Medium ruby with slight brickish tinge. Bright bouquet, with aromas of bell pepper, blackberry, cassis, iron, plum, stone. Plus body, plus tannins, plus acid. Grippy yet supple tannins with lengthy finish. Coming from a magnum bottle, still needs more time to develop, but otherwise drinking well. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow": Pauillac and St. Julien (By me @ the factory): Uncorked the day before the tasting and double decanted approx. 3 hours prior to the tasting. In the bouquet dark berries, some cherries, well dosed oak, graphite and cigar box. Same on the palate, very juicy acidity, round tannin with a pleasant bite, a touch of pleasant sweetness and a great length. Delicious wine in its young maturity stage and will be great over the next decade at least.
Almost 4 years since my last review, this bottle was surprisingly firm. Fruit was tight and somewhat restrained. I was expecting a little more roundness on the palate but there's still a long future ahead. Mineral, graphite/pencil lead with cherry fruit, fine balance and terroir.
Gave the bottle a good decanting. the cork was sound and there was a fair amount of sediment. The wine was in good shape and very enjoyable over two days. It's in a good place for drinking now but should hold for several more years.
How quickly.. this is no.16 over the month of Bordecembre!
Looks like Saint-Julien is very well represented at our dinner, this appelation took up 3 of the 6 spots!
70% Cab, 22% Merlot, 5% CF with 3% PV. Needs time to open, bottle breathed 2 hours but the nose was seemingly in-out.
Comes across as being rather youthful, this 2009 once again reinforces its a brilliant vintage and one where some wines are actually accessible today too.
Tannins are mainly resolved with only a light grip remaining, shows itself in a very fine natured way.
Ripe blackcurrant, fresh cedar with fragrant graphite laced with black pepper. Acid M+.
Amazingly, I guessed right.. LB 2009.
Thanks Choe for sharing this at MERA, one of 8 bottles we enjoyed at our very early Christmas gathering.
15th Dec 2023 Mark1NPT.. amazing that 10,000 miles away I had this very same vintage on possibly the same Friday! Damansara Kim, Malaysia
Haven't had one of these in 5 years but spurred on by other CT'ers here this past week. Decanted 1 hour but really needs 2 to drink its best. This is dark red and rich fruit and belies its 14 years of age. Punches younger than you think it would. It's still drinking quite strong and shows no evidence of slowing down. Balance is the key here, with all elements. It's just beautiful........
Most popular wine at our 2009 tasting event. Still tight, but with decent fruit balance. No rush to try the next bottle, as this has the structure to last a long time.
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Most popular wine at out 2009 tasting event. Still tight, but with decent fruit balance. No rush to try the next bottle, as this has the structure to last a long time.
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Really classy. I've previously observed that this was red fruited and light but now it's showing as a much more rounded out and elegant offering. Has a distinct oak backbone - but prominent rather than dominant - and then glorious layers of violet, dark cocoa, cinnamon (or something in the woody spice department), and silky, liqueur-like blackcurrant. This was really joyful.
Over two nights. Cherry on the nose; blackberry in the mouth. A lovely wine drinking well now. We had this wine and the 2009 Leoville Barton in successive weeks, and this was the superior wine at this time.
The 2009 Branaire-Ducru is a gorgeous wine, a fact obvious as soon as it's poured into the decanter. The nose spans a spectrum of red fruit - cherry, raspberry, and strawberry - voluptuous yet elegant (as always, at Branaire). Allspice, rose, and cedar round out the nose, which shows so many of the positive attributes of a warm year in terms of its accessibility, volume, creaminess, and plush textures. This coin has two sides, though, and palate hints at the difficulty of such a year as the alcohol - labeled at 13.5% - pokes through slightly. It's not terribly out of balance, but it does hold the wine back from really soaring as some 2009s do. This shows well as soon as it is poured, shutting down with 30 minutes-3 hours of air, re-emerging by hour 12 and showing nicely still at hour 24 (if the nose is less articulate, the palate is more so). In about 5 years, I expect to find this wine fully ready.
Dark purple in the glass. Closed and muted at first, needed some time to open up. Deliciously balanced dark fruit, fragrant woods, leather. A very nice effort.
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In a bit of a weird spot, I'd wait a few years to open any more. Very restrained right out of the bottle, but with quite a bit of air it starts to open up. A great wine from a fantastic vintage. Still very youthful with plenty of fresh fruit, but the tertiary is certainly developing. Wonderful balance, silky smooth tannins and a long evolving finish.
Deep ruby colour.
Pronounced aromas of black berry, cassis, black cherries, fresh dark plums, mushroom, leather, loam, cedar, cinnamon, mocha, coffee grounds, cigar box.
Pronounced palate.
Medium (+) body, high acidity, high silky tannins, long finish.
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Double decanted for 2 hrs. The nose was restrained & not what I remembered. It tasted ok, but also less than I recall. A couple of tasters believed that it was slightly corked. I am usually very sensitive to TCA & did not pick it out, but that would explain the result.
I've not popped one of these in over a year and a half. Opened about an hour or so before dinner. No decant, but this was humming from the get-go. Great nose/fruit - excellent bottle and a great value.
Dekantert. Herlig nese og munn. Fra start. Dette er den siste og beste flaske fra kassen. Irriterende at jeg ikke ventet lengre med de foregående, for dette er bare herlig. Også dag 2, meget pen.
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This has improved since my last tasting. Decanted 2.5 hours, and it helped round out the wine. Still, it seems like this is in a dumb phase, holding back on the boquet and palate. The cocoa that I sometimes get from this Chateau was also missing, hence my hunch that this needs more time. On the plus side, this showed the sort of finesse of tannins that I love about good StJ. Definitely approachable now, but I think the best is yet to come.
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Decanted for 4 hours but it was still somewhat one-dimensional. By the time I was on the last glass, it had been open for 6 hours and not much change. I think it is just too young. Wait at least five more years!
4th growth in medoc, st julien. Such a joy! Save this wine for when you are ready to enjoy - special moment, good friends over, nice dinner or simply when you can focus on the wine, give it time and enjoy.
Popped and poured a small glass on night 1. Nice nose of plum, albeit a bit one dimensional.
Put away for a day and opened up on night 2 to find a beautiful wine and excellent articulation of 2009. Powerful, yet round, silky red fruit. The nose and flavors start with cassis, blueberry, blackberry, followed by cigar, cedar, wet forest, providing it with depth. Enjoyable savory aftertaste lingering for 35-45 seconds. Simply enjoyed on night 2 with some French olives. Would go very well with steak. This wine has enough structure to hold for another 5 years.
Popped and poured. Initially shows with a light body with plenty of graphite minerality and notes of black pepper and spice. With air, it fattens up with cassis and blueberry. Strikes me as very classic.
A 4th growth St Julien. Blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, light cedar, cigar, savory notes. Tannins still firm. Lacking in some intensity and complexity to achieve a higher score. 10+ years of life ahead.
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Continuing to develop in all the right ways, the wine is a refined, elegant example of Saint Julien with its layers of soft, silky red fruits, mocha, wet earth, spice, and cigar box. Medium/full-bodied, energetic and fresh, this is already drinking just great. Drink from 2023-2050.
Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of dark ruby colour, with narrow fading rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of milk chocolate, mineral notes of earth, pungent spice of liquorice, maturity notes of savoury. The wine is developing. Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has high tannin of ripe and velvety texture, medium alcohol and full body, with medium (+) intensity flavours of black fruit of blackcurrant and blackberry, red fruit of plum, oak notes of toast, pungent spice of liquorice. The wine has a medium (+) finish. Conclusion: Very good quality St-Julien with an intense nose showing good complexity, with the typical Bordeaux left-bank characters apparent, plenty of ripe black fruit and plum, refined oak and chocolate, liquorice and savoury development. The palate is well-balanced, with robust velvet tannin, good concentration of flavours and a long finish. It is ready to drink now and can further develop for another 2-3 years.
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Superb! Deep colour, classic and complex bouquet, opulent and elegant on the palate. Medium-long finish. Drinking very well, but will definitely improve further over the next 3 - 5 years.
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A mid-weight Branaire Ducru with not a lot of stuffing maybe even the fruit drying out a little . Another disappointing wine from the 2009 vintage despite the hype. Enjoyable but no more than that.
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As I observed in my last note this is up the lighter end of the Cabernet spectrum and today was the same. It was however more relaxed than I recall, and it fills out beautifully with food. At a good cross section of fruit and more tertiary aromas, with slight notes of damp earth and leathery dried fruit beginning to peek out, but only just. A wine of finesse.
Drinking really well right now. Still has a bit of baby fat on it but the tannins are well integrated. I’d probably rate it a tad higher if I’d have waited a couple, few years longer for more earthy, tertiary nuances to develop.
Kork av i 24 timer, ikke dekantert. Gikk bra. Meget stort behag fra glass 2, og behaget stiger nedover i flasken. Ørlite i overkant syre, men ikke noe problem.
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Pungent and somewhat forward nose of chocolate, dark red currant, dry leather, some black licorice. Crunchy, robust tannins, missing the freshness and ripeness of some 09s; classic aromas and flavors with maybe a bit of over charred wood and volatility. Maybe needs a few years
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Flash decant and drank over two days. A bit better on day 2. Elegant and understated (almost too much so). More of a velvet glove lacking the iron fist. Drink now.
Still young. Nice fruit and structure. The cork pull reveals the potential. Classic BD chocolate with lovely StJ nuances. Then it becomes cloying midlife crisis wine. This is on edge and ready to become a lovely Bdx with strong tertiary notes layered with beautiful fruit. Some folks don’t like this vintage, but I would take their pristine bottles off their hands.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot 3% Cabernet Franc old vines, 13.55% and pH 3.53.
Deep red garnet hue, semi transparent, compact rim. Youthful.
Bright cherry nose. Some candied fruit, roasted almond, crushed blackcurrant, cooking spices, some underearth aromas, new charred cedar woods.
On the palate, this starts to resolve. Dense tannin but not coarse or hard at all. Medium body, medium plus acidity, and dry. Ripe black fruits, black olives, briny, lots of minerality, some umami seaweed characters. Long finish.
I love this 2009 Branaire. It is ready now but no rush whatsoever. Currently showing more primary characters than secondary evolution but very pleasant indeed. If popping one now, allow at least one hour of decanting. Will stay at this peak for at least 5 more years with ease. 92+
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Dark currant nose with leather, a bit of heat, and both red and black licorice notes. A gentle palate with pretty dry red fruit layers and caressing earth flavors, along with some cigar box. Iron, minerals, and mostly resolved tannins with a long finish of wet earth, wet stone, shale, black plum, and potter's clay.
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Opened last night, and oh how beautifully it has unfolded. Inviting dark crimson. Absolutely coats the glass. Nose has mineral, iodine, licorice, and candy-like red fruit that is just beginning to emerge. It is in the mouth where this really struts its stuff, though. It is simply delicious, with oodles of plush, dense fruit. Highly polished and very feminine, this is fantastic. Good finish, too, though it turns very slightly bitter at the very end. One of the better-value '09s. 5-12-18-9: 94/100.
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Over dinner - no formal notes, but general,observations similar to my previous notes. Generous, rich with good acidity and a nice tannic backbone. Quite elegant with fine length. 92-94
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Popped'n poured, but would have benefited from a decant. But this was the spur of the moment opened-to-go-with-the-last-of-the-cheese-after-dinner, and for that it was perfect.
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Dekantert. Forfina og delikat, men åpner med litt tydelig syre. Som roer seg ned fra glass 3. Feminin, balanse, men ikke i nærheten av burgund. Dette er bordeaux!
90 Minute decant. Cork looked good, fair amount of sediment on the bottle. A hint of black cherry, plum, fig, leather and bell pepper. Smooth, easy drinking. Medium body, medium finish.
Benefits from a good decant. Pure mint and plum aromas, palate is up the red fruit end of the Cabernet spectrum, but there’s also chocolate and cocoa power to be had. It’s well balanced and I agree it’s on the light side but still a delicious glass of wine.
Decant 1.5hr to have nose start to flourish with blackcurrant, cassis, licorice and a tint of earthy fragrance. However, on the palate, the wine is rather plain, medium to light body even. Finishing was uninspiring.
Very nice, medium powerful, sweet bouquet of cassis, dark cherry and liquorice. Very drinkable and smooth, lighter in body than you would expect. Tannins are nicely integrated. There is a slightly bitter/tart ending to the finish, maybe from the high alcohol? Overall, very nice wine and certainly one of the best vintages of this house in the last two decades. However, it lacks harmony in the finish to push on to higher scores.
Bordeaux and Rack of Lamb in Princeton: What a tasty wine. Blackberry, currant, cassis, tobacco, cigar box, earth, minerals. I thought this would need a decant but it opened on its own. Delicious just by itself. Would have gone great with the roast, herbal rack of lamb, but it was all gone by the time the food was ready.
Very dark purple. Cork in beautiful condition. Blackberry and cassis on the nose. Good balance of fruit and acid. Velvety mouthfeel. Black fruit on the attack. Somewhat tight yet. Black cherry on the midpalate. Somewhat tart on the ten second finish. Drank after opening but prior to a two hour decant before a dinner of braised short rib and feta mashers. Nice wine.
