2009 White Bordeaux
Learn more about 2009 White Bordeaux
The dry whites generally thrive in cooler years, and, sure enough, the warm, dry summer has blunted their attractiveness in 2009. Fruit is very ripe, but with acidities low the wines are plump, generous, exotic and full, but it is doubtful if they will make old bones, with one or two notable exceptions in Pessac-Léognan, Domaine de Chevalier and La Mission Haut Brion for which the vintage rating is considered to be closer to 8/10.
For all their initial appeal they lack the fresh, zingy crispness which characterises them in an exceptional vintage such as 2007. The sweet whites are a different kettle of fish; I must confess to having tasted very few, and greater authorities than I have proclaimed this to be an exceptional Sauternes vintage.
The style amongst those I have tasted leans more towards a complex, fresher kind of wine, rather than the opulent, massive sweetness of vintages such as 1990 or 2003. Certainly conditions for the development of noble rot were ideal, and we need to take a more in-depth look at the Sauternes wines to form a more comprehensive opinion of their merits.
Alun Griffiths MW, BBR Wine Director (12.04.2010)
Read further reports on the vintage:
Prices:
Case price (Asx12 btl 1 x 900cl)
Asx12 btl 1 x 900cl 50cs
AS x24 hf 1 x 900cl 2cs
Asx12 btl 1 x 900cl 1cs
AS x24 hf 1 x 900cl 1cs
Asx12 btl 1 x 900cl 1cs
H/Bottle 1 x 37.5cl 1cs
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 1cs
The aromatics display pure honey, minerals, occasionally a faint scent of spearmint and white peach, most with spellbinding precision. On the palate, Berenice Lurton has some stupendous lots at her disposal, with ample botrytis, ethereal definition, one or two more powerful, quite spicy lots and others that are shorter and will undoubtedly lend the blend an acidic cut. It will be a joy to taste this after bottling.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - April 2010
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 8cs
H/Bottle 12 x 37.5cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 8cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
We only release our "Liquid Gold Assortment Case" in vintages where we can find 3 or 4 sticky beauties that really excite us and in 2009 we had a wealth of options. We appreciate that sometimes it is quite hard to work your way through a whole case of the same Sauternes, and this Liquid Gold case gives you the ability to dip in and out of 4 different wines of differing styles. This is always one of our staff's favourite cases to buy, and after a recent re-tasting of the wines, we are delighted with our selection this year.
Each Berry Bros. & Rudd branded case contains 3 bottles of the following 2009 delights:
Ch. Suduiraut
Ch. La Tour Blanche
Ch. Guiraud
Ch. Doisy Vedrines