Eu já venho querendo fazer este post faz um tempo. A Safra de 2009 na
França foi considerada uma das mais espetaculares de todos os tempos, produzindo
vinhos fantásticos e longevos. A revista Wine Advocate, do famoso crítico
Robert Parker, pontuou nada mais, nada menos, que 32 vinhos desta Safra com a
pontuação máxima, os almejados 100 pontos!
Os vinhos variam de USD170,00 a inimagináveis USD4076,00 (Chave Hermitage
Cuvee Cathelin – Rhone), USD5019 ,00 (Le Pin – Pomerol) e o USD5271,00 (Petrus –
Pomerol). Lembrando que este preço é nos Estados Unidos aonde os vinhos são
muito mais baratos até mesmo do que na França.
Já a longevidade é um caso aparte. Vinhos com expectativa de 50, 60, 70
anos de vida! Isto sem falar nos vinhos que os críticos preferem não comentar
sobre isto! Tive a rara oportunidade de provar algumas destas jóias desta safra
como o Clinet, o Clos Fourtet e o Haut Brion. Vinhos inesquecíveis e
sensacionais.
A ideia deste post é proporcionar a vocês a oportunidade de ler um
pouco e, com isto, conhecer um pouco mais sobre os maiores e melhores vinhos do
planeta. Se um dia você se deparar com alguns destes rótulos, com certeza dará
um valor incrível ao momento único de degustar uma preciosidade.
In Vino Veritas!
Gustavo Kauffman (GK)
2009
Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse)
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Beausejour
(Duffau Lagarrosse)
FROM: France St
Emilion, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2025 - 2050
ESTIMATED COST: $325-$725
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
This big wine (nearly
15% natural alcohol) is a blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4%
Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts an opaque blue/purple color along with a gorgeous
bouquet of charcoal, incense, truffles, blackberry jam, black currants,
raspberries and flowers. While enormous in the mouth, the limestone soils in
which the grapes are grown give the wine good freshness as well as laser-like
clarity and precision. Amazing to taste, this massive, super-concentrated
powerhouse comes across as ethereal and almost feminine despite its extravagant
fruit, density and richness. It is a modern day legend for sure! Anticipated
maturity: 2025-2050+
As I wrote after I
tasted this cuvee from barrel, it is clearly the greatest Beausejour-Duffau
since the immortal 1990. Under new management, the brilliant duo of Nicolas
Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt is in the process of developing what is one
of the great hillside terroirs of Bordeaux and St.-Emilion.
2009
Bellevue Mondotte
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Bellevue
Mondotte
FROM: France St
Emilion, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $310-$425
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb 2012
The
inky/blue/purple-colored 2009 Bellevue Mondotte offers aromas of creme de
cassis, mulberries, licorice, white flowers, forest floor and candied cherries.
Extremely thick, rich and full-bodied, it is nearly overwhelming in its textural
richness, colossal concentration and mind-blowing finish that lasts nearly a
minute. Undeniably massive and over-sized, but perfectly balanced, it is made
for those looking for something to put away for 30-50+ years. One has to admire
a proprietor who is making a wine for the history books, not for near-term
gratification.
This is a tiny jewel
in the empire of entrepreneur and quality conscious Bordeaux visionary, Gerard
Perse. It is a 5-acre parcel of nearly 50-year old vines planted on pure limestone
at an elevation above that of his neighboring property, Pavie-Decesse, not far
from Pavie-Macquin. Bellevue Mondotte is generally a blend of approximately 90%
Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since Perse got control
of this estate and renovated the cellars, he has been draconian in reducing
yields, which were a mere 22 hectoliters per hectare in 2009. The fruit was
picked very ripe and the wine was fermented in oak tanks with malolactic in
barrel, aged on its lees (a la Burgundy), and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
At all the Perse properties the wine stays in oak about six months longer than
at other Bordeaux estates.
2009
Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chapoutier
visit the producer
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Marsanne
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $348-$525
SOURCE: WA, #198 Dec
2011
From pre-phylloxera
Marsanne vines that are over 100 years of age and are not planted on American
root stocks, the 2009 Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc (229 cases) reveals abundant
notes of honeysuckle, a liqueur of wet stones, tannin (which no doubt comes
from the sappiness in these old vines), extraordinary minerality, white fruits,
quince and citrus oil. This amazing white wine must be tasted to be believed.
It is so structured, intense and rich that it will unquestionably keep for a
century.
As I have written many
times, all of these wines are produced from rigidly cultivated, bio-dynamically
managed vineyards. That has been the rule since Michel Chapoutier first took
over this firm in the late 1980s. Now, with over 20 years of biodynamic
viticulture under his belt, Chapoutier remains committed to this rather radical
style of organic farming. He believes the effect is to reduce rot in damp,
rainy vintages. Moreover, he has observed that after 10 to 15 years of
biodynamic farming, the natural acids tend to be more vivid and the overall pH
of the soils (as well as the wines) has dropped. Controversial, outspoken and
brutally candid, Chapoutier, who suffers no fools, continues to admirably
produce wines that are among the finest in the world and potentially the
longest lived. Refusing to acidify, chaptalize, or touch the wines in any way,
he clearly wants every wine to capture the very essence of its terroir and
vintage personality. In this, he succeeds remarkably. No one has made more
effort in resurrecting the once-forgotten backwater appellation of St.-Peray
than Michel Chapoutier. Working in conjunction with the famed Michelin
three-star restaurant family, the Pics, Chapoutier has produced a sensational
2010 Gamme Pic and Chapoutier St.-Peray, and the first single-vineyard
St.-Peray, the 2010 Lieu-Dit Peyrolles St.-Peray, which is one of the greatest
St.-Perays I have ever tasted. This appellation is all steep hillside vineyards
planted in pure, decomposed granite soils, not dissimilar from Hermitage, but
they are located on the other side of the Rhone, facing the city of Valence.
The single-vineyard wines, or selections parcellaires, 2010 whites are
absolutely amazing, with production levels ranging from 300 to 700 or 800 cases
of each cuvee. These wines are for true connoisseurs, as they are expensive and
meant for long, long evolutions, but they capture the essence of a vintage and
terroir as well as any wines in the world. As for the selections parcellaires
of 2010 reds, Chapoutier likes this vintage almost as much as 2009, but feels
it is very different, emphasizing more acidity and minerality, whereas 2009 is
a combination of pure power, concentration and great potential longevity.