Really pretty good wine. It is still a little tight even on day 2; starting of with intensity of fruit and decent balance, which holds up well in the mid-palate. The finish is a bit short given the strength of initial flavours and it goes slightly out of balance at the end with a sort of tart and acidic ending.
Harmonious nose of baked plums wrapped in tobacco leaf. On the palate ripe cassis, black currants, and a streak of terrific minerality. 30 seconds of finish that exudes high quality wine making. Exceeded expectations!
Dark fruit on the nose, tobacco, spices - quite ripe and generous, still elegant. On the palate nicely balanced - generous and concentrated again with well integrated acidity. Tannins noticeable but unobtrusive. Lovely. Drink or keep. 92-94
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Initially closed and not impressive on PnP, with limited nose and tight. Decanted and started to open after 2 hours, and was much better at 4 hours. An elegant St Julien that initially went better with dinner, but after more time was quite good on its own.
Dark Ruby color. Earthy nose with quite dark blackberry and toasty wood. Entry is clean fruit with a good weight and linear profile. A lot of energy to this and finishes nicely leathery and ashy wood. The profile smoothed out significantly after a good decant.
I drink a wide variety of wines, and while I wish I could claim to have found a distinctive personal favorite, the reality is I like Bordeaux the best (for red wines at least -- not to mention Sauternes). It's perfect. The fruit tastes dark and ripe while maintaining good acidity. There's always a balanced blend of fruit notes and earthy notes due to the pyrazines. The tannins provide a serious structure.
Anyway, this wine here, while not particularly powerful or special, exemplifies all of those things I just said. I love the interwoven dark-fruit and pyrazine-based aromas (eucalyptus, cigar box, etc.). I like the olive and truffle aromas too. This wine is great to drink on its own due to the ripe fruit, but it doesn't taste bloated due to the acidic balance. Tannins are balanced too. This wine should drink well for the next 10 years.
2 hr slow ox. Started out slowly but over an hour it really took shape and outperformed my expectations. Solid red fruit core. Some good dried flower notes. Came after 2000 Ducru Beaucaillou so tough comparison but a lot less BDX funk (in a good way). Long finish.
Was sorely in need of a good 2 hour decant and then this became wonderfully fragrant with candied black raspberry, cedar and earthy tobacco scents that led to a soft, layered, earthy red fruited licorice expression that was in perfect balance and kept getting better and more expansive with the more air it got. 94+
A focused nose of blackberries and a hint of cedar. The palate is focused and full of dark fruit. Some graphite and underbrush. Good acidity. Still young but tasty. Not overdone in the slightest.
This impresses right away with a beautiful nose of violets, cherries and a hint of cigar box. The palate is rich, succulent and earthy with vanilla and dark black fruits followed by a strong tannic grip and a long, long finish. Classical in style and whilst drinking beautifully now, I would hold for another 2 - 5 years. Day 2 and this has taken on more of a chocolate profile with the tannins a tad muted (best on day 1). Overall this is very good, needs more time but didn’t “wow” me.
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2009 Château Branaire-Ducru was classy and evolving, and showed great balance among flavours of ripe dark fruits, oak, mint and earthiness. The developing Saint-Julien was medium ruby in colour with noticeable fine sediments. Freshly uncorked, it showed an array of ripe black fruits, blackberries, mulberries and dark plum. Two hours of aeration allowed complexities of ecaulyptus, toast, vanilla, earth and forest floor to unpack. On the palate, it was dry and full-bodied, balanced by medium-high levels of acidity and gripping tannin. Flavours of saline minerality, dried blackberries, tobacco, mint and Oriental spices lingered in a long satisfying finish. It could be enjoyed now in its early maturity, or comfortably aged for at least five years to gain more tertiary notes. The blend composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Château Branaire-Ducru is one of my favourite wineries in Saint-Julien for the balance, complexity, wide availability and relative affordability. When I was studying my undergraduate degree in Hong Kong, I occasionally bought the second label Duluc de Branaire-Ducru from the supermarket and savoured it at the hostel. The approachability of the second label, as well as the interplay of blackberry, red plum and oak spices were just on point.
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My first bottle of this case. Dark garnet. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, mint, cedar, and graphite. Medium palate of blackberry, cassis, and anise. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Youthful tannins. Integrated oak. Delicious wine.
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Was ranked #3 by group at '09 vs. '10, although it was my 1st place wine. Excellent, rich fruit with grand balance and smooth middle. The integration seems complete with a wonderfully long finish. It was decanted for 2.5 hrs before tasting and had another1.5 hours before it was really singing.
Popped, poured and consumed over the course of dinner and the following 2 hours. This bottle was clearly not ready for prime time drinking, and I will do my best to not open another until 2025. Primary notes of black fruits, hints of vanilla, mocha and earth. Lacking in depth and texture at this moment, a bit stern on the mid palate. Fingers crossed that 5-10 more years in the cellar brings out some magic!
Blackberry, gravel, hints of cassis, cigar box; decanted for two hours: a little thin, linear, fruitful, young though tannins are not harsh, a bit too new world, will surely improve with age but unclear how much
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Decanted and drank over two hours. Unmistakably Cabernet based , concentrated dark red and purple fruits, hints of cocoa, silky and a medium length finish. Great qpr.
Bordal chez Albert (Vega, Ausone, Haut-Brion, Mouton...) (Chermignon): Aveugle. La couleur la plus sombre et le nez le plus épanoui...durant 1 heure, a ensuite viré vers des arômes plus médicinaux. En bouche, puissant, solaire mais quelque peu en manque d’équilibre. Pas mon vin.
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Elegant, refined, fresh, pure and precise, the wine pops right from the initial sniff and sip. The freshness in the juicy sweet, ripe, earthy red fruits, with their cocoa accent hits the spot. And the long, polished, refined, silky, red berry finish just doesn't want to quit. While you can pop a cork now, I'd wait at least 3-5 years for the wine to fill out and really shine!
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Rich garnet color, no signs of age. Expressive nose right our of the gate showing creme de cassis, dried flowers, violets, slight graphite. Very ripe palate showing black cherry, chocolate, pencil, very slight green notes, cedar. Smooth texture, long and layered finish. Tannins still ripe and chewy
Gorgeous wine still in a primary phase. Super ripe, will improve as tannins resolve. Great showing for 09 vintage, likely goes for 20+ years from here...score goes higher in time 93+
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This was wound pretty tight and backward right now. A lot of umami and mushroom and some fruit, but not very generous. Decanting and breathing was not very helpful either. Will wait several years before I touch another one.
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Similar to prior note after a 1 hr double decant, but beginning to be a little more Bordeaux with green notes beginning to appear (at this point I could go either way blind - Bordeaux, CA); delicious, drink or hold
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Berry Brothers 2018 Bordeaux en primeur (plus back vintages) (Lindley Hall, London): A nice wine and a notch up from a weak Beychevelle offering tasted just before. This felt a bit more developed and offered some classic claret in the midst of a lot of ripe other 09 offerings. It lacks the oomph of others but I feel this too (like the Lagrange - which is better though) is one of those bottles that would shine a lot more taken by itself when one has the chance to dig the teeth in and see how it develops glass after glass and not in a line-up as is not a typical "glossy" 09.
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Not ready yet. I had only one bottle and it was a pity to open it now. Oak still dominates with sweet caramel notes which overshadow the fruit. Otherwise well balanced with ripe tannins but restrained fruit at the moment. Could turn out to be an outstanding wine in 5 to 10 years.
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The 2009 Branaire-Ducru remains a deeply crimson colour with a primary nose of blackcurrant jelly, dark plums, black cherries, dark chocolate and cedar. The palate is quite rich and round but with breathing in the decanter for several hours a firmer and fine tannic structure becomes apparent. There is grip and dimension but that 82 like character of plush roundness will probably define this wine well into the future.
Dark garnet core with crimson rim; wow that’s a lot of oak, if tasting blind I would have sworn this was modern Rioja/Ribera, black fruit, smoke, tobacco, dill and green pepper, lots of glycerin, youthful and tannic on the palate, not digging this now.
As a taste more and more wines my ratings are adjusting more towards the Lower end of the range. I think it’s imprtant to rate the wine at its current moment in time, not its “potential”. While it is true that many of the 2009’s can be drunk young, I believe it is best to let these rest in the cellar for a few more years. While there is amble fruit in this branaire, the tanins are quite pronounced and show a promising structure for the future. This wine has dark fruit but strong tannins and a bit of heat on the finish. The Positives on this wine ( for me at least) that it screams old world style Bordeaux, not in the least bit jammy ripe and new world style. I think it’s better to drink 2009s that are not as structured if you are tempted to pop a cork. A very promissing future and although I don’t have any more in my cellar, I know to let my 2009 poyferre rest 5 years.
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Opaque, almost black in color turning violet crimson at the rim with a transparent edge. This exhibits a dense, gorgeous nose of black currant, cassis, dark incense, iodine, figs and leather. The palate has a solid core built for aging with velvety tannins and medium-bright acidity. Flavors of cola, espresso, blueberries push through the long mentholated finish with velvety tannins. Superb. Drink now with a 30-minute decant until 2029. 95+
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Decanted for 3 hours. Very nice, the dark fruit is there and while a little tight, quite pleasant. The tannins hit mid to late palate and are not overbearing and carry the fruit with it to a long enjoyable finish. mmmm I can still taste it. While I can see how this would cellar well for quite a few years and could open up, it is excellent now. Not inexpensive for someone like myself who will only allow myself to splurge from time to time, this is a producer I will always have to keep in mind.
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Perhaps a sign of having too much wine when I open an '09 Branaire to go with a take-out cheeseburger. (In my defense, it was a really good burger from BGR.) Branaire continues to be one of the great QPR values in Bordeaux (Clos de l'Oratoire being my right back Bordeaux value), and the '09 is no exception. Another good bottle, limited only by my being too impatient (okay, too hungry) to give it a decent decant. But it went great with the burger.
Charming wine. 2009 had a warm summer, but it is still a delicate and relatively feminine expression and touch that lurks behind the powerful and dark fruit. I like it. Floral notes - almost perfume like. Not at all on the ripe site. Dusty and earthy - perhaps from the 20 % Merlot? An underlying discrete graphite nuance. Typical St. Julien. Needs 3-4 more yrs to soften a bit and to mature the dark berries. Probably going to land on 95-96 points with these extra years in the cellar.
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I don't often use these words to describe a wine: this was lovely and beautiful. Very balanced, elegant, and graceful; not heavy, not overbearing, an open style (relatively) at this stage, but with a moderate firm finish. Just so satisfying and pleasing. A sublime wine. Restrained. Needed an hour to come alive and it didn't change even on the second day. Wondering why I didn't buy a bunch of this years ago when it was more affordable.
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I am constantly amazed at the ageing potential of the 2009 Bordeaux's. 9 years on and still with very bright acids. This is still a big robust wine- not yet ready in my opinion. Dark berry fruits, dried paw paw with earth and spice. I'd give this at least another 5 years to round off the edges and develop complexity.
Splash decanted x2 at home then off to the restaurant with friends. Loads of red, juicy fruit on the front end. Feathery tannins on entry and halfway down. Pleasing finish. Developed a little more dark fruit, depth and weight as the evening moved on, almost moving toward the '03 Cos we had at the table also. Fun to watch these wines evolve thru an evening! This fruit/acid mix is very approachable now with a slight decant to soften it further.....
First bottle (of 18) - great fruit, structure, delicious now, but no rush. Paired with the '05 Branaire, which is equally delicious, but probably could still use a couple more years. Suspect I'll likely start digging further into the '09s while the '05 slumbers a bit longer.
Amazing Bordeaux blend. Ready to drink now in 2018 but possibly still a touch young; has enough tannins for another 10 years. Medium bodied intensely concentrated and complex. Plenty of juicy fruit and a few hints of musky tertiary flavors that should be bolder with bottle time. A nice decant is warranted right now. Drank May 2018
Dark red color. Nose of ripe blackberries, earth, oak, dried herbs. Full bodied savory toasty palate moderate fine grained tannins and balancing acidity. A complex wine overall and enjoyable to drink now even though in the restaurant setting this wine was shared in was less than great for handling decanting and possible sediment. Would likely have improved with more air.
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A magnificent Branaire, already approachable. Nose full of dark cherries, graphite, burnt wood, vanilla. Taste is heavy on tart cherry juice, slight spice, with lots of medium soft tannins. Pretty well integrated already. Might be (slightly) better in a couple of years but frankly no need to wait. Terrific value!
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Nose of black cherry, red grape, and walnut wood. Mineral-driven and very complex palate with black currant, patent leather, and quartz. Full bodied, wide ribbons of tannins with red leather, currant, and loamy soil. Could possibly developer further even! We had this with steak but it would be fun to try it with something lighter - game?
