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Chateau Margaux,
Ready, but will keep,
Paul Pontallier stated proudly that this wine was the best Pavillon he’s ever made. It is certainly a very fine second wine with deep, intense blackcurrant on the nose mingling with oak spice and a massive level of very ripe tannins. The density and concentration of fruit on the palate was clear, resulting in a very succulent wine with a long savoury finish to boot.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild,
Ready, but will keep,
With its ripe, intense blackcurrant nose and succulent palate, Le Petit Mouton is a great example of the exceptional quality of the second wines of the grands châteaux in 2009. This is rich and delicious with very juicy fruit and ripe tannins leading to a complex, savoury finish. This will be wonderful to drink in a few year’s time whilst waiting for the Grand Vin to mature.
Chateau Latour,
Ready, but will improve,
Tasting 2009 Les Forts de Latour was a truly exciting moment. The wine was so fantastic that we honestly wondered how on earth the Grand Vin could beat it. We were soon put right on that front - however that should not detract from the fact that Les Forts is a brilliant wine in 2009. It has a very, very complex nose with ultra-concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruit mingling with darker, more brooding earthy notes. Glorious fruit follows on the palate and the massive level of high, ripe tannins just seem to melt on the tongue. Not quite as ethereal as the Grand Vin, but this really isn’t far off; a fabulous second wine.
Ready, but will improve,
Chateau Haut-Brion,
For laying down,
Ch. Haut-Brion has yet gain produced a fabulous wine in 2009. With subtle red fruit aromas mingling with bramble fruits on the expressive palate, this is powerful stuff with ripe, firm tannins, glorious depth and resounding flavours. This is the masculine counterpart to the silky femininity of La Mission, and as such will require a few more years before its brooding power is clear for all to see.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild,
For laying down,
There is an almost raspberry hint to the nose of the 2009 Lafite; just a suggestion of the elegance to come. Make no mistake; this is sublime. Rich damson and blackberry fruits merge beautifully on the palate with silky, cashmere tannins that glide over the tongue and then are gone. An ethereal perfume rests in the mouth after the long finish, almost as if one is breathing the wine. Absolutely harmonious, this is a magical wine.
Chateau Margaux,
For laying down,
This was the first First Growth on the Left Bank we tasted in 2009 and it was magnificent. With an intense, lifted, floral perfume and a succulent palate of mulberries, blackcurrant and fruitcake spice this is massively concentrated whilst somehow managing to feel very understated. The tannins are of the highest level ever recorded at Margaux but skip lightly across the palate and then just melt away. With its elegant minerality, sweet ripe fruit and extraordinary length, this is a truly lovely wine.
Chateau Latour,
For laying down,
Perfect. Simply perfect... I contemplated just leaving my note as just that as I really don’t know how to describe this astonishing wine beyond that. The balance between power and finesse, the hugely concentrated black/red juice, the ridiculously fine-textured tannins and the astonishing length totally took my breath away. This is now the finest wine I have ever tasted En Primeur and does eclipse its fabulous 2005. Pure. Precise. Perfect.
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Chateau Leoville Poyferre,
For laying down,
Tasting at Ch. Léoville Poyferré was one of our ‘wine moments’ of the 2009 en primeur week. It is, quite simply, astonishing. Very perfumed, with a delicious, juicy density on the palate, this has layer upon layer of gorgeous fruit (blackberries freshly picked from the hedge) with a wonderful, gravel minerality and earthy complexity. Supple, ripe tannins melt on the palate and the length is incredible. This is one of the most exciting wines of its level in 2009; an absolute must-buy.
Chateau Pontet-Canet,
For laying down,
We first tasted 2009 Ch. Pontet Canet at a négociant’s during the Bordeaux en primeur tastings, and then we tried it again later that week at the château. In both cases, it was utterly, utterly brilliant. The nose is wonderfully pure, elegant yet ultra-concentrated whilst gorgeous, blackcurrant fruit dominates the lush-textured palate. Layers of complexity ripple across the tongue whilst the deliciously ripe tannins are present, and then melt away. This is very focused, very precise and superbly refined but with great power. Almost level with the seamless, harmonious wine that was 2005, this is near-First Growth standard. This is one of the true stars of 2009: Pontet is back!
Chateau Gruaud Larose,
Ready, but will keep,
With intense red and black fruit on the nose, the 2009 Sarget de Gruaud Larose is very enticing indeed with a lovely supple, smooth texture, deliciously juicy fruit on the palate and very fresh acidity. Beautifully ripe and very round, this displays an almost exotic spice character on the long, rewarding finish.
Chateau Leoville Barton,
For laying down,
Once again a deep, dense wine, Ch. Léoville Barton’s 2009 massively concentrated with dark, hedgerow fruit and ripe, but refreshingly firm tannins. An earthy complexity and savoury hint of oak mingle with the fruit on the palate. This will be a wine to keep for many a long year but it will be well worth the wait.
Chateau Lynch-Bages,
For laying down,
With its dramatic nose of such intense black, black fruit, this is a Cabernet cluster bomb! With super-fine, seamless tannins, and a rich, sumptuous mouth, this is concentrated without being pushed, and makes you feel like you are in super second territory this year. Vastly superior to its 2005 and even surpassing its heavenly 2006, 2009 is a cellar must-have.