Michel Chapoutier considers the 2009s, which are all in bottle, to be among the
greatest wines he has ever produced, equaling his finest wines of 2006, 2003,
1999, 1990 and 1989 (his debut year).
2009
Chapoutier Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chapoutier
visit the producer
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Marsanne
DRINK: 2011 - 2061
ESTIMATED COST: $205-$240
SOURCE: WA, #198 Dec
2011
There are 477 cases of
the light gold-colored 2009 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree, which I would be happy to
insert in a blind tasting against the world’s greatest dry white wines,
including Montrachet. The famous gout de petrol is there along with hints of
citrus oil, wet steel, crushed rocks, quince, white currants, anise and
honeysuckle. Very full, with off-the-charts intensity, this wine was fashioned
from yields of 13 hectoliters per hectare (which is financial suicide) from 90
to 100-year old Marsanne vines. The result is an amazingly concentrated white
wine that should drink well for 50+ years.
As I have written many
times, all of these wines are produced from rigidly cultivated, bio-dynamically
managed vineyards. That has been the rule since Michel Chapoutier first took
over this firm in the late 1980s. Now, with over 20 years of biodynamic
viticulture under his belt, Chapoutier remains committed to this rather radical
style of organic farming. He believes the effect is to reduce rot in damp,
rainy vintages. Moreover, he has observed that after 10 to 15 years of
biodynamic farming, the natural acids tend to be more vivid and the overall pH
of the soils (as well as the wines) has dropped. Controversial, outspoken and
brutally candid, Chapoutier, who suffers no fools, continues to admirably
produce wines that are among the finest in the world and potentially the
longest lived. Refusing to acidify, chaptalize, or touch the wines in any way,
he clearly wants every wine to capture the very essence of its terroir and
vintage personality. In this, he succeeds remarkably. No one has made more
effort in resurrecting the once-forgotten backwater appellation of St.-Peray
than Michel Chapoutier. Working in conjunction with the famed Michelin
three-star restaurant family, the Pics, Chapoutier has produced a sensational
2010 Gamme Pic and Chapoutier St.-Peray, and the first single-vineyard
St.-Peray, the 2010 Lieu-Dit Peyrolles St.-Peray, which is one of the greatest
St.-Perays I have ever tasted. This appellation is all steep hillside vineyards
planted in pure, decomposed granite soils, not dissimilar from Hermitage, but
they are located on the other side of the Rhone, facing the city of Valence.
The single-vineyard wines, or selections parcellaires, 2010 whites are
absolutely amazing, with production levels ranging from 300 to 700 or 800 cases
of each cuvee. These wines are for true connoisseurs, as they are expensive and
meant for long, long evolutions, but they capture the essence of a vintage and
terroir as well as any wines in the world. As for the selections parcellaires
of 2010 reds, Chapoutier likes this vintage almost as much as 2009, but feels
it is very different, emphasizing more acidity and minerality, whereas 2009 is
a combination of pure power, concentration and great potential longevity.
Michel Chapoutier considers the 2009s, which are all in bottle, to be among the
greatest wines he has ever produced, equaling his finest wines of 2006, 2003,
1999, 1990 and 1989 (his debut year).
2009
Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chapoutier
visit the producer
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: 2111 -
ESTIMATED COST: $386-$410
SOURCE: WA, #198 Dec
2011
A perfect wine, the
2009 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,093 cases) boasts a black/purple color as well as
an extraordinary bouquet of acacia flowers, blackberries, blueberries, roasted
meats, creme de cassis, truffles, graphite, powdered rock and new saddle
leather. Extremely dense, noble and pure, this monumental Ermitage is built for
50-100 years of cellaring.
As I have written many
times, all of these wines are produced from rigidly cultivated, bio-dynamically
managed vineyards. That has been the rule since Michel Chapoutier first took
over this firm in the late 1980s. Now, with over 20 years of biodynamic
viticulture under his belt, Chapoutier remains committed to this rather radical
style of organic farming. He believes the effect is to reduce rot in damp,
rainy vintages. Moreover, he has observed that after 10 to 15 years of
biodynamic farming, the natural acids tend to be more vivid and the overall pH
of the soils (as well as the wines) has dropped. Controversial, outspoken and
brutally candid, Chapoutier, who suffers no fools, continues to admirably produce
wines that are among the finest in the world and potentially the longest lived.
Refusing to acidify, chaptalize, or touch the wines in any way, he clearly
wants every wine to capture the very essence of its terroir and vintage
personality. In this, he succeeds remarkably. No one has made more effort in
resurrecting the once-forgotten backwater appellation of St.-Peray than Michel
Chapoutier. Working in conjunction with the famed Michelin three-star
restaurant family, the Pics, Chapoutier has produced a sensational 2010 Gamme
Pic and Chapoutier St.-Peray, and the first single-vineyard St.-Peray, the 2010
Lieu-Dit Peyrolles St.-Peray, which is one of the greatest St.-Perays I have
ever tasted. This appellation is all steep hillside vineyards planted in pure,
decomposed granite soils, not dissimilar from Hermitage, but they are located
on the other side of the Rhone, facing the city of Valence. The single-vineyard
wines, or selections parcellaires, 2010 whites are absolutely amazing, with
production levels ranging from 300 to 700 or 800 cases of each cuvee. These
wines are for true connoisseurs, as they are expensive and meant for long, long
evolutions, but they capture the essence of a vintage and terroir as well as
any wines in the world. As for the selections parcellaires of 2010 reds,
Chapoutier likes this vintage almost as much as 2009, but feels it is very
different, emphasizing more acidity and minerality, whereas 2009 is a
combination of pure power, concentration and great potential longevity. Michel
Chapoutier considers the 2009s, which are all in bottle, to be among the
greatest wines he has ever produced, equaling his finest wines of 2006, 2003,
1999, 1990 and 1989 (his debut year).