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Very grown-up full wine – drinkable now for sure but still capable of spreading its wings over next 5-10 years. As others have commented, definitely let it breathe for a good hour or two. Dark pencil lead overture and a tart grippy finish, balanced with a slightly mysterious sense of depth about the middle. Reminds of Clos du Marquis in the way it doesn't kowtow to sweetness, just full on St Julien graphite leather charm.
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Need at least 2 hours of decant to open up. Inky dense purple colour, full-bodied with lush velvety tannins. Initially will feel some heat and spiciness from the alcohol but soon this disappears as it softens with air in the glass to reveal a smooth balance finish. Surprisingly approachable at this stage but still young and will last for a long time!
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Consumed at restaurant, so I do not give a rating as it not controlled/I did not use my standard wine glass Decanted for two hours Aroma of warm cherries, plum, and a touch of clove Ripe tannins, relatively low acidity, some spice towards the finish Overall, it is fruit driven. Ready to drink now
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Dricker flaskan för tidigt. Väldigt mycket frukt och nästan amerikansk i stilen. Tydliga ekfatstoner som påminner om en rioja. Mörka bär, vanilj, lakrits. Min gissning är att vinet sannolikt är fantastiskt om fem år, varför jag sätter ett betyg som är högre än jag tycker det förtjänar idag.
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Very tasty but needs much more time. I get cherry cola with with a bit of tannin from the stem that gives it a dry and slightly bitter flavor. Behind that I get a touch of vanilla. I’m going to guess in 5 years this will improve a lot.
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Very ripe red and dark fruit that really jumps from the glass. I don't think it goes too far but it pushes the ripeness to the edge. There are also notes of damp earth, Asian spices, and nice freshness from the acidity. A wine that is easy to enjoy and would likely please California wine lovers.
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Second WOTN during the dinner program, but to me the clear winner served with a grilled lamb and a cannoli of grilled veggies. A real delight. Bright, vibrant red fruit, lots of life and energy with perfect acidity and a very decent finish. Drinking extremely well right now or can be held for a few decades. but why wait?
Pretty deep purple. Some oak and baked pie crust with the nose a little closed right out of the bottle. Nose after a one hour decant opens into some sweet fruit and florals - very pleasing. Less weighty on the palate than I would have guessed. Big lip smacking and lengthy finish on the dryer side with some tannin that makes itself known. Decant makes big difference as wine continued to soften over 2-3 hours.
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Tasted blind. Mature aromas of melted licorice, cedar, cassis, and plum. Balanced and noble. Good bite, good tannic grip. Classy. Right around its peak I’d say. Rating: 93.
Guess the wine: Cabernet blend. Left-Bank Bordeaux. 15+ years old.
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Served two glasses by Coravin with one hour aeration in glass Dark purple, almost opaque It is packed with sweet black fruits at start, primarily fruit driven. With a good one hour aeration, some cider box, smoke, rose petals and licorice emerges. High acidity, chewy tannin, medium-bodied A fruity and sweet aftertaste lingers.
Bad thing is that the little nose remains with 2.5 hours of aeration. While it could be kept in cellar for five years in the hope to hit maturity, it may not be as long-lived as expected.
We pondered if this and the 09 Brane Cantenac are the two greatest values of the left bank classifieds in this spectacular vintage. Certainly, Branaire Ducru has become the value jewell of St Julien over the past decade. For me, a better wine than both Leoville Poyferre and Leoville Barton in 09, and probably gives LLC a run for it's money. Beautiful cool fruits, so lush and long. Loaded with cassis, blackberries and liquorice, this beautifully polished wine is thoroughly enjoyable now, with at least a good two decades in front of it. But remember to give it a good decant!!! I give this extra points for being so delicious at this infant stage, perfect for the impatient like myself!!!
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Black currant, cassis and licorice. Very good concentration and power that comes across as firm on long finish. Needs time in the cellar. Like most others today, I thought this from Napa due to its rich and ripe 2009 character. Oops.
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Tasted at Vendredi 4/14/2017 (all tasted blind). Tasted in the second flight of 4 wines. Very ripe forward nose, full bodied rich blackberry fruit. Pleasant long balanced finish. Awesome polished wine!
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Full bodied, and holding most of what it has in reserve, the wine has rich textures, ripe, elegant, pure fruits, balancing acidity and a long finish. Hang on to your bottles for at least another 5-6 years, as this is going to develop nicely.
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Dark ruby; plush, warm, inviting nose, with classic profile; soft, seductive, lovely smooth texture provided by fully ripe fruit, yet has the requisite freshness. Savoury, with good backbone. It a welcome occasion not to have make excuses about 'structure' or 'with time', as often occurs with serious claret. A real presence on a thoroughly attractive finish. This is really enjoyable now, but will no doubt age effortlessly. A pleasure to drink. (Double decanted & given 2 hours).
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I never drink young Bordeaux, so this was an educational lesson. I rather like it but it won't change my mind about the best time to drink these wines. The fruit is bold yet not overpowering, to its credit. Acidity is sound, even high. Tannins are also high but ripe. Of course there's not much complexity or subtlety at this infant stage. And there's decent structure so that it is by no means a fruit bomb. Good stuff but I won't seek it out since I lack the patience to age it.
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Nice nose of blackcurrant, cherry, plum, woody, cedar, spice, clove, slight prune. Very ripe and bordering luscious in ripeness, chocolate. Palate shows excellent acidity, very refreshing, balancing the ripeness. Ripe blackcurrant, plum, cherry, graphite, vanillin, oak, toast, chocolate. Not the most complex or nuanced. Still very nice bottle that is perfectly drinkable now and depending on your personal tastes has 15+ years ahead of it.
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How to make a London Revival in Madrid (Lavinia - Madrid): The power of the vintage. Notes of wet slate stone predominate on the nose. Also some meaty hue. That elegance from that only theoretically St Julien contends is yet to be defined. However it is on the palate where this wine is giving that legendary softness that makes easy that more than remarkable development, being more than ready to drink too.
El poder de la añada. Notas a piedra de pizarra mojada predominan en nariz. También algún matiz cárnico. La elegancia de esas frecuentes notas bizcochadas que teóricamente aporta St Julien está por definirse. Sin embargo es en el paladar donde la legendaria suavidad hace aparición con un desarrollo más que notable, estando más que lista para beber.
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As others have noted, this one isn't quite ready to open yet. However after 2-3 hours of decanting it was really starting to open up. Looking forward to our other bottle in a few years.
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Flott intensitet på nesen med mørke bær i retning mørke kirsebær og solbær, trevirke, krydder og hint av mørk sjokolade. Ungdommelig og flott. Over i munn er den litt røffere i kantene, og man skjønner at dette er barnerov. Meget konsentrert med fyldig moden frukt. Det er såvidt den har nok friskhet til å berge seg. Meget lang finish med tanniner som tørker ut hele munnhulen. Sikkert en killer om 20 år. Den får 90-91p her og nå.
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Young, as expected, but it's impossible not to enjoy all the fresh, sweet, ripe fruits, soft textures and the elegance, paired with freshness in the finish. A few hours in the decanter, or more cellar time will be amply rewarded.
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My Grade: EX+. Pure, well-defined and elegant St. Julien. Lovely black-cherry color. Expressive nose with prominent licorice, menthol, cherry, plum, vanilla, secondary notes of toast and wet earth. On the palate: focussed cassis, tart plum, burnt toast, fine-lined acidity, very smooth tannins, very long finish. This has some way to go to reach its peak (at least 5 years), but very drinkable now.
Addendum: showed more power and complexity the next day after vacuvin, upgraded to EX+.
(See my profile for grades)
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Decanted 6 hrs. No notes taken but my general impression was of a suave, complete, and elegant wine that showed excellent St. Julien typicity. Open and giving now (at least after the decant) with a long life ahead. A noble offering from this 4th growth. Drank alongside a 2001 Haut Brion, the Branaire was the better wine. Fabulous value!
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now,, this is GOOD Bordeaux. So refined, classy and classic. So "St Julien" I would say in the middle of the road between the flamboyant right bank wines and the strictest that Pauillac has to offer. It is hedonistic without losing control of it's structure. Lovely red cherries, blackberries, violets, earth and liquorice. It possesses that quality I love in a great red wine.... the last glass is every bit as good as the first, and you are always left wanting more.
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Deep ruby, lovely open nose of choke cherry and black current, terrific balance, with great fruit and surprisingly soft tannins and a long finish. Wine is developing nicely, and should continue to do so for at least a decade but is approachable today.
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A great bottle of St. Julien Bordeaux- very middle of the road and neutral. The tannin was well integrated and balanced. Prominent flavor notes of cherry, cola, and ripe black fruit. Acidity wasn't very noticeable. It would really benefit from more tobacco/leather notes to give a bit more depth. I really enjoyed it- a great example of the strong 2009 vintage in the sense that it's so good it's just an easy drinking yummy wine more than something strident or complex.
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En Primeur Bdx. 2014 tasting event, reference wine from producer from older vintage, tasting pour, short note. Not sure what to think about this. Quite good and charming today. Still, it has the not so likeable lack of cleanliness and transparency found in so many 2009 European wines, with too much ripe and sweet fruit for my liking. However, somehow this was charming, flirty and quite good, and not as flabby as many wines form 2009. Hmm… Will be fun to find out in a few more years. (89 – 91)
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Medoc Masterclass (GuildSomm) (Torque (Napa, CA)): St Julien - in the south, by Beychevelle, but vineyards are spread out over St. Julien (unusual for Medoc). 65% Cab, 28% Merlot, 4 PV, 3 CF 16-20 months in 60% new oak. Slight red around the rim.
Very nice nose. Some earthy plum, wellp-done brett spice, faint ripe stewwed bell pepper pyrazine. Slight vanilla toast, nutmeg spice. This is nice, very nicely integrated toasty noble oak. Maybe vanilla toast, nutmeg. “That’s bordeaux” magical combination of brett and New Oak. Very slight brett - the spiciness is integrated with oak, and there’s a 4-EP stinkiness underneath.
This is long in the mouth. Ripe. More muscle and flesh. Some extraction to the midpalate aromatics. Medium body, medium alcohol - ~13% to me. M tannins, softened by age - rounded and smooth/pebbly. plush. Between 8.5 and 9.
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Decanted for 1h at Prospect restaurant in San Francisco. What a sumptuous aroma, striking inches from the glass. Leathery woodsy forest floor on the nose. On the palate still earthy and austere, balancing with a few red fruit notes to be sure, but with some oak and tannin back bone. Superb balance and complexity. My favorite of the night.
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I preferred this to both the 2010 and 2005 in this mini vertical. The nose is particularly pretty, luscious and rich, still complex and well defined. On the palate quite open with lots of ripe fruit, spicy, fresh. Good tannic grip. Very long. 93-94+
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Super balanced and well integrated, even at this young age. The fruit on the nose tends towards cherry more than currant, but still dark. There is plenty of vanilla, perhaps a bit oaky. Hints of anise, some herbs, and a bit of cola. The flavor is black cherry and vanilla with a hint of spice. Medium tannins, but really just right for backbone. The finish is long and tends to sour cherry. This seems pretty drinkable now, but will no doubt improve with age. Personally I'd like a bit more dusty character and perhaps more cedar, but it's definitely a crowd pleaser as is.
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This Branaire appears less concentrated, mellow tannins, pasty and short cake like. This is on the softer side of the Bordeaux spectrum for those who prefer elegance over power.
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Bettane+Desseauve London 2014 (Saatchi Gallery, London): Enticing nose of sweet red/black fruits, vanilla. Initially soft on the palate to the point of invisible, with depth and structure coming up from the bottom into a long finish. VG.
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I came to write a tasting note but RickyT12 nailed this wine already ! Everything, including the nose and bitterness is as he states. I will just add that vanilla from the oak was still noticeable but should integrate and the wine was better on Day 2 with a long finish. This wont peak until age 20 or something but worth having and storing away.
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Decanted 1 hour. Amazing nose dark chocolate, nice cherry, caramel, butter nose. Black cherry, a little tobacco. Nose is better, but flavors are quite good. Hint black olives, black truffles and chocolate flavors. Very good QPR. Legs on this wine are pretty amazing. A little bitter, but think it just needs more time. Not drinking the next bottle for 5-10 years.
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R4 Bright ruby colour. Nose closed on opening and did not really open up in the glass. Very smooth, heavy, creamy mouth. Grows very rich taking its time to develop. This is fat, fat. Thins out a bit late ending with extremely fine and elegant tannins. I can only assume that the nose will come with time but the mouth feel is regal.
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I served this in my wine course. Blackberry and spice nose, very rich mid palate. Noticeable oak at first, but became better integrated with the fruit as it aired. Still very young.
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Great mouth feal: round & juicy tannins. Picking up exuberant fruit flavors, mixed with pensil sharpenings and tar. Full bodied and great richness. Wood is present but in the background, leaving a complex and talkative forefront.
Great wine.
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One must decant, decant as if your life depended on it. Currant paste, Earl Grey tea, ravishing raspberry vinaigrette, rose petals and river rock. Very steadfast and determined, this shows the layers and tannin of historical agelessness. Fine-grained and polished tannins throughout many meridians. This might be their best vintage ever. Drink 2019 -.
