweet berry fruit and nice freshness through the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Phelan Segur
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Beautiful bouquet here on the nose with coffee and an array of toasted oak spice nuance to the dark cherry and currant berry fruit very well endowed bouquet. Lots of ripe and delicious fruit on the tongue this wine is so good right now even though there are a ton of tannins they are almost like melted chocolate on your tongue, very long and elegant with layers of fruit, spice and some fresh earth minerality showing through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
St. Julien
This was a very forward appellation with the Beychevelle seeming to be more like a California Cabernet Sauvignon than a Bordeaux and the Leoville Barton taking top honors for this vintage on this day.
Château Beychevelle
Price $165 Sale $145.2
Very ripe and forward black cherry and currant berry fruit with lots of toasty oak spice very new world on the nose. Smooth and round tannins showing on the palate very drinkable style lots of chocolate and toasty oak spice and drinkable right now I would not pick this as Bordeaux in a blind tasting but it is excellent. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Branaire Ducru
Price: $117 Sale $102.96
A very nuanced bouquet of fine herbs coffee and fresh earth very classic St. Julien with ripe red currants, cherry and a touch of a raw meat like aroma. Soft and elegant on the tongue with a very forward and appealing wine but with lovely balance and fresh on the finish with tannins like melted chocolate with notes of that nuance in the nose through the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Gloria
Price: $63 Sale $55.44
Coffee, toffee, toasty oak with cassis and currant berry fruit very fruity bouquet. Ripe and delicious currant berry fruit on the tongue with smooth tannins and lovely balance, seamless integration of toasty oak spice and excellent length on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Gruaud Larose
Price: $135 Sale $118.80
Ground coffee, pencil lead, fresh earth, herbs and dark coco notes to the cherry and currant berry fruit on the nose good concentration and depth of aromas. Very well built on the palate with dense ripe fruit and very ripe tannins, this wine is drinking very nicely right now but like the best wines of this vintage it also has excellent freshness and can last decades in your cellar. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Lagrange
Price: $103.50 Sale $91.08
A good amount of toasty oak spice and coffee notes to the nose along with currant berry fruit, nice complexity. Very forward and pleasing immediately on the palate with excellent length on the finish, tobacco spice and coco notes. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Langoa Barton
A lot of spice on the nose, tobacco and fresh plowed earth nuance to the currant and cherry fruit on the nose. Silky smooth tannins on the finish very ripe and drinkable with the minerality showing in the finish notes of pencil lead very well built with a long finish but very ripe and forward for such a young wine. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Chateau Leoville Barton
Red licorice spice, sweet tobacco notes to the red plum and currant berry fruit on the nose. Very rich and elegant, quite fruity with a long finish highlighted with fresh earth and graphite like mineral notes. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Leoville Poyferre
Price: $285 Sale $250.80
This wine is very nuanced on the nose with sweet tobacco spice, currants and black cherry espresso notes. Very rich and layered on the palate with lots of ripe fruit, toasty oak spice, dark chocolate, espresso and lots of ripe chewy tannins making this wine approachable now but this is a wine built for cellaring. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Chateau Saint Pierre
Price: $127.50 Sale $112.20
This used to be the best value in Saint Julien and with the prices on everything else at this quality level going up also, it is still one of the most reasonably priced of all the great wines from this appellation. Lots of coffee and fine herbs showing through the ripe currant and cherry fruit on the nose. Big and fruity wine on the palate with ripe delicious fruit and ripe round tannins, a big wine but very forward and drinkable notes of toffee and coffee on the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
Château Talbot
Price: $96 Sale $84.48
Always an understated wine with soft notes of tobacco and coffee nuance to the currant and cassis berry fruit. Smooth and silky on the tongue with an elegant approach to the finish notes of fine herbs and light oak spice on the finish, nicely balance finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Pauillac
The Pauillac appellation showed its Cabernet Sauvignon and the wines were not quite as forward and appealing as the rest of the bunch but still had the classic ripe tannins that define this vintage.