2009
Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chateau
Beaucastel visit the producer
FROM: France
Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Roussanne
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $228-$285
SOURCE: WA, #197 Oct
2011
The 2009 Chateauneuf
du Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes (Roussanne) is a staggering wine of extraordinary
complexity and richness. Aromas of rose petals, exotic fruits such as mango and
nectarine intermixed with peach marmalade, honeysuckle and crushed pineapple
emerge from this full-bodied white along with good acidity and lavish amounts
of fruit and glycerin. It offers a nearly out of body wine tasting experience.
Brothers Jean-Pierre
and Francois Perrin as well as their four sons, Thomas, Marc, Pierre and Mathieu,
have quickly become the dominate wine producers of the entire southern Rhone
Valley. They have expanded their operation even further by partnering with the
Jaboulets. Now having over 1,200 acres in vine and extensive contracts, this is
a high quality locomotive, great news for consumers seeking a range of top
quality red and white wines in all price ranges. The Perrins’ greatest success
is undeniably their enormous quantities of high quality, inexpensive wines
called La Vieille Ferme, a white from the Cotes du Luberon and a red from the
Cotes du Ventoux. The Perrins are now the top producers of wines from the cool
climate southern Rhone appellation of Vinsobres, located in the northern sector
of the region and meaning “sober wine.” In 2008, the Perrins purchased one of
the better estates in Gigondas, Clos des Tourelles, a 25 acre property located
at the southern end of the village from which they make two cuvees. True stars
in the Perrin portfolio are the white and red Cotes du Rhone from their estate
called Coudoulet which is adjacent to the appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape.
As longtime readers know, Chateau de Beaucastel makes two of the great white
wines of the southern Rhone, although in Chateauneuf du Pape the rather
dramatic amelioration of quality that has taken place with white winemaking has
given them more competition than they had a decade ago.
2009
Chateau d'Yquem
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chateau
d'Yquem visit the producer
FROM: France
Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Sauternes
Blend
DRINK: 2014 - 2060
ESTIMATED COST: $509-$1550
SOURCE: eRobertParker.com,
#213 Jun 2014
Served from an
ex-chateau bottle. The 2009 Chateau d’Yquem is one showstopper of a wine and
perhaps it is only in a vertical that you realize this is up there among the
legendary wines of the past – the 2001 included. It has a wonderful nose that
expresses the Semillon component majestically: heady aromas of lemon curd,
nectarine, jasmine and honeysuckle that all gain momentum in the glass. The oak
is supremely well-integrated. The palate is extremely well-balanced with an unctuous
entry. You are immediately knocked sideways by the palpable weight and volume
in the mouth, which is almost “bulbous,” with layer upon layer of heavily
botrytized fruit. It builds to a spicy finish with hints of marzipan and
pralines in the background that lend it an untrammeled sense of exoticism. The
2009 is utterly fabulous and decadent, a star that will blaze brightly and
undimmed for many years. Drink now-2060+. Tasted March 2014.
-Neal Martin
2009
Chave Hermitage
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chave
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $365-$800
SOURCE: WA, #198 Dec
2011
The greatest wines
Chave has produced since 2003 are the two cuvees of 2009 Hermitage. The 2009
Hermitage exhibits a black/purple color along with a sumptuous nose of roasted
meats, ground pepper, black currants, blackberry jam, and subtle smoke and licorice.
The extraordinary bouquet is followed by a wine of extravagant intensity as
well as tremendous focus and precision. While not as powerful as the
blockbuster 2003, the amazing 2009 may turn out to be a modern day version of
their magnificent 1990 (which is drinking incredibly well at present). Anyone
who loves Hermitage and has a cold cellar should be lining up to get a few
bottles of this beauty.
Adding to their
acreage in St.-Joseph, the Chaves purchased the famous Clos Florentin Vineyard
a few years ago. I suspect they will make a single vineyard wine from this site
in the future.
2009
Chave Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Chave
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: 2022 - 2097
ESTIMATED COST: $4076
SOURCE: WA, #204 Dec
2012
Last year I gave the
2009 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin a three-digit rating, but it was nice to be able
to re-taste it since it is largely impossible to find in the marketplace.
Essentially 100% fruit from Les Bessards, this cuvee is only made in vintages
where it will not compromise the integrity and quality of their standard
Hermitage (although there is nothing standard about it). The Cuvee Cathelin
sees more oak than its sibling, enjoys 50-75 years of aging potential, and
boasts over-the-top blackberry and cassis fruit notes intertwined with pen ink,
spring flower, graphite and subtle vanillin characteristics. It is a brilliant
wine that almost defies description given its ethereal complexity allied to
massive weight, power and richness. Yet, it never comes across as heavy or
overly-extracted. Forget this for another decade and you and your progeny can
enjoy it over the following 50-75 years.
I have had the
privilege of tasting at this brilliant family-owned estate for over 30 years.
During that time, I have seen first-hand the glory of a true evolution from
father Gerard Chave to his son, Jean-Louis, and of course, the Chave family has
been doing this since 1472. It is one of those small but world-class wine
enterprises that is truly inspiring. Tasting through the different vineyards
before their newest red and white Hermitages are blended is an education in the
different terroirs of that famous dome of largely decomposed granite mixed with
gravel and clay. Jean-Louis Chave characterized the 2011 vintage as challenging,
where one had to perform draconian crop-thinning and selections in the winery.
All the St.-Joseph vineyards are located on steep hillsides near the Chaves’
home village of Mauves, to as far north as St.-Jean de Muzols and Ste.-Epine as
well as those once known as Clos Florentin.
2009
Clinet
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Clinet
FROM: France Pomerol,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2015 - 2045
ESTIMATED COST: $284-$472
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
Clinet has been on a
hot streak lately and the 2009 appears to be the greatest wine ever made at the
estate, surpassing even the late Jean-Michel Arcaute’s monumental 1989. A blend
of 85% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc (12%) and Cabernet Sauvignon
(3%), this big Pomerol boasts an opaque, moonless night inky/blue/purple color
in addition to a gorgeous perfume of blueberry pie, incense, truffles, black
raspberries, licorice and wood smoke. Viscous and multi-dimensional with silky,
sweet tannin, massive fruit concentration and full-bodied power, there are nearly
4,000 cases of this thick, juicy, perfect Clinet. It should drink well in 3-5
years and keep for 25-30.