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This polished, sexy, silky wine delivers beautiful, fresh black and red fruits, spice, mocha, licorice and earth. Forward in style, this will have an incredibly long drinking window.
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Popped and drunk. Very nice color, a dark deep red. On the nose cherry, chocolate, strawberry, a lot of mineral, graphite for days nose, a little black olive nose. Super sharp tannins, chocolate covered cherries, a bit tannic. The lack of fruit is a bit frustrating. Some charcoal or brick type flavors a little bitter on back end. Almost a bit of a yogurt type nose. A bit disappointed 05 was much better.
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90-91+ pts. A nice wine with a fantastic nose - I wish it tasted more like the nose of dark fruits, cherry syrup, plums. On the palate seemed dominated by wet soil, mineral component that I am not too crazy about. What happened to those plums, and dark cherries? Instead, heavy graphite, lead pencil shavings, sour tannins....but very smooth and full finish. Will definitely get better with time and an enjoyable wine, but not yet there.
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Another K&L Bordeaux Saturday (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Magnum, decanted a few hours in advance. Dark and deep looking. Classic Cabernet nose. Deftly done, gently oaky base. Lovely density with great texture due to round, ripe tannins. Cassis with some uplifting floral notes and excellent, refreshing acidity. Marvelously balanced with enough material to buffer the tannins. Along with the Rauzan Segla, one of the standouts amongst the 2009s poured today.
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2009 Bordeaux (for Public TV) (World Series of Wine): So when I got home, I thought I would open one more bottle. Like the Pontet Canet I was surprised as to how open and accessible this is now. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, graphite, floral notes and vanilla. Lush texture. Delicious and fruit filled but also showing some layering. Cassis, earth, dried tobacco on the palate. Long finish. Really delicious. I save half the bottle to try on day 2, but it was hard to do.
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Dense, dark, inky purple in colour. Smoke, anise and plum dominate on the nose. Palate pretty closed down but dominated by black fruit, savoury/bacon-y notes and some vanilla from oak. Long finish with tight but lush tannins. Nice drinking now but will undoubtedly improve.
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Unfortunately only a 30mL from a Paris wine store. Medium intensity bright purple. Vibrant fruit nose. Matching palate on entry. Mouth coating tannin and sweet red fruit flavour. Very good length. (93 Excellent wine)
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Forest floor, earth, sweet ripe blackberry, plum, earth, cedar and tobacco scents get your attention with little effort. Soft, ripe, silky tannins, purity of fruit and concentration are the hallmarks of this wine.
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Blackberry, blueberry, licorice, caramel, smoke, spice and mocha. With soft, round, fleshy textures and ripe, silky tannins, the feels great on your palate. The best Branaire Ducru yet. But it might be surpassed by the 2010. We’ll have to wait and see. Regardless, it’s going to be fun to compare the two vintages over the next few decades. Branaire Ducru remains the best buy in St. Julien for its combination of price and quality.
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2009 UGC Bordeaux Tasting (San Francisco): Ripe red fruits, palate has great structure. On the simpler side compared to the top bordeaux this year but still very solid; short finish. 90
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On the nose, slightly riper and more appealing than the Beychevelle, with more quality to the fruit. Peppery on the palate, with the ripeness of 2009 showing well. 92-93+
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Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (New York, NY): Nose: Blackberry, blueberry fruit leather, leather, tobacco and dark chocolate. Palate: A wall of blackberry juice with Plum and Currant notes. Very dark wine. Finish: Dark finish with substantial tannin.
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2009 Bordeaux at UGC San Francisco (Bentley Reserve Building, San Francisco): Another serious wine. A fat serpentine and complex nose with good florals, fruits, and oak. Black licorice, black currants, cherries, and caramel. Full body and fleshy with great balance. Sweetness balanced nicely by acids and med dryness. Good length and dry on the finish. Excellent and a strong buy
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Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles): Light and elegant on the nose, displaying aromas of black pepper spice, black plums, black currants, along with some mint. Lots of black pepper on the palate, along with black plum, asphalt, cassis, and herbs. Sandy tannins, with a medium finish ending with notes of herbs and black pepper. Quite simple without a lot of complexity. Good.
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Montréal Passion Vin Couleur brillante, vive, d’un vin jeune. Le vin est tannique, assez frais mais il me parait court, plutôt mince et un peu sec. Correct, sans plus, j’ai tout de suite pensé à un petit millésime comme 2007….J’ai été sidéré d’apprendre que c’était 2009 tant le vin me semble manquer d’envergure et de fruit. Il s’améliorera dans l’heure suivante mais demeurera bien mince en apparence. À revoir, sans doute, car un tel domaine ne peut avoir complètement manqué un grand millésime comme celui-ci. Son potentiel m'a sans doute échappé. 85-87 pts en l’état
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Good concentration and richness but dumb - not showing much on the nose; palate a different story - very lovely, spreads out like a peacocks tail. Gorgeous fruit. Really lovely. Fine tannins, good extract. 93-95.
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Much prefer the nose here to the 2010 alongside. Opulent and seductive; Gorgeous texture, already showing quality. Rich yet elegant and refreshing, another superb 2009. 92-94
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2009 Branaire Ducru is dark, with scents of boysenberry, dark chocolate, spice, cassis, and mocha. This elegant wine feels round in the mouth, finishing with flavors of licorice, black and blue fruit, and spice. This is a polished style of St. Julien. This outstanding wine is probably not going to reach the same level as the sublime 2005. Nonetheless, the 2009 Branaire Ducru is one of the better values for serious wine in 2009. 93-95 Pts
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Deep dark red. Aromas of cherry, black fruit, tar, pencil, vanilla. Big wine with great weight and mouth feel. Very soft and velvety. Great balance with tons of fresh acid , fruit, and ripe tannins. Long tannic finish. You might want to put this on your future purchase list. 94-96
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4/13/2024 - WhooskeyWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium ruby with slight brickish tinge. Bright bouquet, with aromas of bell pepper, blackberry, cassis, iron, plum, stone. Plus body, plus tannins, plus acid. Grippy yet supple tannins with lengthy finish. Coming from a magnum bottle, still needs more time to develop, but otherwise drinking well. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
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2/20/2024 - Zweder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow": Pauillac and St. Julien (By me @ the factory): Uncorked the day before the tasting and double decanted approx. 3 hours prior to the tasting. In the bouquet dark berries, some cherries, well dosed oak, graphite and cigar box. Same on the palate, very juicy acidity, round tannin with a pleasant bite, a touch of pleasant sweetness and a great length. Delicious wine in its young maturity stage and will be great over the next decade at least.
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1/15/2024 - wineotim wrote: 93 Points
Almost 4 years since my last review, this bottle was surprisingly firm. Fruit was tight and somewhat restrained. I was expecting a little more roundness on the palate but there's still a long future ahead. Mineral, graphite/pencil lead with cherry fruit, fine balance and terroir.
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12/19/2023 - Redteeth wrote:
Gave the bottle a good decanting. the cork was sound and there was a fair amount of sediment. The wine was in good shape and very enjoyable over two days. It's in a good place for drinking now but should hold for several more years.
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12/15/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 89 Points
How quickly.. this is no.16 over the month of Bordecembre!
Looks like Saint-Julien is very well represented at our dinner, this appelation took up 3 of the 6 spots!
70% Cab, 22% Merlot, 5% CF with 3% PV. Needs time to open, bottle breathed 2 hours but the nose was seemingly in-out.
Comes across as being rather youthful, this 2009 once again reinforces its a brilliant vintage and one where some wines are actually accessible today too.
Tannins are mainly resolved with only a light grip remaining, shows itself in a very fine natured way.
Ripe blackcurrant, fresh cedar with fragrant graphite laced with black pepper. Acid M+.
Amazingly, I guessed right.. LB 2009.
Thanks Choe for sharing this at MERA, one of 8 bottles we enjoyed at our very early Christmas gathering.
15th Dec 2023
Mark1NPT.. amazing that 10,000 miles away I had this very same vintage on possibly the same Friday!
Damansara Kim, Malaysia
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12/15/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Haven't had one of these in 5 years but spurred on by other CT'ers here this past week. Decanted 1 hour but really needs 2 to drink its best. This is dark red and rich fruit and belies its 14 years of age. Punches younger than you think it would. It's still drinking quite strong and shows no evidence of slowing down. Balance is the key here, with all elements. It's just beautiful........
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12/2/2023 - salcorn wrote: 91 Points
Most popular wine at our 2009 tasting event. Still tight, but with decent fruit balance. No rush to try the next bottle, as this has the structure to last a long time.
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12/2/2023 - salcorn wrote: 91 Points
Most popular wine at out 2009 tasting event. Still tight, but with decent fruit balance. No rush to try the next bottle, as this has the structure to last a long time.
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11/28/2023 - gtilley wrote:
Really classy. I've previously observed that this was red fruited and light but now it's showing as a much more rounded out and elegant offering. Has a distinct oak backbone - but prominent rather than dominant - and then glorious layers of violet, dark cocoa, cinnamon (or something in the woody spice department), and silky, liqueur-like blackcurrant. This was really joyful.
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11/27/2023 - Vine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Over two nights. Cherry on the nose; blackberry in the mouth. A lovely wine drinking well now. We had this wine and the 2009 Leoville Barton in successive weeks, and this was the superior wine at this time.
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11/24/2023 - MattB72 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs a long decant. Very good after a few hrs.
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11/12/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
The 2009 Branaire-Ducru is a gorgeous wine, a fact obvious as soon as it's poured into the decanter. The nose spans a spectrum of red fruit - cherry, raspberry, and strawberry - voluptuous yet elegant (as always, at Branaire). Allspice, rose, and cedar round out the nose, which shows so many of the positive attributes of a warm year in terms of its accessibility, volume, creaminess, and plush textures. This coin has two sides, though, and palate hints at the difficulty of such a year as the alcohol - labeled at 13.5% - pokes through slightly. It's not terribly out of balance, but it does hold the wine back from really soaring as some 2009s do. This shows well as soon as it is poured, shutting down with 30 minutes-3 hours of air, re-emerging by hour 12 and showing nicely still at hour 24 (if the nose is less articulate, the palate is more so). In about 5 years, I expect to find this wine fully ready.
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11/1/2023 - dubdub wrote:
Dark purple in the glass. Closed and muted at first, needed some time to open up. Deliciously balanced dark fruit, fragrant woods, leather. A very nice effort.
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7/30/2023 - sjfunkenhauser wrote: 94 Points
In a bit of a weird spot, I'd wait a few years to open any more. Very restrained right out of the bottle, but with quite a bit of air it starts to open up. A great wine from a fantastic vintage. Still very youthful with plenty of fresh fruit, but the tertiary is certainly developing. Wonderful balance, silky smooth tannins and a long evolving finish.
Deep ruby colour.
Pronounced aromas of black berry, cassis, black cherries, fresh dark plums, mushroom, leather, loam, cedar, cinnamon, mocha, coffee grounds, cigar box.
Pronounced palate.
Medium (+) body, high acidity, high silky tannins, long finish.
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6/17/2023 - jsmorris707 wrote: flawed
Double decanted for 2 hrs. The nose was restrained & not what I remembered. It tasted ok, but also less than I recall. A couple of tasters believed that it was slightly corked. I am usually very sensitive to TCA & did not pick it out, but that would explain the result.
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5/26/2023 - j30 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very young and fruity wine just starting to be drinkable. Good concentration and fine tannins. Going to enjoy this in several years.
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5/18/2023 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
I've not popped one of these in over a year and a half. Opened about an hour or so before dinner. No decant, but this was humming from the get-go. Great nose/fruit - excellent bottle and a great value.
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5/12/2023 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dekantert. Herlig nese og munn. Fra start. Dette er den siste og beste flaske fra kassen. Irriterende at jeg ikke ventet lengre med de foregående, for dette er bare herlig. Også dag 2, meget pen.
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4/14/2023 - Shugs_Claret wrote:
Nose took a bit of coaxing to open up. Dark fruit, loam. Oak integrated. Early maturity.
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3/30/2023 - lim.calvinb wrote: 93 Points
Still very primary, think another 4-5 years at least, back to the cellar then.
2 hour decant for anyone trying this out now.
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1/30/2023 - benny wrote: 94 Points
The wine has developed nicely. One hour decant.
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1/3/2023 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
This has improved since my last tasting. Decanted 2.5 hours, and it helped round out the wine. Still, it seems like this is in a dumb phase, holding back on the boquet and palate. The cocoa that I sometimes get from this Chateau was also missing, hence my hunch that this needs more time. On the plus side, this showed the sort of finesse of tannins that I love about good StJ. Definitely approachable now, but I think the best is yet to come.
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1/2/2023 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Again excellent, but still rather youthful. Drink or keep. 92-94
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10/22/2022 - mayoutze wrote: 80 Points
Short, lost all fruit
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10/8/2022 - dlcolester Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened up well with a typical SJ softness. Nice Lingering after taste. Can only get better with more time in the bottle
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10/5/2022 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 4 hours but it was still somewhat one-dimensional. By the time I was on the last glass, it had been open for 6 hours and not much change. I think it is just too young. Wait at least five more years!
