BR 2009 Bordeaux En Primeur Tasting
London
Tasted Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by Khamen with 1,694 views
Introduction
A chance to get to grips with the vintage dubbed "the greatest of all time" (again). Nearly 40 producers were on hand to pour both their2009 barrel samples and the 2006 as a comparison.
Flight 1 (50 Notes)
Flight 2 (4 Notes)
Dinner at The Square after the tasting - anything but Bordeaux!
Closing
Overall the 2009s laid down a huge footprint. As promised, tannins, acidity, concentration and, above all, alcohols were off the chart. Generally the producers believe the 2009 to be approachable fairly early (in 6-7 years) but to last for decades. They are generally enthusiastic towards the 2009 vintage (as you would expect), but more than one was heard to appreciate recognition of the balance and elegance of the under-rated 2006s with genuine relief. One point of note is how well the majority of the 2006s are drinking now. No doubt they will soon be sound asleep but right now they're zippy, elegant, balanced and full of life. A great tasting.
2009 Château Angélus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Huge merlot nose, massive body, extreme concentration backed by chewy tannins. Probably the most backwards and disjointed wine of the night but impressive long term potential. 92-94
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2006 Château Angélus
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Lovel complexity OTN, great concentration to the smooth velvet palate. Finishes long. Excellent potential. 91+
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2009 Château d'Armailhac
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Very floral nose impresses, forest fruit attack, very dense and polished. A little new worldy but a great Armailhac. Will need time. 92-94
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2006 Château d'Armailhac 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Black fruit nose of rather sweet fruit. Tannins a little stalky.
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2009 Château Clerc Milon
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Deep polished casis nose, pure black fruit, dense, good finnesse for all the power. Long. 92-95
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2006 Château Clerc Milon 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Lovely graphite, earth and mulch nose. Expressive dark fruits, firm tannins. 89+
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2009 Château Batailley
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Moderate nose, sweet back fruit, lots of spicy oak. New worldish 88-90
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2006 Château Batailley 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Nice perfumed nose, palate a little mean, moderate concentration
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2009 Château Beau-Site
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Stunning deep colour, great concentration marries elegegance, power and a mellow round palate. Wondeful balance for the size. A sand-out from the tasting. 93-95
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2009 Château Pavie Macquin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
A real monster, tipping the scales at nearly 15%! Massive concentration, almost port-like consistency. Huge in every respect but all in balance and maintains surprising freshness for the bulk. Real decadence for the long term. 94-96
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2006 Château Beau-Site 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Intriguing gun-flint mineral nose. Medium bodied and concetration bu elegance, style and balance in spades. Lovely 92+
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2006 Château Beychevelle 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Hot stone sauna, graphite and chocolate nose, a littlle chewy with firm tannins. Will the fruit last to let it fully mellow? 88+
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2009 Château Berliquet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Savoury and rich, round terroir-driven palate. Long. Good value for the vintage, 90-92
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2009 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Smokey and structured with a big merlot presence. Is this really a Pessac? 86-88
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2006 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 84 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Soft oaky nose with traces of graphite. Boisterous tannins dominate. Not sure fruit will go the ditance vs those tannins. 84
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2009 Domaine de Chevalier
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Very terroir-driven, good profile of sweet violets and gravel. Long term, very big for a Dom de Chev. Very classy 92-94
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2006 Domaine de Chevalier 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Elegant mineral nose, good ripeness. Balanced and finnessed. 90+
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2009 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Complex, waxy nose of lychee, green apples and peach. Big alcohol and concentration balanced by flirty acidity. Very impressive. 94-96
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2009 Château La Conseillante
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
The Creature from the Black Lagoon! In ballet shoes!! A huge 14.2% monster that amazes by somehow keeping it's balance and even playing the elegance card with some aplomb. Don't even look at this for 20 years+ but will be a real stunner. One day...95-97
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2006 Château La Conseillante 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
A whole degree of alcohol less than it's 2009 sibling (13.2% plays 14.2%). Nice balance, mineral-driven roundness and some good complexity. Good concentration for the vintage. According to the producer from 2015 or so. 91+
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2006 Château La Clémence 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Lovely soft Pomerol merlot nose. Spicy oak wrapped around warm summer plum fruit. Classic right bank flavours.
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2009 Château Giscours
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
For the long haul. Very pure Margaux perfumed nose of dark lifted fruit. Complex palate. Great potential 92-94
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2009 Château La Clémence
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
85% merlot, 15% cab franc. Nice round perfumed nose. Deep, DEEP robe, huge build and power. A little lacking in balace? May come around. 89-91
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2006 Château Giscours 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
A beautiful haunting nose. Floral, bacon fat(!). Fine tannins with a good concentration of licorice fruit through the mid. A doozy!