2009
Clos Fourtet
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Clos Fourtet
FROM: France St
Emilion, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2017 - 2067
ESTIMATED COST: $254-$506
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
After tasting it three
times from bottle, I am convinced this prodigious wine is one of the greatest
young Bordeaux I have ever tasted. Inky blue/purple with notes of camphor,
forest floor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherries, licorice, the wine has
stunning aromatics, unctuous texture and an almost inky concentration, but
without any hard edges. With considerable tannin and just enough acidity to
provide definition, this wine transcends even its premier grand cru classe
terroir. It is certainly the finest Clos Fourtet ever produced. Give it 5-7
years of cellaring to allow some of its baby fat to fall away. There is
certainly enough structure underneath to keep for 30-50 years. Bravo!
From my barrel score
of 95-98, I suppose I should have seen this perfect score coming, particularly
considering what proprietor Philippe Cuvelier and estate manager Tony Ballu
have accomplished over the last decade. This is one of the great terroirs of
St.-Emilion, nearly 50 acres high on the clay beds and deep limestone plateau
of the region, just a stone’s throw from the luxury hotel and restaurant
Hostellerie de Plaisance. Yields were moderate at 34 hectoliters per hectare,
and the final blend is 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon (somewhat unusual) and
the rest Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 80% new oak.
2009
Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum (magnum only)
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Clos Saint-Jean
FROM: France
Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Proprietary
Blend
DRINK: 2014 - 2017
ESTIMATED COST:
SOURCE: eRobertParker.com,
#214 Aug 2014
More flamboyant, open
and exotic, with notes of kirsch liqueur, cassis, toasted almonds, sandalwood,
lavender, and crushed flowers that you can smell from across the room, the 2009
Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum expands on the palate, with incredible
concentration, building, sweet tannin and a finish that just won’t quit. Where
the 2010 cuts a more focused path, this puppy is overflowing with fruit and
texture. It too is a perfect wine that will evolve for another couple decades,
yet given this showing, don’t hesitate to crack bottles over the coming couple
of years.
Since taking control
of the estate in 2002, and bringing on board rock star consultant Philippe
Cambie, the Maurel brothers has been knocking it out of the park in literally
every vintage. 2004? Gorgeous wines and easily at the top in a recent
retrospective. The cooler, rainy 2008? Beautiful ripeness and texture, and
again, at the top of the hierarchy. 2011 is the same story, and it’s amazing
what this team has accomplished in all of their vintages. Looking at this
retrospective, we went through all of their cuvees going back to 2003.
Unfortunately, there’s no new information here, and this tasting simply
confirmed what myself and Robert Parker have been saying for some time now;
Clos Saint Jean is at the top of their game and producing some of the most
singular, hedonistic and brilliant wines in the world.
Starting out with the
classic Chateauneuf du Pape, it’s normally a blend of 75% Grenache, with the
balance a mix of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Muscardin and Vaccarese. As is
common at this estate, the Grenache is aged all in tank, and the other
varieties in a mix of tank and barrels. While I think this cuvee always lags
the Vieilles Vignes bottling, it is consistently outstanding and always a super
value.
Moving to the old vine
cuvee, this is made especially for the US Market and is 85% tank aged, old vine
Grenache, and the balance Syrah and Mourvedre. It too almost always represents
a crazy value and has a broad drink window. I’m currently finishing up a case
of the ’08, and purchased two cases of the 2010, which is just starting to open
back up after closing down shortly after release.
As to the Combe des
Fous release, this cuvée comes from a single plot of vines and is based largely
on Grenache, with roughly 20% Syrah and 10% each of Vaccarese and Cinsault in
the blend. The Grenache is aged all in tank and the other components see time
in mostly demi-muids. While the Deux ex Machina always impresses more with its
overt power and muscle, this cuvee always seems more polished, fine and elegant
to me.
One of the greatest
cuvees on earth, the Maurel brother’s Sanctus Sanctorum is 100% Grenache that
comes from a single plot of vines in the La Crau lieu dit. Aged all in
demi-muid, it’s been one of the greatest wines I’ve ever tasted, every time
I’ve tasted it. All three of these were sheer perfection on this occasion, yet
each has its own unique profile.
Lastly, and always the
most powerful of the cuvees, the Deus Ex Machina is a blend of 60% tank aged
Grenache and 40% demi-muid aged Mourvedre that all comes from 70-100 year old
vines. The Mourvedre component is really what defines this cuvee, and it
possesses the most obvious structure and mid-palate richness in the lineup.
Seeming to hit maturity around age 10 or so, it can be consumed relatively
early in its life due to its wealth of fruit, texture, and incredibly polished
tannin. In addition, don’t miss this cuvee in the lighter vintages, as even
their 2004 and 2008 show classic character and no shortage of richness.
2009 Cos
d'Estournel
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Cos
d'Estournel visit the producer
FROM: France St
Estephe, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2022 - 2072
ESTIMATED COST: $274-$1173
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
One of the greatest
young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived
up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru
Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet
Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was
cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color
along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry
and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate
with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect
equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol.
An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos
d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could
appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime
for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century.
2009 Delas Freres Hermitage les Bessards
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Delas Freres
visit the producer
FROM: France
Hermitage, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: 2011 - 2051
ESTIMATED COST: $220-$300
SOURCE: WA, #198 Dec
2011
The most prodigious
wine I have yet tasted from the Delas portfolio is the brilliant 2009 Hermitage
Les Bessards. Its inky/purple color is followed by abundant notes of acacia
flowers, blackberries, black currants, new saddle leather, roasted meats and
graphite, amazing concentration, a skyscraper-like texture, supple but
significant tannin and low acidity. The result is a perfect example of Syrah
from this great vineyard site in Hermitage. It will offer immense pleasure for
40+ years.