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9/23/2022 - benny wrote: 92 Points
Needs a few more years.
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9/17/2022 - Explorateur Likes this wine: 94 Points
4th growth in medoc, st julien. Such a joy! Save this wine for when you are ready to enjoy - special moment, good friends over, nice dinner or simply when you can focus on the wine, give it time and enjoy.
Popped and poured a small glass on night 1. Nice nose of plum, albeit a bit one dimensional.
Put away for a day and opened up on night 2 to find a beautiful wine and excellent articulation of 2009. Powerful, yet round, silky red fruit. The nose and flavors start with cassis, blueberry, blackberry, followed by cigar, cedar, wet forest, providing it with depth. Enjoyable savory aftertaste lingering for 35-45 seconds. Simply enjoyed on night 2 with some French olives. Would go very well with steak. This wine has enough structure to hold for another 5 years.
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8/25/2022 - CondorKhan wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Initially shows with a light body with plenty of graphite minerality and notes of black pepper and spice. With air, it fattens up with cassis and blueberry. Strikes me as very classic.
Very good now but it will get even better.
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7/31/2022 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 92 Points
A 4th growth St Julien. Blackberry, blackcurrant, black plum, light cedar, cigar, savory notes. Tannins still firm. Lacking in some intensity and complexity to achieve a higher score. 10+ years of life ahead.
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7/26/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dekantert. Pen, men ikke pen nok. Noe syre, ikke mye, men vagt for mye. Ekstremt mye bedre dag 2.
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7/8/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Continuing to develop in all the right ways, the wine is a refined, elegant example of Saint Julien with its layers of soft, silky red fruits, mocha, wet earth, spice, and cigar box. Medium/full-bodied, energetic and fresh, this is already drinking just great. Drink from 2023-2050.
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6/24/2022 - peterchoy wrote: 93 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of dark ruby colour, with narrow fading rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of black fruit of blackcurrant, blackberry and plum, oak notes of cedar, kernel notes of milk chocolate, mineral notes of earth, pungent spice of liquorice, maturity notes of savoury. The wine is developing.
Palate: Dry with medium acidity, the wine has high tannin of ripe and velvety texture, medium alcohol and full body, with medium (+) intensity flavours of black fruit of blackcurrant and blackberry, red fruit of plum, oak notes of toast, pungent spice of liquorice. The wine has a medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality St-Julien with an intense nose showing good complexity, with the typical Bordeaux left-bank characters apparent, plenty of ripe black fruit and plum, refined oak and chocolate, liquorice and savoury development. The palate is well-balanced, with robust velvet tannin, good concentration of flavours and a long finish. It is ready to drink now and can further develop for another 2-3 years.
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5/18/2022 - Richard Nabavi Likes this wine: 93 Points
At Otto's Restaurant Mature Bordeaux dinner
Superb! Deep colour, classic and complex bouquet, opulent and elegant on the palate. Medium-long finish. Drinking very well, but will definitely improve further over the next 3 - 5 years.
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4/19/2022 - stkilda wrote: 90 Points
A mid-weight Branaire Ducru with not a lot of stuffing maybe even the fruit drying out a little . Another disappointing wine from the 2009 vintage despite the hype. Enjoyable but no more than that.
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4/4/2022 - gtilley wrote:
As I observed in my last note this is up the lighter end of the Cabernet spectrum and today was the same. It was however more relaxed than I recall, and it fills out beautifully with food. At a good cross section of fruit and more tertiary aromas, with slight notes of damp earth and leathery dried fruit beginning to peek out, but only just. A wine of finesse.
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3/8/2022 - La Ronde Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well right now. Still has a bit of baby fat on it but the tannins are well integrated. I’d probably rate it a tad higher if I’d have waited a couple, few years longer for more earthy, tertiary nuances to develop.
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2/23/2022 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Kork av i 24 timer, ikke dekantert. Gikk bra. Meget stort behag fra glass 2, og behaget stiger nedover i flasken. Ørlite i overkant syre, men ikke noe problem.
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1/14/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 91 Points
2 hour decant
Pungent and somewhat forward nose of chocolate, dark red currant, dry leather, some black licorice. Crunchy, robust tannins, missing the freshness and ripeness of some 09s; classic aromas and flavors with maybe a bit of over charred wood and volatility. Maybe needs a few years
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12/12/2021 - EM_MB wrote: 92 Points
Flash decant and drank over two days. A bit better on day 2. Elegant and understated (almost too much so). More of a velvet glove lacking the iron fist. Drink now.
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11/28/2021 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
Still young. Nice fruit and structure. The cork pull reveals the potential. Classic BD chocolate with lovely StJ nuances. Then it becomes cloying midlife crisis wine. This is on edge and ready to become a lovely Bdx with strong tertiary notes layered with beautiful fruit. Some folks don’t like this vintage, but I would take their pristine bottles off their hands.
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11/18/2021 - NarunP wrote: 92 Points
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot 3% Cabernet Franc old vines, 13.55% and pH 3.53.
Deep red garnet hue, semi transparent, compact rim. Youthful.
Bright cherry nose. Some candied fruit, roasted almond, crushed blackcurrant, cooking spices, some underearth aromas, new charred cedar woods.
On the palate, this starts to resolve. Dense tannin but not coarse or hard at all. Medium body, medium plus acidity, and dry. Ripe black fruits, black olives, briny, lots of minerality, some umami seaweed characters. Long finish.
I love this 2009 Branaire. It is ready now but no rush whatsoever. Currently showing more primary characters than secondary evolution but very pleasant indeed. If popping one now, allow at least one hour of decanting. Will stay at this peak for at least 5 more years with ease. 92+
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10/21/2021 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark currant nose with leather, a bit of heat, and both red and black licorice notes. A gentle palate with pretty dry red fruit layers and caressing earth flavors, along with some cigar box. Iron, minerals, and mostly resolved tannins with a long finish of wet earth, wet stone, shale, black plum, and potter's clay.
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10/5/2021 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened last night, and oh how beautifully it has unfolded. Inviting dark crimson. Absolutely coats the glass. Nose has mineral, iodine, licorice, and candy-like red fruit that is just beginning to emerge. It is in the mouth where this really struts its stuff, though. It is simply delicious, with oodles of plush, dense fruit. Highly polished and very feminine, this is fantastic. Good finish, too, though it turns very slightly bitter at the very end. One of the better-value '09s. 5-12-18-9: 94/100.
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9/25/2021 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Over dinner - no formal notes, but general,observations similar to my previous notes. Generous, rich with good acidity and a nice tannic backbone. Quite elegant with fine length. 92-94
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9/5/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped'n poured, but would have benefited from a decant. But this was the spur of the moment opened-to-go-with-the-last-of-the-cheese-after-dinner, and for that it was perfect.
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8/25/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dekantert. Forfina og delikat, men åpner med litt tydelig syre. Som roer seg ned fra glass 3. Feminin, balanse, men ikke i nærheten av burgund. Dette er bordeaux!
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8/15/2021 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 92 Points
90 Minute decant. Cork looked good, fair amount of sediment on the bottle. A hint of black cherry, plum, fig, leather and bell pepper. Smooth, easy drinking. Medium body, medium finish.
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8/12/2021 - Unclepao Likes this wine: 93 Points
2 hour decant to start enjoy drink
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7/18/2021 - gtilley wrote:
Benefits from a good decant. Pure mint and plum aromas, palate is up the red fruit end of the Cabernet spectrum, but there’s also chocolate and cocoa power to be had. It’s well balanced and I agree it’s on the light side but still a delicious glass of wine.
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6/24/2021 - achasd wrote:
I agree withSKYBLUE80. A little plain. Short finish. Drink up.
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4/10/2021 - skyblue80 wrote: 90 Points
Decant 1.5hr to have nose start to flourish with blackcurrant, cassis, licorice and a tint of earthy fragrance. However, on the palate, the wine is rather plain, medium to light body even. Finishing was uninspiring.
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3/29/2021 - popopdrops Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ikke dekantert, noe som ikke var lurt. Men meget pen, men primær fra første glass. Super fra tredje glass. Pen dag 2, men best, som primær, dag 1.
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3/23/2021 - tmagsmaken wrote: 92 Points
Very nice, medium powerful, sweet bouquet of cassis, dark cherry and liquorice.
Very drinkable and smooth, lighter in body than you would expect. Tannins are nicely integrated. There is a slightly bitter/tart ending to the finish, maybe from the high alcohol?
Overall, very nice wine and certainly one of the best vintages of this house in the last two decades. However, it lacks harmony in the finish to push on to higher scores.
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3/17/2021 - TashNYC wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux and Rack of Lamb in Princeton: What a tasty wine. Blackberry, currant, cassis, tobacco, cigar box, earth, minerals. I thought this would need a decant but it opened on its own. Delicious just by itself. Would have gone great with the roast, herbal rack of lamb, but it was all gone by the time the food was ready.
Drink now or age.
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3/12/2021 - Ydaucourt wrote: 92 Points
Really entering the drinking window. Beautiful
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3/6/2021 - Woodway Mike Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dark purple. Cork in beautiful condition. Blackberry and cassis on the nose. Good balance of fruit and acid. Velvety mouthfeel. Black fruit on the attack. Somewhat tight yet. Black cherry on the midpalate. Somewhat tart on the ten second finish. Drank after opening but prior to a two hour decant before a dinner of braised short rib and feta mashers. Nice wine.
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3/4/2021 - MrBrege wrote: 93 Points
Really pretty good wine. It is still a little tight even on day 2; starting of with intensity of fruit and decent balance, which holds up well in the mid-palate. The finish is a bit short given the strength of initial flavours and it goes slightly out of balance at the end with a sort of tart and acidic ending.
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2/21/2021 - R.Jos.Valent Likes this wine: 95 Points
Harmonious nose of baked plums wrapped in tobacco leaf. On the palate ripe cassis, black currants, and a streak of terrific minerality. 30 seconds of finish that exudes high quality wine making. Exceeded expectations!
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1/1/2021 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Dark fruit on the nose, tobacco, spices - quite ripe and generous, still elegant. On the palate nicely balanced - generous and concentrated again with well integrated acidity. Tannins noticeable but unobtrusive. Lovely. Drink or keep. 92-94
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12/6/2020 - pleigh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Branaire ducru 09 - never disappoints and evolving tremendously
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11/26/2020 - racerchris Likes this wine: 94 Points
That was a great bottle of wine!
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11/18/2020 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Initially closed and not impressive on PnP, with limited nose and tight. Decanted and started to open after 2 hours, and was much better at 4 hours. An elegant St Julien that initially went better with dinner, but after more time was quite good on its own.
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11/16/2020 - riskun Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark Ruby color. Earthy nose with quite dark blackberry and toasty wood. Entry is clean fruit with a good weight and linear profile. A lot of energy to this and finishes nicely leathery and ashy wood. The profile smoothed out significantly after a good decant.
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11/15/2020 - Euoinos wrote: 92 Points
Tobacco, black cherries and graphite. Nice balance, medium bodied with good fruit with an unintrusive acidity.
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10/30/2020 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 94 Points
I drink a wide variety of wines, and while I wish I could claim to have found a distinctive personal favorite, the reality is I like Bordeaux the best (for red wines at least -- not to mention Sauternes). It's perfect. The fruit tastes dark and ripe while maintaining good acidity. There's always a balanced blend of fruit notes and earthy notes due to the pyrazines. The tannins provide a serious structure.
Anyway, this wine here, while not particularly powerful or special, exemplifies all of those things I just said. I love the interwoven dark-fruit and pyrazine-based aromas (eucalyptus, cigar box, etc.). I like the olive and truffle aromas too. This wine is great to drink on its own due to the ripe fruit, but it doesn't taste bloated due to the acidic balance. Tannins are balanced too. This wine should drink well for the next 10 years.
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10/23/2020 - WizardNeedsFood wrote: 94 Points
2 hr slow ox. Started out slowly but over an hour it really took shape and outperformed my expectations. Solid red fruit core. Some good dried flower notes. Came after 2000 Ducru Beaucaillou so tough comparison but a lot less BDX funk (in a good way). Long finish.
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10/12/2020 - Donjcorleone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Was sorely in need of a good 2 hour decant and then this became wonderfully fragrant with candied black raspberry, cedar and earthy tobacco scents that led to a soft, layered, earthy red fruited licorice expression that was in perfect balance and kept getting better and more expansive with the more air it got. 94+
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9/17/2020 - A.Hansen Likes this wine: 92 Points
A focused nose of blackberries and a hint of cedar. The palate is focused and full of dark fruit. Some graphite and underbrush. Good acidity. Still young but tasty. Not overdone in the slightest.
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9/16/2020 - eadsaaron Likes this wine: 95 Points
Young, but delicious with mint, violet, black current, bitter chocolate.
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9/1/2020 - Crimson25 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decant at least 3 hrs
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6/11/2020 - Ianjaig wrote: 91 Points
This impresses right away with a beautiful nose of violets, cherries and a hint of cigar box. The palate is rich, succulent and earthy with vanilla and dark black fruits followed by a strong tannic grip and a long, long finish. Classical in style and whilst drinking beautifully now, I would hold for another 2 - 5 years.