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Chateau Pichon Baron,
For laying down,
The 2009 Pichon-Baron just exudes gorgeous ripe, damson and mulberry fruit which blends seamlessly with the fantastic silky, supple, fine-grained tannins. The wonderful thing about this wine is its sense of coolness, incredible given that the blend comprises 33% Merlot which was often very hot in 2009 (the remainder being 67% Cabernet Sauvignon). Christian Seely attributes this to the wonderful terroir of the best Merlot plots around the château, the ones right next to Ch. Latour. This is elegance personified; a truly great wine.
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste,
For laying down,
Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste is an exceptional wine in 2009. Elegant, concentrated yet fresh, this has a delicious basket of red and black fruit flavours and wonderful mineral precision. Sweet ripe tannins and a long, persistent savoury finish dominate the palate. Absolutely charming, this could be one of the best buys of the vintage. Sensational.
Simon Staples, Sales & Marketing Director
Simon Staples, Sales & Marketing Director
Chateau Montrose,
For laying down,
Ch. Montrose’s 2009 exudes intense black fruit aromas whilst the palate is a concentrated ball of dark blackcurrants, mingling with an earthy complexity and wet stone minerality. The fruit is very ripe here but nonetheless there is a beautiful sense of coolness about the wine in comparison to other communes. Very complex, this has a massively high level of incredibly fine tannins that are certainly initially present on the tongue and then, like a will o' the wisp, just disappear, leaving a dark perfume lingering on the palate .
Chateau Leoville Poyferre,
Ready, but will keep,
With masses of dense blackcurrants mingling with a violet perfume on the nose, this is a succulent, powerful wine yet with a perfectly counterbalancing freshness from its 65% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 28% Merlot adds the plush texture whilst 7% Petit Verdot gives a darker, brooding, spicy note. 30% of the superb Grand Vin (Léoville-Poyferré) fruit went into the Moulin Riche in 2009, and the influence on its quality is evident.
Chateau Cantenac Brown,
Ready, but will improve,
It's been a while since we were impressed by Ch. Cantenac Brown. To be honest, I can't remember ever doing back flips over any vintage from this majestic looking château. However we were all stunned into silence when we tasted the 2009. With a 'surprisingly Margaux' perfume and delicious, juicy concentration on the palate, this is a pure and charming wine. Supple tannins melt on the smooth, polished palate which is completed by a lovely, fresh finish. Blind, I would definitely place it firmly in its 3rd Growth status this year. Very impressive indeed.
Simon Staples, Sales & Marketing Director
Ready, but will keep,
2009 Ch. Villa Belair is a rich, smooth and very concentrated wine which bursts with blackcurrant and red plum fruit. Its velvet texture suggests that this will be an utterly delicious drinking wine in a few years' time, and given that this is likely to be one of the most inexpensive wines of the vintage, it is an excellent value buy.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild,
For laying down,
This has totally amazing concentration on the nose. Spicy, warm and decadent blackcurrant aromas award this the "green jacket" for most seductive nose of the week. It has a beguiling richness and weight in the mouth which is almost viscous but not even vaguely cloying. Sensational in everyway this château is just going from strength to strength, and this fabulous wine could easily surpass their recent triumphs (2008/2006/2005) and even the legends of the past (1945/1959/1961). Multilayered, magnificent, Mouton!
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
Chateau Lynch-Bages,
Ready, but will keep,
Very juicy, yet very structured, the 2009 Echo is succulent and pure with dark cassis fruit and some earthy complexity. Very fresh, this is still hiding its power, suggesting it will need a few years to truly shine. As ever though, the attention to detail of the team at Lynch Bages is clear; this is a wine of quality.
Cos d'Estournel,
For laying down,
Cos Estournel 2009 is truly remarkable. The USS Enterprise-like, state-of-the-art winery Jean-Guillaume Prats has installed over the last few years, combined with the incredible, meticulous sorting he has done in the vineyard and the astounding 2009 vintage itself, has culminated in this astonishing wine.
I have been lucky enough to try this wine four times this year and I have never tasted anything quite like this in 22 years of tasting Bordeaux. Massively concentrated, but not in an over-extracted fashion, you can feel that feel; every centilitre has been lovingly nurtured from the vine to the glass.
It's high in alcohol and tannins but they are integrated into its total balanced enormity. I'm pretty sure this will taste full-bodied, decadent and voluptuous from when its bottled and possibly for another 50/60 years. Also, I bet the farm that this will be THE most talked and controversial wine of the vintage.
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
I have been lucky enough to try this wine four times this year and I have never tasted anything quite like this in 22 years of tasting Bordeaux. Massively concentrated, but not in an over-extracted fashion, you can feel that feel; every centilitre has been lovingly nurtured from the vine to the glass.
It's high in alcohol and tannins but they are integrated into its total balanced enormity. I'm pretty sure this will taste full-bodied, decadent and voluptuous from when its bottled and possibly for another 50/60 years. Also, I bet the farm that this will be THE most talked and controversial wine of the vintage.
Simon Staples, BBR Sales & Marketing Director
There is an abundance of ripe, plummy fruit, with an Asian influence in the form of star anise and nori on the nose. There are some spicy notes as well – this is aged in new oak but it is completely integrated. There’s rich fruit on the palate, with structured but ripe tannins and a long finish. One for the cellar definitely, but this is a worthy rival for some of the great Médoc estates at a fraction of the price. Excellent. Drink now to 2025.