Another great
negociant with significant vineyard holdings, and at the top of their game, is
undeniably Delas, owned by the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm. Since they
acquired Delas well over a decade ago, this firm has been under the management
of Burgundian Jacques Grange, who has done an outstanding job producing a
sensational array of wines. The 2009s appear to be their finest overall
performances to date, and the 2010s are noteworthy successors in a more
restrained, mineral dominated, crisper style. Jacques Grange did a fabulous job
with his Cote Roties in both 2009 and 2010, the latter being a somewhat more
challenging vintage in this appellation. The Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes
(until the 2009 vintage, this offering was known as the Hermitage Marquise de
la Tourette) is sensational in both 2010 and 2009. Three thousand cases of this
cuvee are produced, and the wine is aged in French oak, 50% new.
2009
Ducru Beaucaillou
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Ducru
Beaucaillou
FROM: France St
Julien, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2019 - 2069
ESTIMATED COST: $260-$683
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
The 2009 Ducru
Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003 and 2000.
It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty
years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon
and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous
wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries,
violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied and intense with Ducru’s
inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10
years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent!
2009
Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Guigal visit
the producer
FROM: France Cote
Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $481-$719
SOURCE: WA, #210 Dec
2013
The blockbuster 2009
Cote Rotie La Turque needs time, but there’s no denying the quality here. Very
ripe and voluptuous, with incredible aromas and flavors of black currants,
coffee bean, roasted meats, licorice and raw steak, this full-bodied, muscular
and powerful effort has a stacked mid-palate, ultra-fine, yet building tannin
and a finish that just won’t quit. Comprised of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier, it’s
much more masculine and dense than the La Mouline, and will need additional
cellar time to hit its peak.
One of the highlight
tastings during my more than two weeks spent working in the Northern Rhone,
this set of releases by the father/son pair, Marcel and Philippe Guigal, is
about as stacked a lineup as you’ll find anywhere in the world. From their tiny
production Cote Roties, to the massive production level Cotes du Rhone (red and
white), the quality here is impeccable, as is the attention to detail at every
step of the winemaking process. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, reds
first, their 2009s are some of the most bombastic, decadent and thrilling wines
out there. While they have the over the top richness that allows them to dish
out plenty of pleasure even now, they need 4-5 years to integrate their oak and
to fully flesh out. Count yourself lucky if you have a few of these hidden in
the cellar. More classic in style across the board, the 2010s are more focused
and straight, yet similarly concentrated, if not with additional density. They
will take slightly longer to come around compared to the 2009s, and certainly
offer a more textbook drinking experience. They, too, are at the top of the
wine hierarchy. The 2011s show the vintage nicely with slightly more
approachable profiles, sweet tannin and brilliant concentration, especially in
the vintage. They still have another year in barrel to go, but will certainly
be among the top wines of the vintage, have broad drink windows, and should
come close to what was achieved in 2009 and 2010, albeit in a different style. Lastly,
the 2012s should, in my mind, surpass the 2011s, as they have a smidge more
overall density, as well as fabulous purity. Neither the 2011s nor 2012s have
the density of the 2010s, nor the sheer wealth of material that’s found in the
2009s. Nevertheless, time will tell, and these wines won’t be bottled for some
time yet. Looking at the whites, 2011 and 2012 are similar in quality. Both
vintages have beautiful purity, good overall acidity and good concentration,
i.e., lots to like. Whether or not we’ll see a 2012 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc
(which was not produced in 2011) remains to be seen, but what I tasted was
certainly promising, if not earth-shattering (as was the 2010!). Looking at the
Chateau d’Ampuis releases, this cuvee is a blend of vineyards (La Garde, Le
Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria lieux-dits)
and sees upwards of 38 months in 100% new French oak.
2009
Guigal Cote Rotie la Mouline
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Guigal visit
the producer
FROM: France Cote
Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: 2017 - 2047
ESTIMATED COST: $455-$719
SOURCE: eRobertParker.com,
#214 Aug 2014
Just as good, but made
in a completely different style, the 2009 Cote Rotie la Mouline (which
incorporates a whopping 11% of Viognier) offers an insane bouquet of roasted
meats, toast, spice, caramelized meats, coffee bean and deep, concentrated and
layered blackberry and cassis-styled fruit. As with the 2010, it has
off-the-chart richness, a stacked mid-palate and a gorgeous polish to its
tannin. Give it another 3 to 4 years and drink it over the following 2-3
decades.
One of the reference
point estates for top quality wines in the world today, the family run Guigal
operation was created in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Today, Etienne’s son, Marcel,
and his son Philippe, are firmly in control here, and are without a doubt
producing some of the most singular, sought after wines in the world. Due to
the size of this tasting, I’ll keep my comments short, but the incredible
quality coming from this operation is astounding, and a tasting here is always
one of the highlights of any trip through the region. Furthermore, while a lot
is said about the extended oak aging regime here, I don’t know anyone who
tastes mature examples of these wines on a regular basis that still has any
doubts about the genius going on here. In short, these single vineyard (and
their blends as well) Cote Roties are some of the greatest wines money can buy.
For this tasting (which, with the Guigals, is always a large one!), we focused
on their Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospice release, and then three of their Cote
Roties, starting with the classic Brune et Blonde, then the Chateau d’Ampuis,
and finishing with their single vineyard La Mouline.
Looking first at their
Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospices release, it comes all from the incredibly
steep (and picturesque) vineyard perched just above the town of Tournon. The
exposure here (which is critical for Saint Joseph as the more southern facing
the plot, the warmer the site is) is mostly east facing and the soils are pure
granite (identical to the decomposed granite found in the Les Bessards lieu-dit
on Hermitage Hills). Compared to the Saint Joseph lieu-dit, which has a
slightly more southern exposure, harvest here is always 5-7 days later.
Moving north to Côte
Rôtie, the Guigal’s Brune et Blonde is their entry level release that comes
from a mix of vineyards, most of which are estate. It drinks beautifully on
release and has a solid 15-20 years of longevity in top vintages.
Stepping up over the
Brune et Blonde, the Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is named after the Chateau
d’Ampuis estate (which lies in the town of Ampuis, right up along the Rhone
River, and was purchased by the Guigal’s in 1995) and is a blend of their top
estate vineyards. Coming from La Garde, Le Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere,
Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria, it spends close to four years in new French
oak (handled just like the single vineyard releases) and there’s roughly 30,000
bottles produced in each vintage. While the single vineyard releases get all
the buzz, this is isn’t far behind in quality, especially in recent vintages, and
can represent an incredible value.