Day 2 and this has taken on more of a chocolate profile with the tannins a tad muted (best on day 1). Overall this is very good, needs more time but didn’t “wow” me.
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5/10/2020 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Lovely nose - ripe red and black fruit, liquorice, tobacco, spices. Fresh, generous with round tannins and very good length. Drink or keep. 92-94
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4/7/2020 - JanLu Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brilliant, still very youthful. Lots of black fruit, outstanding balance and complex. Long aftertaste
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3/21/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 Points
2009 Château Branaire-Ducru was classy and evolving, and showed great balance among flavours of ripe dark fruits, oak, mint and earthiness. The developing Saint-Julien was medium ruby in colour with noticeable fine sediments. Freshly uncorked, it showed an array of ripe black fruits, blackberries, mulberries and dark plum. Two hours of aeration allowed complexities of ecaulyptus, toast, vanilla, earth and forest floor to unpack. On the palate, it was dry and full-bodied, balanced by medium-high levels of acidity and gripping tannin. Flavours of saline minerality, dried blackberries, tobacco, mint and Oriental spices lingered in a long satisfying finish. It could be enjoyed now in its early maturity, or comfortably aged for at least five years to gain more tertiary notes. The blend composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.
Château Branaire-Ducru is one of my favourite wineries in Saint-Julien for the balance, complexity, wide availability and relative affordability. When I was studying my undergraduate degree in Hong Kong, I occasionally bought the second label Duluc de Branaire-Ducru from the supermarket and savoured it at the hostel. The approachability of the second label, as well as the interplay of blackberry, red plum and oak spices were just on point.
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3/21/2020 - Tony T Likes this wine: 92 Points
Should probably wait a year or two before opening the next bottle. Not very expressive at the moment.
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2/5/2020 - Wink Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first bottle of this case. Dark garnet. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, mint, cedar, and graphite. Medium palate of blackberry, cassis, and anise. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Youthful tannins. Integrated oak. Delicious wine.
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1/9/2020 - up4wine wrote: 93 Points
Was ranked #3 by group at '09 vs. '10, although it was my 1st place wine. Excellent, rich fruit with grand balance and smooth middle. The integration seems complete with a wonderfully long finish. It was decanted for 2.5 hrs before tasting and had another1.5 hours before it was really singing.
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12/28/2019 - tbabes wrote: 90 Points
Popped, poured and consumed over the course of dinner and the following 2 hours. This bottle was clearly not ready for prime time drinking, and I will do my best to not open another until 2025. Primary notes of black fruits, hints of vanilla, mocha and earth. Lacking in depth and texture at this moment, a bit stern on the mid palate. Fingers crossed that 5-10 more years in the cellar brings out some magic!
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12/25/2019 - wineappreciation wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry, gravel, hints of cassis, cigar box; decanted for two hours: a little thin, linear, fruitful, young though tannins are not harsh, a bit too new world, will surely improve with age but unclear how much
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11/20/2019 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Decanted and drank over two hours. Unmistakably Cabernet based , concentrated dark red and purple fruits, hints of cocoa, silky and a medium length finish. Great qpr.
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11/8/2019 - Ericsson wrote: 89 Points
Bordal chez Albert (Vega, Ausone, Haut-Brion, Mouton...) (Chermignon): Aveugle. La couleur la plus sombre et le nez le plus épanoui...durant 1 heure, a ensuite viré vers des arômes plus médicinaux.
En bouche, puissant, solaire mais quelque peu en manque d’équilibre.
Pas mon vin.
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10/13/2019 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Occasional dinner group: Bordeaux 2009 and some ringers (By SS @ De Ertepeller in Papendrecht): Beautiful and concentrated bouquet with dark berries, good oak and chocolate. On the palate dark berries, still locked, young, concentrated and lush, but also firm acidity and sticky tannin. This wine needs at least another 3 – 5+ years. For now 92 – 94+.
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10/7/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful mature Bordeaux with nice depth and soft tannins.
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9/20/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Elegant, refined, fresh, pure and precise, the wine pops right from the initial sniff and sip. The freshness in the juicy sweet, ripe, earthy red fruits, with their cocoa accent hits the spot. And the long, polished, refined, silky, red berry finish just doesn't want to quit. While you can pop a cork now, I'd wait at least 3-5 years for the wine to fill out and really shine!
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9/6/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
At STK, PnP, drank over an hour.
Rich garnet color, no signs of age. Expressive nose right our of the gate showing creme de cassis, dried flowers, violets, slight graphite. Very ripe palate showing black cherry, chocolate, pencil, very slight green notes, cedar. Smooth texture, long and layered finish. Tannins still ripe and chewy
Gorgeous wine still in a primary phase. Super ripe, will improve as tannins resolve. Great showing for 09 vintage, likely goes for 20+ years from here...score goes higher in time 93+
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8/8/2019 - Kevincrouch wrote:
This was wound pretty tight and backward right now. A lot of umami and mushroom and some fruit, but not very generous. Decanting and breathing was not very helpful either. Will wait several years before I touch another one.
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7/20/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to prior note after a 1 hr double decant, but beginning to be a little more Bordeaux with green notes beginning to appear (at this point I could go either way blind - Bordeaux, CA); delicious, drink or hold
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7/13/2019 - Petrusha Does not like this wine:
86
Rather disappointing for the price. Not very complex
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7/3/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 93 Points
Berry Brothers 2018 Bordeaux en primeur (plus back vintages) (Lindley Hall, London): A nice wine and a notch up from a weak Beychevelle offering tasted just before. This felt a bit more developed and offered some classic claret in the midst of a lot of ripe other 09 offerings. It lacks the oomph of others but I feel this too (like the Lagrange - which is better though) is one of those bottles that would shine a lot more taken by itself when one has the chance to dig the teeth in and see how it develops glass after glass and not in a line-up as is not a typical "glossy" 09.
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5/27/2019 - Stefanos T. wrote: 90 Points
Not ready yet. I had only one bottle and it was a pity to open it now.
Oak still dominates with sweet caramel notes which overshadow the fruit. Otherwise well balanced with ripe tannins but restrained fruit at the moment.
Could turn out to be an outstanding wine in 5 to 10 years.
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5/13/2019 - drjb Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 2009 Branaire-Ducru remains a deeply crimson colour with a primary nose of blackcurrant jelly, dark plums, black cherries, dark chocolate and cedar. The palate is quite rich and round but with breathing in the decanter for several hours a firmer and fine tannic structure becomes apparent. There is grip and dimension but that 82 like character of plush roundness will probably define this wine well into the future.
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4/18/2019 - vinhonotte wrote: 89 Points
Fine Wines SG - “Judgement of Paris” Bordeaux Blend Dinner (The Communal Bistro Delicacy - CBD): Green, vegetal, earthy, bit of smokes and some alcohol heat. The finish was quite fair
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3/29/2019 - Rezy13 wrote:
Dark garnet core with crimson rim; wow that’s a lot of oak, if tasting blind I would have sworn this was modern Rioja/Ribera, black fruit, smoke, tobacco, dill and green pepper, lots of glycerin, youthful and tannic on the palate, not digging this now.
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3/17/2019 - UFGators Likes this wine: 93 Points
As a taste more and more wines my ratings are adjusting more towards the Lower end of the range. I think it’s imprtant to rate the wine at its current moment in time, not its “potential”. While it is true that many of the 2009’s can be drunk young, I believe it is best to let these rest in the cellar for a few more years. While there is amble fruit in this branaire, the tanins are quite pronounced and show a promising structure for the future. This wine has dark fruit but strong tannins and a bit of heat on the finish. The Positives on this wine ( for me at least) that it screams old world style Bordeaux, not in the least bit jammy ripe and new world style. I think it’s better to drink 2009s that are not as structured if you are tempted to pop a cork. A very promissing future and although I don’t have any more in my cellar, I know to let my 2009 poyferre rest 5 years.
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3/1/2019 - ambrandon wrote:
Drink now through anticipated maturity of 2025-2035. Food pairing: fatty grilled ribeye steaks, as well as slowly braised beef with root vegetables.
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2/6/2019 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Opaque, almost black in color turning violet crimson at the rim with a transparent edge. This exhibits a dense, gorgeous nose of black currant, cassis, dark incense, iodine, figs and leather. The palate has a solid core built for aging with velvety tannins and medium-bright acidity. Flavors of cola, espresso, blueberries push through the long mentholated finish with velvety tannins. Superb. Drink now with a 30-minute decant until 2029. 95+
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1/2/2019 - Lmr_chi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful on the nose. Velvet smooth finish. Drinking perfectly right now.
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12/31/2018 - Arkwine wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Very nice, the dark fruit is there and while a little tight, quite pleasant. The tannins hit mid to late palate and are not overbearing and carry the fruit with it to a long enjoyable finish. mmmm I can still taste it. While I can see how this would cellar well for quite a few years and could open up, it is excellent now. Not inexpensive for someone like myself who will only allow myself to splurge from time to time, this is a producer I will always have to keep in mind.
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11/3/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perhaps a sign of having too much wine when I open an '09 Branaire to go with a take-out cheeseburger. (In my defense, it was a really good burger from BGR.) Branaire continues to be one of the great QPR values in Bordeaux (Clos de l'Oratoire being my right back Bordeaux value), and the '09 is no exception. Another good bottle, limited only by my being too impatient (okay, too hungry) to give it a decent decant. But it went great with the burger.
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10/27/2018 - Rolle27 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Charming wine. 2009 had a warm summer, but it is still a delicate and relatively feminine expression and touch that lurks behind the powerful and dark fruit. I like it. Floral notes - almost perfume like.
Not at all on the ripe site. Dusty and earthy - perhaps from the 20 % Merlot? An underlying discrete graphite nuance. Typical St. Julien. Needs 3-4 more yrs to soften a bit and to mature the dark berries. Probably going to land on 95-96 points with these extra years in the cellar.
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8/6/2018 - wineotim Likes this wine: 94 Points
I don't often use these words to describe a wine: this was lovely and beautiful. Very balanced, elegant, and graceful; not heavy, not overbearing, an open style (relatively) at this stage, but with a moderate firm finish. Just so satisfying and pleasing. A sublime wine. Restrained. Needed an hour to come alive and it didn't change even on the second day. Wondering why I didn't buy a bunch of this years ago when it was more affordable.
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7/24/2018 - Dom K Likes this wine: 95 Points
I am constantly amazed at the ageing potential of the 2009 Bordeaux's. 9 years on and still with very bright acids. This is still a big robust wine- not yet ready in my opinion. Dark berry fruits, dried paw paw with earth and spice. I'd give this at least another 5 years to round off the edges and develop complexity.
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7/7/2018 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash decanted x2 at home then off to the restaurant with friends. Loads of red, juicy fruit on the front end. Feathery tannins on entry and halfway down. Pleasing finish. Developed a little more dark fruit, depth and weight as the evening moved on, almost moving toward the '03 Cos we had at the table also. Fun to watch these wines evolve thru an evening! This fruit/acid mix is very approachable now with a slight decant to soften it further.....
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7/4/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 93 Points
First bottle (of 18) - great fruit, structure, delicious now, but no rush. Paired with the '05 Branaire, which is equally delicious, but probably could still use a couple more years. Suspect I'll likely start digging further into the '09s while the '05 slumbers a bit longer.
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6/9/2018 - AjitK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing Bordeaux blend. Ready to drink now in 2018 but possibly still a touch young; has enough tannins for another 10 years. Medium bodied intensely concentrated and complex. Plenty of juicy fruit and a few hints of musky tertiary flavors that should be bolder with bottle time. A nice decant is warranted right now. Drank May 2018
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4/11/2018 - RichD2 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red color. Nose of ripe blackberries, earth, oak, dried herbs. Full bodied savory toasty palate moderate fine grained tannins and balancing acidity. A complex wine overall and enjoyable to drink now even though in the restaurant setting this wine was shared in was less than great for handling decanting and possible sediment. Would likely have improved with more air.
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3/25/2018 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 93 Points
A magnificent Branaire, already approachable. Nose full of dark cherries, graphite, burnt wood, vanilla. Taste is heavy on tart cherry juice, slight spice, with lots of medium soft tannins. Pretty well integrated already. Might be (slightly) better in a couple of years but frankly no need to wait. Terrific value!
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2/24/2018 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose of black cherry, red grape, and walnut wood. Mineral-driven and very complex palate with black currant, patent leather, and quartz. Full bodied, wide ribbons of tannins with red leather, currant, and loamy soil. Could possibly developer further even! We had this with steak but it would be fun to try it with something lighter - game?
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2/8/2018 - macmac007 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very grown-up full wine – drinkable now for sure but still capable of spreading its wings over next 5-10 years. As others have commented, definitely let it breathe for a good hour or two. Dark pencil lead overture and a tart grippy finish, balanced with a slightly mysterious sense of depth about the middle. Reminds of Clos du Marquis in the way it doesn't kowtow to sweetness, just full on St Julien graphite leather charm.