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2006 Château du Tertre 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
"Give me pencil!" - Toby. Elegant lilac-and-grpahite nose. Parma violets. balanced and fresh. Loved this one. 92+
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2006 Château Gruaud Larose 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Nicely balalnced and rather forward. Not massive concentration but nice balance and real finnesse. 89+
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2009 Château Haut-Bages Libéral
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
High-toned, andmaybe a little over polished. Firm and slightly lacking balance. Needs plenty of time. 86-88
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2009 Château du Tertre
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
The greatest du Tertre ever made? Wonderful brambly concentration of dark fruit, sublime balance. Wonderful potential and that rarest of things in 2009 - QPR! 94-96
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2006 Château Haut-Bages Libéral 86 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Nice briary fruit nose, very polished and "correct" winemaking. Tanins firm, perhaps lacking a little soul and vineyard definition?
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2009 Château Gruaud Larose
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Bright, lively nose. Chewy, meaty palate. Great concentration and spiciness. One for the long term. 90-92
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2009 Château Ferrière
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
juicy berry and flower nose. Real depth and complexity but light on its feet for the size (13.6%). Stood out on the night. 94-96
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2009 Château Haut-Bailly
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Fresh, minty spicy-oak nose. Formidable concentration gives a slightyl new world profile. Great balance and focus though. Poised. 92-94
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2006 Château Haut-Bailly 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Really very good. Spicy oak nose, restrained but pure cassis fruit. A little meaty on the mid. Balanced and elegant.
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2006 Château Ferrière 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Beautiful nose of perfume-sprinkled graphite. Good sweet ripeness for the vintage, decent complexity. 12.9%. Good QPR. 91+
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2009 Château Lagrange (St. Julien)
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
A big 13.7% ("warming", said Toby with no little irony). Sweet cassis fruit but lacking the early complexity of a wine like the Leoville Barton. Potentially approachable relatively quickly? 89-91
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2009 Château Léoville Barton
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Poured by Anthony Barton. Massive fruit hit OTN, awe-inspring depth and complexity. The most complete young wine of the tasting with decades ahead of it. Absolute class, WOTN. 96-98+
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2006 Château d'Issan 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Wonder nose! A restrained and elegant Margaux, great success for the vintage
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2009 Château d'Issan
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Lovely floral Margaux nose, very dense and rich. Big at 13.9% but balanced with top acidity. Should age beautifully. 92-94
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2006 Château Léoville Poyferré 86 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Rather edgy mineral nose, tannins a touch stalky. Needs to put on some weight on bottle to balance out.
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2009 Château Petit Village
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Great merlot nose, given a spine by c.25% cab in the blend. Very fine tannins. Pure, long and focussed. Punches above its weight in 2009. 92-94
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2006 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
A classically proportioned beauty. Earthy nose leads into a balanced and approachable pessac.
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2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Very deep colour. Intense Pessac violet palate, round and generous but backed by some titanic tannins. For the long term, but potentially superb. 92-94
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2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Overt nose, blosom, peach, big waxy semillon presence. Velvet complexity. Rounder than the Dom de Chevalier BLanc but maybe just the tniest bit less interesting? Still a real beauty though. 92-94
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2006 Château Talbot 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Earthy, mulchy nose. Leafy blackcurrant and good freshness but maybe a bit rustic for a classed growth?
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2009 Château Talbot
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Deep colour, very ripe menthol nose. Very focussed sweet cabernet fruit. A top effort from Talbot. 91-93
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2009 Château Phélan Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A touch over-extracted? A little raisined? Amarone style! Gave the impression of being over-worked in the winery. 82-84
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2006 Château Léoville Barton 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
A textbook St Julien, refined and balanced. From 2015? 91+
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2009 Château Léoville Poyferré
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
V. rich, good complexity, intense cassis/licorice palate. Very complete with a promising future. 92-95
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2006 Château Phélan Ségur 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Classic cabernet nose follows through onto the medium-bodied palate. Suspicions tannins may be a little green? Needs time
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2006 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
P-B didn't pour their 2009, (which was a bit odd as it was a 2009 EP tasting!) but this 2006 stood out among the others (2006s that is). Skillful, deep claret with sweet silky black fruit and devlopng great complexity already. WIll be great in the mid term. 93+
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