We finished the
tasting with a vertical of La Mouline. One of the three single vineyard Cote
Roties produced, this cuvee comes all from the La Mouline lieu-dit that’s
located in the more western (close to the middle actually) side of appellation.
For simplicities sake, you could say it’s in the Cote Blonde part of the
region, but in reality, Cote Rotie is much more complex and diverse. Due to its
exposure, this vineyard is always the first of the three single vineyards to be
harvest, and also contains some of the oldest vines on the estate. Fermented
using pump overs (as opposed to punch downs for the La Torque and submersion
cap on the La Landonne), it’s cofermented with varying degrees of Viognier,
which in most vintages, ends up being around 10% of the blend. Like the Chateau
d’Ampuis and the other two single vineyard releases, it sees close to four
years in 100% new French oak, of which every trace integrates after a few years
in bottle. It’s always the most approachable of the single vineyard releases,
and is ready to drink at an earlier stage. For example, the 1999 La Mouline is
gloriously mature, while the 1989 La Torque is still an infant. Nevertheless,
as the 1978 reviewed here attests to, it has no problem evolving for decades
(although I don’t recommend holding bottles that long). In short, this was a
flight of Côte Rôties I’ll not forget anytime soon!
2009
Guigal Cote Rotie la Landonne
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Guigal visit
the producer
FROM: France Cote
Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: 2023 -
ESTIMATED COST: $455-$706
SOURCE: WA, #210 Dec
2013
Another 2009 that
exhibits over the top extravagance and richness, and one I can find no fault
in, the 2009 Cote Rotie La Landonne offers a colossal and full-bodied profile
that carries incredible aromas and flavors of roasted meats, smoke, asphalt and
assorted meatiness that’s all grounded by a massive core of fruit. A huge wine,
it stays perfectly in check, with notable freshness, a deep, layered mid-palate
and masses of fine tannin that carry through the finish. Hide this beauty in
the cellar for another decade and enjoy.
One of the highlight
tastings during my more than two weeks spent working in the Northern Rhone,
this set of releases by the father/son pair, Marcel and Philippe Guigal, is
about as stacked a lineup as you’ll find anywhere in the world. From their tiny
production Cote Roties, to the massive production level Cotes du Rhone (red and
white), the quality here is impeccable, as is the attention to detail at every
step of the winemaking process. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, reds first,
their 2009s are some of the most bombastic, decadent and thrilling wines out
there. While they have the over the top richness that allows them to dish out
plenty of pleasure even now, they need 4-5 years to integrate their oak and to
fully flesh out. Count yourself lucky if you have a few of these hidden in the
cellar. More classic in style across the board, the 2010s are more focused and
straight, yet similarly concentrated, if not with additional density. They will
take slightly longer to come around compared to the 2009s, and certainly offer
a more textbook drinking experience. They, too, are at the top of the wine
hierarchy. The 2011s show the vintage nicely with slightly more approachable
profiles, sweet tannin and brilliant concentration, especially in the vintage.
They still have another year in barrel to go, but will certainly be among the
top wines of the vintage, have broad drink windows, and should come close to
what was achieved in 2009 and 2010, albeit in a different style. Lastly, the
2012s should, in my mind, surpass the 2011s, as they have a smidge more overall
density, as well as fabulous purity. Neither the 2011s nor 2012s have the
density of the 2010s, nor the sheer wealth of material that’s found in the
2009s. Nevertheless, time will tell, and these wines won’t be bottled for some
time yet. Looking at the whites, 2011 and 2012 are similar in quality. Both
vintages have beautiful purity, good overall acidity and good concentration,
i.e., lots to like. Whether or not we’ll see a 2012 Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc
(which was not produced in 2011) remains to be seen, but what I tasted was
certainly promising, if not earth-shattering (as was the 2010!). Looking at the
Chateau d’Ampuis releases, this cuvee is a blend of vineyards (La Garde, Le
Clos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and La Viria lieux-dits)
and sees upwards of 38 months in 100% new French oak.
2009
Haut Brion
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Haut Brion
visit the producer
FROM: France Pessac
Leognan, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $693-$2545
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
What a blockbuster
effort! Atypically powerful, one day, the 2009 Haut-Brion may be considered to
be the 21st century version of the 1959. It is an extraordinarily complex,
concentrated effort made from a blend of 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and
14% Cabernet Franc with the highest alcohol ever achieved at this estate,
14.3%. Even richer than the perfect 1989, with similar technical numbers
although slightly higher extract and alcohol, it offers up a sensational
perfume of subtle burning embers, unsmoked cigar tobacco, charcoal, black
raspberries, wet gravel, plums, figs and blueberries. There is so much going on
in the aromatics that one almost hesitates to stop smelling it. However, when
it hits the palate, it is hardly a letdown. This unctuously textured,
full-bodied 2009 possesses low acidity along with stunning extract and
remarkable clarity for a wine with a pH close to 4.0. The good news is that
there are 10,500 cases of the 2009, one of the most compelling examples of
Haut-Brion ever made. It requires a decade of cellaring and should last a half
century or more. Readers who have loved the complexity of Haut-Brion should be
prepared for a bigger, richer, more massive wine, but one that does not lose
any of its prodigious aromatic attractions.
2009 La
Mission Haut Brion
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: La Mission
Haut Brion visit the producer
FROM: France Pessac
Leognan, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $554-$1706
SOURCE: WA, #202 Aug
2012
Who Has It For Sale
The 2009 was not part
of this vertical tasting, so I am repeating the tasting note published in issue
#199 of The Wine Advocate from a tasting done in January, 2012.