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1/20/2018 - melong12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Need at least 2 hours of decant to open up. Inky dense purple colour, full-bodied with lush velvety tannins. Initially will feel some heat and spiciness from the alcohol but soon this disappears as it softens with air in the glass to reveal a smooth balance finish. Surprisingly approachable at this stage but still young and will last for a long time!
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12/29/2017 - apple1813 Likes this wine:
Consumed at restaurant, so I do not give a rating as it not controlled/I did not use my standard wine glass
Decanted for two hours
Aroma of warm cherries, plum, and a touch of clove
Ripe tannins, relatively low acidity, some spice towards the finish
Overall, it is fruit driven. Ready to drink now
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12/16/2017 - cubswinws wrote:
Slow-oxed for 2 hours and sleeping beauty did not arouse. Loads of potential but would decant early or wait 4-5 years for maximum enjoyment.
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12/3/2017 - Rixon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dricker flaskan för tidigt. Väldigt mycket frukt och nästan amerikansk i stilen. Tydliga ekfatstoner som påminner om en rioja. Mörka bär, vanilj, lakrits. Min gissning är att vinet sannolikt är fantastiskt om fem år, varför jag sätter ett betyg som är högre än jag tycker det förtjänar idag.
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11/29/2017 - DanielJ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very tasty but needs much more time. I get cherry cola with with a bit of tannin from the stem that gives it a dry and slightly bitter flavor. Behind that I get a touch of vanilla. I’m going to guess in 5 years this will improve a lot.
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11/11/2017 - signotim wrote: 92 Points
Very ripe red and dark fruit that really jumps from the glass. I don't think it goes too far but it pushes the ripeness to the edge. There are also notes of damp earth, Asian spices, and nice freshness from the acidity. A wine that is easy to enjoy and would likely please California wine lovers.
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10/25/2017 - jrosanoWineCave wrote:
Paired with Roast Duck, was drinking great, complex, amazing nose, ran it through an aerator to lessen the open time.
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9/7/2017 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Second WOTN during the dinner program, but to me the clear winner served with a grilled lamb and a cannoli of grilled veggies. A real delight. Bright, vibrant red fruit, lots of life and energy with perfect acidity and a very decent finish. Drinking extremely well right now or can be held for a few decades. but why wait?
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9/4/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hrs, deep ruby, dark fruit with vanilla, mod. tannins, long finish, very Californian; delicious, drink or preferably hold
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8/19/2017 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pretty deep purple. Some oak and baked pie crust with the nose a little closed right out of the bottle. Nose after a one hour decant opens into some sweet fruit and florals - very pleasing. Less weighty on the palate than I would have guessed. Big lip smacking and lengthy finish on the dryer side with some tannin that makes itself known. Decant makes big difference as wine continued to soften over 2-3 hours.
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8/18/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted blind. Mature aromas of melted licorice, cedar, cassis, and plum. Balanced and noble. Good bite, good tannic grip. Classy. Right around its peak I’d say. Rating: 93.
Guess the wine: Cabernet blend. Left-Bank Bordeaux. 15+ years old.
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8/16/2017 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served two glasses by Coravin with one hour aeration in glass
Dark purple, almost opaque
It is packed with sweet black fruits at start, primarily fruit driven. With a good one hour aeration, some cider box, smoke, rose petals and licorice emerges.
High acidity, chewy tannin, medium-bodied
A fruity and sweet aftertaste lingers.
Bad thing is that the little nose remains with 2.5 hours of aeration. While it could be kept in cellar for five years in the hope to hit maturity, it may not be as long-lived as expected.
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8/12/2017 - felixp Likes this wine: 97 Points
We pondered if this and the 09 Brane Cantenac are the two greatest values of the left bank classifieds in this spectacular vintage. Certainly, Branaire Ducru has become the value jewell of St Julien over the past decade.
For me, a better wine than both Leoville Poyferre and Leoville Barton in 09, and probably gives LLC a run for it's money.
Beautiful cool fruits, so lush and long. Loaded with cassis, blackberries and liquorice, this beautifully polished wine is thoroughly enjoyable now, with at least a good two decades in front of it. But remember to give it a good decant!!!
I give this extra points for being so delicious at this infant stage, perfect for the impatient like myself!!!
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5/20/2017 - AlexGarner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Moving along very nicely, no need to open in a hurry - but do decant. Cassis, pencil shavings and a lick of balanced smoke.
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4/29/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Black currant, cassis and licorice. Very good concentration and power that comes across as firm on long finish. Needs time in the cellar. Like most others today, I thought this from Napa due to its rich and ripe 2009 character. Oops.
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4/27/2017 - RichD2 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted at Vendredi 4/14/2017 (all tasted blind). Tasted in the second flight of 4 wines. Very ripe forward nose, full bodied rich blackberry fruit. Pleasant long balanced finish. Awesome polished wine!
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4/17/2017 - pdemaio wrote: 95 Points
Pretty, elegant and easy to drink. Smooth round tannins.
PDQ95
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4/14/2017 - dpolivy wrote:
Vindredi (Red Bordeaux, Left Bank - 2009/2010) (Bellevue, WA): Tasted blind. Rich body, loads of black fruit and bright acidity. Nice!
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4/8/2017 - alpha_ori Likes this wine: 93 Points
Open That Bottle Night #12: Way too young. Wouldn't touch for another 5 years at least.
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3/21/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Full bodied, and holding most of what it has in reserve, the wine has rich textures, ripe, elegant, pure fruits, balancing acidity and a long finish. Hang on to your bottles for at least another 5-6 years, as this is going to develop nicely.
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3/12/2017 - chbeaumont wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby; plush, warm, inviting nose, with classic profile; soft, seductive, lovely smooth texture provided by fully ripe fruit, yet has the requisite freshness. Savoury, with good backbone. It a welcome occasion not to have make excuses about 'structure' or 'with time', as often occurs with serious claret. A real presence on a thoroughly attractive finish. This is really enjoyable now, but will no doubt age effortlessly. A pleasure to drink.
(Double decanted & given 2 hours).
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3/11/2017 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
I never drink young Bordeaux, so this was an educational lesson. I rather like it but it won't change my mind about the best time to drink these wines. The fruit is bold yet not overpowering, to its credit. Acidity is sound, even high. Tannins are also high but ripe. Of course there's not much complexity or subtlety at this infant stage. And there's decent structure so that it is by no means a fruit bomb. Good stuff but I won't seek it out since I lack the patience to age it.
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3/10/2017 - PT insurgent wrote:
Nice nose of blackcurrant, cherry, plum, woody, cedar, spice, clove, slight prune. Very ripe and bordering luscious in ripeness, chocolate. Palate shows excellent acidity, very refreshing, balancing the ripeness. Ripe blackcurrant, plum, cherry, graphite, vanillin, oak, toast, chocolate. Not the most complex or nuanced. Still very nice bottle that is perfectly drinkable now and depending on your personal tastes has 15+ years ahead of it.
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2/18/2017 - Harley1199 wrote:
How to make a London Revival in Madrid (Lavinia - Madrid): The power of the vintage.
Notes of wet slate stone predominate on the nose. Also some meaty hue. That elegance from that only theoretically St Julien contends is yet to be defined.
However it is on the palate where this wine is giving that legendary softness that makes easy that more than remarkable development, being more than ready to drink too.
El poder de la añada.
Notas a piedra de pizarra mojada predominan en nariz. También algún matiz cárnico. La elegancia de esas frecuentes notas bizcochadas que teóricamente aporta St Julien está por definirse.
Sin embargo es en el paladar donde la legendaria suavidad hace aparición con un desarrollo más que notable, estando más que lista para beber.
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12/10/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Shows 09 but not in the richest biggest way.
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9/4/2016 - gregbohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
As others have noted, this one isn't quite ready to open yet. However after 2-3 hours of decanting it was really starting to open up. Looking forward to our other bottle in a few years.
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8/2/2016 - hajoha wrote: 91 Points
Flott intensitet på nesen med mørke bær i retning mørke kirsebær og solbær, trevirke, krydder og hint av mørk sjokolade.
Ungdommelig og flott.
Over i munn er den litt røffere i kantene, og man skjønner at dette er barnerov.
Meget konsentrert med fyldig moden frukt.
Det er såvidt den har nok friskhet til å berge seg.
Meget lang finish med tanniner som tørker ut hele munnhulen.
Sikkert en killer om 20 år.
Den får 90-91p her og nå.
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7/12/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Young, as expected, but it's impossible not to enjoy all the fresh, sweet, ripe fruits, soft textures and the elegance, paired with freshness in the finish. A few hours in the decanter, or more cellar time will be amply rewarded.
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5/9/2016 - Joesap wrote:
My Grade: EX+. Pure, well-defined and elegant St. Julien. Lovely black-cherry color. Expressive nose with prominent licorice, menthol, cherry, plum, vanilla, secondary notes of toast and wet earth. On the palate: focussed cassis, tart plum, burnt toast, fine-lined acidity, very smooth tannins, very long finish. This has some way to go to reach its peak (at least 5 years), but very drinkable now.
Addendum: showed more power and complexity the next day after vacuvin, upgraded to EX+.
(See my profile for grades)
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4/25/2016 - pgordon62 wrote: flawed
Brutally corked
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4/15/2016 - Redguy wrote:
Decanted 6 hrs. No notes taken but my general impression was of a suave, complete, and elegant wine that showed excellent St. Julien typicity. Open and giving now (at least after the decant) with a long life ahead. A noble offering from this 4th growth. Drank alongside a 2001 Haut Brion, the Branaire was the better wine. Fabulous value!
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3/15/2016 - felixp Likes this wine: 95 Points
now,, this is GOOD Bordeaux. So refined, classy and classic. So "St Julien"
I would say in the middle of the road between the flamboyant right bank wines and the strictest that Pauillac has to offer.
It is hedonistic without losing control of it's structure. Lovely red cherries, blackberries, violets, earth and liquorice.
It possesses that quality I love in a great red wine.... the last glass is every bit as good as the first, and you are always left wanting more.
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3/4/2016 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
.375 bottle. Smooth and elegant. Good balanced and not very heavy. Well drinkable now with some air but might gain a point or two over the next years.
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12/8/2015 - christ80 wrote: 91 Points
ruby red color, aging nicely, tannins softening,
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12/7/2015 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby, lovely open nose of choke cherry and black current, terrific balance, with great fruit and surprisingly soft tannins and a long finish. Wine is developing nicely, and should continue to do so for at least a decade but is approachable today.
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11/26/2015 - politeskeptic wrote: 92 Points
A great bottle of St. Julien Bordeaux- very middle of the road and neutral. The tannin was well integrated and balanced. Prominent flavor notes of cherry, cola, and ripe black fruit. Acidity wasn't very noticeable. It would really benefit from more tobacco/leather notes to give a bit more depth. I really enjoyed it- a great example of the strong 2009 vintage in the sense that it's so good it's just an easy drinking yummy wine more than something strident or complex.
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9/13/2015 - Ydaucourt wrote: 92 Points
dégusté à la coop. Attendre mini 4 ou 5 ans (2019-2020)
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9/6/2015 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine:
Bordeaux 2014 en primeur with Winefinder (Munchenbryggeriet, Stockholm): much more forward and "fat" wine compared to the 2014 but well built and should probably have many more years in the cellar yet. recommended.
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9/3/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 90 Points
En Primeur Bdx. 2014 tasting event, reference wine from producer from older vintage, tasting pour, short note.
Not sure what to think about this.
Quite good and charming today.
Still, it has the not so likeable lack of cleanliness and transparency found in so many 2009 European wines, with too much ripe and sweet fruit for my liking.
However, somehow this was charming, flirty and quite good, and not as flabby as many wines form 2009.
Hmm…
Will be fun to find out in a few more years.
(89 – 91)
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8/19/2015 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
Medoc Masterclass (GuildSomm) (Torque (Napa, CA)): St Julien - in the south, by Beychevelle, but vineyards are spread out over St. Julien (unusual for Medoc).
65% Cab, 28% Merlot, 4 PV, 3 CF
16-20 months in 60% new oak.
Slight red around the rim.
Very nice nose. Some earthy plum, wellp-done brett spice, faint ripe stewwed bell pepper pyrazine.
Slight vanilla toast, nutmeg spice. This is nice, very nicely integrated toasty noble oak. Maybe vanilla toast, nutmeg. “That’s bordeaux” magical combination of brett and New Oak.
Very slight brett - the spiciness is integrated with oak, and there’s a 4-EP stinkiness underneath.
This is long in the mouth. Ripe. More muscle and flesh. Some extraction to the midpalate aromatics.
Medium body, medium alcohol - ~13% to me. M tannins, softened by age - rounded and smooth/pebbly. plush.
Between 8.5 and 9.
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5/13/2015 - skurtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1h at Prospect restaurant in San Francisco. What a sumptuous aroma, striking inches from the glass. Leathery woodsy forest floor on the nose. On the palate still earthy and austere, balancing with a few red fruit notes to be sure, but with some oak and tannin back bone. Superb balance and complexity. My favorite of the night.