Château Batailley
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Light gravelly mineral notes along with coffee to the red currant berry fruit. Soft and elegant on the tongue not a big wine but has balance and has typical Bordeaux earthiness and a fresh finish with a very fruity forward approach. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Clerc Milon
Price: $97.50 Sale $85.80
A classic Bordeaux bouquet of espresso, fresh herbs, soy and currant berry fruit, nice intensity of aromas. A big wine on the palate with lots of forward fruit smooth velvety tannins, echoing the earth and spice from the nose through the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Chateau Croizet Bages
Price: $57 Sale $50.16
Pencil lead and fresh earth notes to the red cherry and currant berry fruit on the nose fine herbs, nice complexity on the nose. Smooth and polished on the tongue with a good deal of ripe round tannins and excellent freshness for a forward style with notes of minerality showing through the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château d’Armailhac
List $75 Sale $66
Fresh herbs on the nose with red currant berry fruit and dark coco spice. A very forward wine with ripe tannins but lots of tannins and nicely balanced ripe currant and cassis berry fruit, very well built with notes of spice and showing on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Grand Puy Ducasse
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Excellent +
Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste
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A bit herbal on the nose with cassis and pencil lead note showing fresh earth and spiced tobacco also. A big and quite elegantly fashioned wine on the palate with lots of everything, fruit, ripe tannins and an earthy underbrush quality on the finish turning a bit dry at the end. Finish 45+ Excellent +
Château Haut Bages Liberal
Price: $67.50 Sale $59.40
Dried tobacco spice and fine herbs light smoke quality to the plum and cherry fruit on the nose. A light and easy drinking style of Pauillac with good freshness and a savory note to the finish, very balanced and very drinkable also. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château Lynch Bages
Price: $285 Sale $250.80
Toasty oak spice, fine herbs and fresh earth surrounding the currant and cherry fruit with espresso and coco spice. A big wine with lots of everything well built with layers of ripe fruit, fresh earth, a very balanced wine with ripe tannins but also a nice firm hand of acidity holding everything in place with a long complex finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Château Lynch-Moussas
Price: $57 Sale $50.16
Ripe currant and cassis berry fruit with light smoke, tobacco spice and herbal notes to the nose. A light and elegant texture on the tongue with gravelly mineral notes to the finish, a very drinkable style. Finish 45+ Excellent
Château Pichon Baron
Price: $270 Sale $237.60
Wow incredible concentration and depth of aromas, cassis and currant berry fruit with a host of toasty oak spice, coffee, dark coco and sweet tobacco spice. On the palate it takes over with ripe succulent fruit, lots of toasty oak spice and incredible depth of flavors through the finish, very layered and a huge wine but still quite fresh at the end. Finish 50+ KILLER!
Château Pichon Lalande
Price: $330 Sale $290.40
Light tobacco spice to the red currant and cherry fruit on the nose very nuanced with coffee and toasty oak spice. A very elegant and complex wine on the palate with a very classic structure, ripe round tannins along with excellent freshness and a seemingly endless finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
Château Pontet Canet
Price: $271.50 Sale $238.92
Sauternes et Barsac
This vintage was apparently successful in all the major appellations of Bordeaux including Sauternes where it focuses on, yes you guessed it the sweeter more fruit forward nature of this wine, very rich and decadent but some of the wines are lacking a bit of freshness and this would lend to drinking them on the younger side for the most part. The best wines on the table here were Climens, La Tour Blanche and Lafaurie-Peyraguey.
Château Bastor Lamontagne
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Crème caramel, pineapple candy and notes of coconut on the nose very tropical bouquet. A very sweet wine on the tongue with layers of fruit and some refreshing acidity coming in at the finish but a bit more sweet than sour. Finish 35+ Very Good +
Château Climens
Price: $187.50 Sale $165
Toasty coconut and flan like notes to the candied pineapple and quince fruit, vanilla crème very rich and decadent bouquet. Wow a very ripe and tropical wine on the palate with a lovely creamy texture on the tongue and multiple layers of luscious fruit and finishing with excellent freshness and one of the best balanced wines in the Sauternes section. Most Excellent
Château Coutet
Price: $126 Sale $111
Lemon blossom floral notes to the white peach and pineapple citrus fruit on the nose. Rich and layered on the tongue with a texture of light crème and hints of vanilla bean spice and mineral notes keeping things fresh on the finish, Coutet is always a bit more reserved when young. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château de Fargues
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Crème caramel and pineapple candy like fruit on the nose with a hint of vanilla spice. Has lovely richness and complexity with good freshness on the finish, nice balance. Finish 40+ Excellent +
Château Doisy Daene
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Always one of the top wines of the vintage this wine had lovely pine apple and white peach fruit on the nose with pretty floral notes and vanilla spice. Good freshness and balance on the palate with a fresh finish even though it is very sweet. Finish 40+ Excellent +
Château Guiraud
Price: $88.50 Sale $77.88
Pineapple and vanilla bean spice on the nose with some pretty floral notes. The nose on all of these wines is very enticing as well as the level of sugar and not a lot of honey to these wines. This wine has good balance and freshness on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
Château La Tour Blanche
Price: $105 Sale $92.