A candidate for the
wine of the vintage, the 2009 La Mission-Haut-Brion stood out as one of the
most exceptional young wines I had ever tasted from barrel, and its greatness
has been confirmed in the bottle. A remarkable effort from the Dillon family,
this is another large-scaled La Mission that tips the scales at 15% alcohol. A
blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (47% of each) and the rest
Cabernet Franc, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a magnificent
bouquet of truffles, scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, subtle
smoke and spring flowers. The wine’s remarkable concentration offers up an
unctuous/viscous texture, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, sweet, sumptuous, nearly
over-the-top flavors and massive density. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime La
Mission-Haut-Brion, the 2009 will take its place alongside the many great wines
made here since the early 1920s. The good news is that there are nearly 6,000
cases of the 2009. It should last for 50-75+ years. Given the wine’s unctuosity
and sweetness of the tannin, I would have no problem drinking it in about 5-6
years. The final blend was 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet
Franc.
2009 La
Mondotte
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: La Mondotte
FROM: France St
Emilion, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2018 - 2048
ESTIMATED COST: $379-$1213
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
Perfect, the 2009 La
Mondotte boasts an inky/black/purple color as well as sumptuous notes of
incense, graphite, licorice, black cherries, blackberries, cedar and forest
floor. It is extraordinarily thick and voluptuous with a cool climate
minerality that gives the wine an uplift and freshness that is surprising in
view of its massive fruit level and high extract. The tannins are abundant, but
sweet and well-integrated, as are the acidity, alcohol and wood components. An
infant at present, this 2009 requires 6-8 years of cellaring and should keep
for three decades.
This fabulous terroir
has been fully exploited by proprietor Stefan von Neipperg and his consulting
oenologist, Stephane Derenoncourt, since the debut vintage of 1996. Yields of
18 hectoliters per hectare were ridiculously low in 2009 and the blend is
dominated by Merlot (80%) combined with 20% Cabernet Franc.
2009
Latour
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Latour visit
the producer
FROM: France Pauillac,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $1151-$2599
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
A blend of 91.3%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.7% Merlot with just under 14% natural alcohol, the
2009 Latour is basically a clone of the super 2003, only more structured and
potentially more massive and long lived. An elixir of momentous proportions, it
boasts a dense purple color as well as an extraordinarily flamboyant bouquet of
black fruits, graphite, crushed rocks, subtle oak and a notion of wet steel. It
hits the palate with a thundering concoction of thick, juicy blue and black
fruits, lead pencil shavings and a chalky minerality. Full-bodied, but very
fresh with a finish that lasts over a minute, this is one of the most
remarkable young wines I have ever tasted. Will it last one-hundred years? No
doubt about it. Can it be drunk in a decade? For sure.
Proprietor Francois
Pinault and his director, Frederic Engerer, have pulled out all the stops to
produce one of the most monumental Latour’s ever made.
2009 Le Pin
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Le Pin
FROM: France Pomerol,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2012 - 2037
ESTIMATED COST: $3511-$5019
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
Exceptional purity and
a blockbuster nose of mocha, black cherry liqueur, mulberries and plums are
followed by an extravagantly rich wine that seems to have a nearly endless
finish. Truly haute couture of Merlot, so to speak, this wine has a finish that
goes well past a minute, with wonderfully sweet tannins and a provocative,
concentrated, broad mouthfeel that is remarkably luxurious. This is amazing
stuff! It should drink well for 20-25 years.
This is undeniably the
greatest Le Pin I have tasted at such an infantile age. There are about 500
cases of this wine, which is made by the Thienpont family, the owners of Vieux
Chateau Certan. One hundred percent Merlot, it continues to possess the
exoticism of previous vintages, but the oak at present is far better crafted
and integrated than in the debut vintage of 1979.
2009
Leoville-Poyferre
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Leoville-Poyferre
visit the producer
FROM: France St
Julien, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2018 - 2040
ESTIMATED COST: $170-$518
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
One of the more
flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored
St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic
pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring
flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning
amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14%
natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive,
concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are
largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated
maturity: 2018-2040.
2009
L'Evangile
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: L'Evangile
visit the producer
FROM: France Pomerol,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2016 - 2056
ESTIMATED COST: $340-$806
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
An astonishing effort
from the Rothschild family, the 2009 l’Evangile may be the reference point
offering from this estate for decades to come. A blend of 95% Merlot and 5%
Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak, with 15% natural alcohol, it exhibits a
sumptuous bouquet of caramels, black raspberry liqueur, blackberries, violets,
graphite and truffles. Thick, viscous flavors are reminiscent of such
super-ripe vintages as 1982, 1959, 1949 and 1947. The striking aromatics,
massive, full-bodied mouthfeel and multilayered palate that resembles a
skyscraper in the mouth offer an abject lesson in great winemaking,
extraordinary terroir, and the ability to combine power with precision,
elegance and freshness. This is unquestionably a huge wine, but it also
possesses mindboggling complexity and finesse. Because of its sheer extract and
velvety personality, it will be drinkable in 4-5 years, and will keep for four
decades or more where well-stored. The most profound L’Evangile ever made?
2009
Michel Ogier Cote Rotie Cuvee Belle Helene
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Michel Ogier
FROM: France Cote
Rotie, Northern Rhone, Rhone, France
VARIETY: Syrah
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $392-$870
SOURCE: WA, #204 Dec
2012
The 2009 Cote Rotie La
Belle Helene is another perfect wine. Made in a completely different style than
the more structured, mineral-laced 2010, the 2009 is a flamboyant, exuberant
effort with nearly over-the-top ripeness and fruit. However, it is extremely
supple, sexy and bursting with complexity, revealing notes of truffles,
graphite, black raspberries, espresso roast, spice box, tapenade and bouquet
garni. The wine’s richness, full-bodied, massive fruit impact and 50-second
finish are amazing.
(Not yet released)
Stephane Ogier, tall
and blond with rugged, Brad Pitt-like good looks, is the next generation of
young, ambitious, well-traveled children from family-owned estates. Learning
his trade and working next to his father, who is now fully retired, Stephane
Ogier has moved confidently and dramatically to expand this estate from the
Cote Rotie holdings to their vineyards that go into La Rosine and those from
Seyssuel that go into l’Ame Soeur. He has also added a St-Joseph cuvee from a
small parcel of vines in Malleval, next to his Condrieu holdings. Moreover,
readers should not forget the recent white wine offerings from Ogier. The great
success for the 2011s is attributable, as Ogier says, to harvesting seven days
later than just about everyone else in Cote Rotie, in addition to aggressive
green harvesting and farming practices in the vineyards. This is evident across
the board as these are some of the finest 2011s I tasted in the Northern Rhone.