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5/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 94 Points
I preferred this to both the 2010 and 2005 in this mini vertical. The nose is particularly pretty, luscious and rich, still complex and well defined. On the palate quite open with lots of ripe fruit, spicy, fresh. Good tannic grip. Very long. 93-94+
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2/28/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
More balanced on the nose, still ripe and rich fruit. Mineral on the palate, fresh, good texture, but quite approachable. Very good length. 92-93+
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12/9/2014 - politeskeptic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super balanced and well integrated, even at this young age. The fruit on the nose tends towards cherry more than currant, but still dark. There is plenty of vanilla, perhaps a bit oaky. Hints of anise, some herbs, and a bit of cola. The flavor is black cherry and vanilla with a hint of spice. Medium tannins, but really just right for backbone. The finish is long and tends to sour cherry. This seems pretty drinkable now, but will no doubt improve with age. Personally I'd like a bit more dusty character and perhaps more cedar, but it's definitely a crowd pleaser as is.
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11/30/2014 - farinas wrote: 92 Points
This Branaire appears less concentrated, mellow tannins, pasty and short cake like. This is on the softer side of the Bordeaux spectrum for those who prefer elegance over power.
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10/24/2014 - ManhattanBeach Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bettane+Desseauve London 2014 (Saatchi Gallery, London): Enticing nose of sweet red/black fruits, vanilla. Initially soft on the palate to the point of invisible, with depth and structure coming up from the bottom into a long finish. VG.
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10/13/2014 - il_diavolo wrote: 93 Points
I came to write a tasting note but RickyT12 nailed this wine already ! Everything, including the nose and bitterness is as he states. I will just add that vanilla from the oak was still noticeable but should integrate and the wine was better on Day 2 with a long finish. This wont peak until age 20 or something but worth having and storing away.
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10/1/2014 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
Amazing nose dark chocolate, nice cherry, caramel, butter nose. Black cherry, a little tobacco. Nose is better, but flavors are quite good. Hint black olives, black truffles and chocolate flavors. Very good QPR. Legs on this wine are pretty amazing. A little bitter, but think it just needs more time. Not drinking the next bottle for 5-10 years.
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9/18/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Young and full of promise, the wine is polished, plush and supple. The fruits are ripe, fresh, vibrant and spicy.
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7/19/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and dark with nice depth and moderate tannins at present.Very nice and I suspect this will be even better in 3-4 years.
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7/10/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 94 Points
Ripe fruit, very rich and quite sweet. Spicy, fresh. Wonderful length. Approachable, but will improve. 93-94+
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5/25/2014 - riskun Likes this wine: 94 Points
R4 Bright ruby colour. Nose closed on opening and did not really open up in the glass. Very smooth, heavy, creamy mouth. Grows very rich taking its time to develop. This is fat, fat. Thins out a bit late ending with extremely fine and elegant tannins. I can only assume that the nose will come with time but the mouth feel is regal.
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1/31/2014 - juffer Likes this wine: 93 Points
I served this in my wine course. Blackberry and spice nose, very rich mid palate. Noticeable oak at first, but became better integrated with the fruit as it aired. Still very young.
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1/19/2014 - Yagil wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux tasting at Wine-Route, Savion branch (Wine-Route, Savion branch): Dark red purple
Elegant quality fruity aromas with green notes
Full bodied, firm tannins, good acidity , well balanced, long finish. Still young.
Requires further ageing.
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1/11/2014 - JimmyVine Likes this wine:
Opened a bottle with Bobbi, Enjoyed. Needs more time.
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12/21/2013 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious, black cherry fruit with plum flavors, round, smooth, drinking very well, soft tannins, surprising forward and emensely enjoyable
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11/6/2013 - julius111 wrote: 94 Points
Great mouth feal: round & juicy tannins. Picking up exuberant fruit flavors, mixed with pensil sharpenings and tar. Full bodied and great richness. Wood is present but in the background, leaving a complex and talkative forefront.
Great wine.
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10/5/2013 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
One must decant, decant as if your life depended on it. Currant paste, Earl Grey tea, ravishing raspberry vinaigrette, rose petals and river rock. Very steadfast and determined, this shows the layers and tannin of historical agelessness. Fine-grained and polished tannins throughout many meridians. This might be their best vintage ever. Drink 2019 -.
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7/27/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
This polished, sexy, silky wine delivers beautiful, fresh black and red fruits, spice, mocha, licorice and earth. Forward in style, this will have an incredibly long drinking window.
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7/10/2013 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and drunk. Very nice color, a dark deep red. On the nose cherry, chocolate, strawberry, a lot of mineral, graphite for days nose, a little black olive nose. Super sharp tannins, chocolate covered cherries, a bit tannic. The lack of fruit is a bit frustrating. Some charcoal or brick type flavors a little bitter on back end. Almost a bit of a yogurt type nose. A bit disappointed 05 was much better.
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7/9/2013 - SonnyChiba wrote: 91 Points
90-91+ pts. A nice wine with a fantastic nose - I wish it tasted more like the nose of dark fruits, cherry syrup, plums. On the palate seemed dominated by wet soil, mineral component that I am not too crazy about. What happened to those plums, and dark cherries? Instead, heavy graphite, lead pencil shavings, sour tannins....but very smooth and full finish. Will definitely get better with time and an enjoyable wine, but not yet there.
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7/6/2013 - fhirsch Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very good; ripe blueberries intermixed with cream; balanced, fresh, concentrated, and yet no feeling of weight
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1/19/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Another K&L Bordeaux Saturday (K&L Wines, San Francisco): Magnum, decanted a few hours in advance. Dark and deep looking. Classic Cabernet nose. Deftly done, gently oaky base. Lovely density with great texture due to round, ripe tannins. Cassis with some uplifting floral notes and excellent, refreshing acidity. Marvelously balanced with enough material to buffer the tannins. Along with the Rauzan Segla, one of the standouts amongst the 2009s poured today.
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1/19/2013 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 91 Points
From magnum. Sweet fruit on nose. Fruit dominates. Long finish.
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11/4/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
2009 Bordeaux (for Public TV) (World Series of Wine): So when I got home, I thought I would open one more bottle. Like the Pontet Canet I was surprised as to how open and accessible this is now. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, graphite, floral notes and vanilla. Lush texture. Delicious and fruit filled but also showing some layering. Cassis, earth, dried tobacco on the palate. Long finish. Really delicious. I save half the bottle to try on day 2, but it was hard to do.
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10/27/2012 - wenderoth wrote: 90 Points
Dense, dark, inky purple in colour. Smoke, anise and plum dominate on the nose. Palate pretty closed down but dominated by black fruit, savoury/bacon-y notes and some vanilla from oak. Long finish with tight but lush tannins. Nice drinking now but will undoubtedly improve.
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10/19/2012 - tim m wrote: 94 Points
Really nice. Long, long finish. Very drinkable right now but will still age. Needs air for an hour to open up, but what a pleasure.
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6/22/2012 - G.M. wrote: 93 Points
Unfortunately only a 30mL from a Paris wine store. Medium intensity bright purple. Vibrant fruit nose. Matching palate on entry. Mouth coating tannin and sweet red fruit flavour. Very good length. (93 Excellent wine)
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6/13/2012 - BillyT wrote: 93 Points
Stunning for such a young wine. Jeff nailed it and I echo his notes. Tasted at wine shop with wine guy so no specific notes but WOW!
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5/30/2012 - DonalOB wrote: 92 Points
Grande Bordeaux Tasting, 2009 (Harbour Grand Kowloon, Hong Kong): I found this a little hot. OK but not really my thing.
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5/3/2012 - vespasian wrote: 95 Points
Lovely lifted perfume - delightful aromatics, mineral and complex; huge density and lovely fruit on the palate. Very long.
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5/1/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Forest floor, earth, sweet ripe blackberry, plum, earth, cedar and tobacco scents get your attention with little effort. Soft, ripe, silky tannins, purity of fruit and concentration are the hallmarks of this wine.
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4/26/2012 - RayOB wrote: 94 Points
Goedhius Bordeaux Cru Classe Tasting (Saatchi Gallery): Nose of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, liquorice and vanilla. Smooth mouth with slight tannins and a medium length.
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2/6/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Blackberry, blueberry, licorice, caramel, smoke, spice and mocha. With soft, round, fleshy textures and ripe, silky tannins, the feels great on your palate. The best Branaire Ducru yet. But it might be surpassed by the 2010. We’ll have to wait and see. Regardless, it’s going to be fun to compare the two vintages over the next few decades. Branaire Ducru remains the best buy in St. Julien for its combination of price and quality.
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1/31/2012 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
2009 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting; 1/27/2012-1/31/2012 (Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Chicago, Illinois): In the last 10 years, only the 2000 was better. A pretty floral nose. Sweet fruit and well structured. Notes of Lead pencil, dark chocolate and blackberry. Vibrant finish and moderate tannins. 91-93 points.
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1/28/2012 - mike410 wrote: 92 Points
Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (MONTREAL). Nice complement of red fruit.
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1/27/2012 - lumpyelbow wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2009 (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON): Some cabbage and stewing notes. A bit rough but in the tune of S.J. Very good with interest.
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1/26/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 91 Points
UGC 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers): Red to dark fruit on the nose, with a hint of eucalyptus. Taste is a bit too tannic at this point, but did show some chocolate and dark fruit.
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1/26/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
2009 UGC Bordeaux Tasting (San Francisco): Ripe red fruits, palate has great structure. On the simpler side compared to the top bordeaux this year but still very solid; short finish. 90
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1/25/2012 - amateurwino wrote: 93 Points
On the nose, slightly riper and more appealing than the Beychevelle, with more quality to the fruit. Peppery on the palate, with the ripeness of 2009 showing well. 92-93+
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1/24/2012 - RockinCabs wrote:
Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (New York, NY): Nose: Blackberry, blueberry fruit leather, leather, tobacco and dark chocolate. Palate: A wall of blackberry juice with Plum and Currant notes. Very dark wine. Finish: Dark finish with substantial tannin.
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1/23/2012 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
2009 Bordeaux Union des Grands Crus Tasting (The Doral Resort & Spa, Miami, FL): Slight vegetal note on the entry, with high toned red fruit, and less tannic than others.
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1/23/2012 - alanr wrote: 90 Points
UGC 2009 Bordeaux tasting San Francisco: Nice lush bright red dark fruit, OK acidity, moderate tannic structure, forward.
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1/21/2012 - Redguy wrote: 94 Points
2009 Bordeaux at UGC San Francisco (Bentley Reserve Building, San Francisco): Another serious wine. A fat serpentine and complex nose with good florals, fruits, and oak. Black licorice, black currants, cherries, and caramel. Full body and fleshy with great balance. Sweetness balanced nicely by acids and med dryness. Good length and dry on the finish. Excellent and a strong buy
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1/20/2012 - MattTM wrote:
Union des Grands Grus 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles): Light and elegant on the nose, displaying aromas of black pepper spice, black plums, black currants, along with some mint. Lots of black pepper on the palate, along with black plum, asphalt, cassis, and herbs. Sandy tannins, with a medium finish ending with notes of herbs and black pepper. Quite simple without a lot of complexity. Good.
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11/25/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 87 Points
Montréal Passion Vin
Couleur brillante, vive, d’un vin jeune. Le vin est tannique, assez frais mais il me parait court, plutôt mince et un peu sec. Correct, sans plus, j’ai tout de suite pensé à un petit millésime comme 2007….J’ai été sidéré d’apprendre que c’était 2009 tant le vin me semble manquer d’envergure et de fruit. Il s’améliorera dans l’heure suivante mais demeurera bien mince en apparence. À revoir, sans doute, car un tel domaine ne peut avoir complètement manqué un grand millésime comme celui-ci. Son potentiel m'a sans doute échappé. 85-87 pts en l’état
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11/12/2011 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Nose of ripe peperonis, dark fruit... in the mouth ripe red and black fruit, silky tannins, well made wine a bit standard
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10/18/2011 - vespasian wrote: 94 Points
Good concentration and richness but dumb - not showing much on the nose; palate a different story - very lovely, spreads out like a peacocks tail. Gorgeous fruit. Really lovely. Fine tannins, good extract. 93-95.
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5/4/2011 - vespasian wrote: 93 Points
Much prefer the nose here to the 2010 alongside. Opulent and seductive; Gorgeous texture, already showing quality. Rich yet elegant and refreshing, another superb 2009. 92-94
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8/26/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
2009 Branaire Ducru is dark, with scents of boysenberry, dark chocolate, spice, cassis, and mocha. This elegant wine feels round in the mouth, finishing with flavors of licorice, black and blue fruit, and spice. This is a polished style of St. Julien. This outstanding wine is probably not going to reach the same level as the sublime 2005. Nonetheless, the 2009 Branaire Ducru is one of the better values for serious wine in 2009. 93-95 Pts
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3/28/2010 - Beachrooster Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep dark red. Aromas of cherry, black fruit, tar, pencil, vanilla. Big wine with great weight and mouth feel. Very soft and velvety. Great balance with tons of fresh acid , fruit, and ripe tannins. Long tannic finish. You might want to put this on your future purchase list. 94-96
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