Ogier has 12 separate Cote Rotie parcels spread along the hillsides of the Cote
Blonde and Cote Brune. The 2011s were harvested between September 16 and
October 8, and because of Ogier’s conservative farming practices as well as the
courage it took to wait to harvest until after the rains, the quality of the
fruit is outstanding. The 2010s are all remarkable wines at Ogier. Stephane
Ogier also deserves accolades for what he has been able to achieve with his
white wine program since he began it in 2007. There are now three cuvees, all
outstanding.
2009
Montrose
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Montrose
visit the producer
FROM: France St
Estephe, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2019 - 2069
ESTIMATED COST: $261-$618
SOURCE: WA, #214 Aug
2014
Harvested between
September 17 and October 5, this wine seems always open for business, so to
speak, much like the great 1982s. The summer of 2009 was very hot and dry,
which got the harvest off to a reasonably early start. The blend was 65%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Jean
Bernard Delmas’ goal was to find perfect equilibrium between freshness and
concentration, given its incredible opulence and the voluptuous character this
vintage offered. That’s what this wine has in abundance. With an astounding
dense purple color, the wine has velvety, sweet tannins, and an extremely
open-knit and opulent blueberry, blackberry and creme de cassis nose. There is
scorched earth, vanilla and, again, telltale licorice and spice. It is unctuously
textured – thicker and juicier than the 2010 and more forward. This wine should
come into its own in another five years. And again, it has at least 50+ years
of aging potential.
2009
Pape Clement Blanc
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Pape Clement
visit the producer
FROM: France Pessac
Leognan, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blanc Blend
DRINK: -
ESTIMATED COST: $295-$395
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
The 2009 Pape Clement
Blanc is an absolutely remarkable wine, which is not a surprise given what this
historic estate has done in both white and red over the last 20 years. Their
white wine, an intriguing blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon, 16%
Sauvignon Gris and the rest Muscadelle, comes from 7.5 acres of pure gravelly
soil. An exquisite nose of honeysuckle, tropical fruit, pineapple, green
apples, and orange and apricot marmalade soar from the glass. Great acidity, a
full-bodied mouthfeel and a texture more akin to great grand cru white Burgundy
put this wine in a class by itself. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were
others who also think this is pure perfection in white Bordeaux. I tasted this
wine four separate times and gave it a perfect score three of the four times.
It is one of most exquisite dry white I have ever tasted from anywhere –
period. Certainly the founder of Pape Clement, Bertrand de Goth, would be happy
with his decision to plant a vineyard here in 1305. Pure genius!
2009
Pavie
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Pavie visit
the producer
FROM: France St
Emilion, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2020 - 2050
ESTIMATED COST: $325-$899
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
Bottled the week
before I arrived, the 2009 Pavie appears to have barely budged since I tasted
it two years ago. Many experts consider this phenomenal terroir to be nearly as
great as that of Ausone. Made from a classic blend of 60-70% Merlot, 20-25%
Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this inky/blue/purple-colored
blockbuster reveals wonderful notes of blackberries, crushed rocks, roasted
meats, spring flowers, cedar, blueberries, graphite and a hint of vanillin.
With extravagant fruit and high extract as well as a hint of minerality, this
structured, massively intense effort is typical of all the luxurious, perfect
or nearly perfect Pavies produced under the Perse regime (which began in 1998).
While built for 40-50 years of cellaring, the softness of the vintage and its
flamboyant style is slightly less apparent in the 2009 Pavie than in some of
the other Perse wines. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.
2009
Petrus
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Petrus
FROM: France Pomerol,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2016 - 2050
ESTIMATED COST: $3284-$5271
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
An opulent Petrus very
much in the stylistic family of the 1990, this 100% Merlot has a dense
plum/purple color and a sweet nose of mulberries, black cherries, some subtle
toast and licorice as well as a floral element. A wine of great intensity, a
multidimensional mouthfeel and full-bodied, stunning concentration, the 2009
Petrus is everything one would expect of it. Given the sweetness of its tannin,
much like the 1990, I suspect this wine will always be “open for business,”
appealing even in its youth. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2050+.
This is one of the
larger productions of Petrus over recent years, with nearly 3,000 cases of this
vintage turned out by proprietor Jean Moueix.
2009 Pontet-Canet
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Pontet-Canet
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FROM: France Pauillac,
Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2025 - 2075
ESTIMATED COST: $181-$454
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
An amazing wine in
every sense, this classic, full-bodied Pauillac is the quintessential Pontet
Canet from proprietor Alfred Tesseron, who continues to reduce yields and farms
his vineyards biodynamically – a rarity in Bordeaux. Black as a moonless night,
the 2009 Pontet Canet offers up notes of incense, graphite, smoke, licorice,
creme de cassis and blackberries. A wine of irrefutable purity, laser-like
precision, colossal weight and richness, and sensational freshness, this is a
tour de force in winemaking that is capable of lasting 50 or more years. The
tannins are elevated, but they are sweet and beautifully integrated as are the
acidity, wood and alcohol (which must be in excess of 14%). This vineyard,
which is situated on the high plateau of Pauillac adjacent to Mouton
Rothschild, appears to have done everything perfectly in 2009. This cuvee
should shut down in the cellar and re-open in a decade or more. Anticipated
maturity: 2025-2075.
2009
Smith-Haut-Lafitte
RATING: 100 points
PRODUCER: Smith-Haut-Lafitte
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FROM: France Pessac
Leognan, Bordeaux, France
VARIETY: Bordeaux
Blend
DRINK: 2012 - 2052
ESTIMATED COST: $202-$346
SOURCE: WA, #199 Feb
2012
The finest wine ever
made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte
exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia
flowers, licorice, charcoal, blueberries, black raspberries, lead pencil
shavings and incense. This massive, extraordinarily rich, unctuously textured
wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date, although the 2000,
2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan
with sweet tannin, emerging charm and delicacy, and considerable power, depth,
richness and authority, it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo!
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