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2009 Bordeaux Night (plus some nice bonus wines)
A Pristine, COVID-Safe Setting Somewhere in Los Olivos
Tasted October 15, 2020 by JonnyG with 302 views
Introduction
Inspired by a stunning 2009 flight a few weeks back, we decided to organize a deeper dive into this esteemed vintage, knowing that it was early on for the evolution of many of these wines. Our 20-20 hindsight takeaway is that there is a real need to wait on the bulk of 2009s, no surprise. My personal observation is that I see the 2010s aligning with my palate quite a bit better than the 2009s.
Flight 1 - A STELLAR PAIR OF BORDEAUX BLANCS (2 notes)
Accompanied by some beautiful grilled oysters with chorizo butter, which paired beautifully with this flight.
White
2009 Château Cos d'Estournel Blanc
93 points
Everything I look for in a Bordeaux blanc. Youthful nose of citrus and grass, complemented by an appealing nuttiness, and plenty of spice presumably reflecting the oak treatment. More citrus and oak notes on the palate, layered and concentrated. The viscous texture was a highlight for me. Very long finish. Should last for a decade+ with ease.
White
2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
88 points
Quite advanced, indicating something must have been off somewhere along the way. Oxidized nose, with hints of marzipan and chiffon. Less affected on the palate, especially the expansive finish, which displayed hints of citrus, guava and wax. Drinkable but not highly enjoyable.
Flight 2 - A PAIR FROM POMEROL (2 notes)
Quite a contrast for two virtual neighbors.
Red
2009 Château L'Eglise-Clinet
96 points
Such an opulent powerhouse, even at this young age. I found the nose slightly "compact", with muted dark red fruit and some smokiness. The flavors blossomed in the mouth. My initial read on the fruit profile was that of sweet tarts, which quickly evolved into layers of rich red berries, spice and more smoke. The tannins remain pronounced. My score may be stingy, and I am certain there is tremendous upside ahead.
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Red
2009 Château Clinet
93 points
Despite a six hour decant, this bottle seemed to be in a deep slumber. A clean but muted nose of plum, fig and saline, with a touch of herbaceousness too. Dusty, very concentrated plum and fig are the dominant flavors as well, backward for now, and I found the wine a bit dirty/some mild VA. Let these sleep for at least five more years.
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Flight 3 - A VERY DIVERSE TRIO OF SAINT-ÉMILIONS (3 notes)
Paired with some awesome pork belly confit on soft polenta. In retrospect, the Merlot-dominated Bellevue-Mondotte might have been better placed in the prior flight.
Red
2009 Clos Fourtet
94 points
An eight-hour double decant failed to awake this sleeping beauty. There weren't any fruit notes on the nose, just toasted oak. The wine was inward, tight and unyielding, though the ripeness showed through, along with a touch of rusticity. I think the Cab Franc is more present than the Merlot for now. A great future, of course, but please wait a decade!
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Red
2009 Château Le Dome
95 points
Slow-ox'ed for six hours, which suited the wine well. This was quite a hedonistic ride. Deep red fruit and some tomato vine aromas, a touch of barnyard and greenish oak notes too. The wine was both salty and sweet, with a diversity of tart red fruit flavors, blood orange and umami/soy. The tannins were gritty (not grippy -- don't know how else to describe them), leading the winemakers in attendance to wonder if this was spun in a concentrator. All I know is that it was the wine to disappear from everyone's glasses the quickest.
Red
2009 Château Bellevue Mondotte
92 points
This badly needed a decant (or a decade). The nose was a blend of mint and mocha, plus some evident oak. There was a phenolic bitterness on the mouth, even after the wine gradually opened with air. Underneath the density, I could detect some black fruit and pepper. The tannins were smooth but drying. In fact, the wine would be best characterized as dry overall, despite the long finish. All ails should be cured with (substantial) time, of course...
Flight 4 - THREE FROM THE LEFT BANK (3 notes)
Enjoyed alongside gorgeous lamb chops and grilled vegetable with Middle eastern seasoning, though served on a za'atar spiced yogurt sauce that conflicted with the reds a bit.
Red
2009 Château Léoville Poyferré
94 points
In a restrained style I really liked. A clean nose of graphite and saline. Cool and clean in the mouth as well, with dark berry and menthol notes, some bitter chocolate and some pyrazines. Good density. Glycerined texture.
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Red
2009 Château Marojallia
93 points
Slow ox'ed for 6 or 7 hours. This was the most ready of any of the 2009s we tasted. Ripe, concentrated nose of cassis and some oak. With air, the tannic characteristics quickly subsided, revealing a hedonistic wine with excellent depth and a creamy texture I appreciated. Notes of cassis, graphite and sous-bois. Well done. Drink or hold.
Red
2009 Château Haut-Bailly
95 points
A long double decant was barely enough to let this wine show even small glimpses of what undoubtedly will be future brilliance. For now, I settled for the pure, robust aromatics: cassis, graphite, menthol, cloves and cigar ash. Subdued fruit, largely masked by more ash and smoky notes. Be patient here, very patient!
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Flight 5 - TWO BONUS BOTTLES (2 notes)
Red
2009 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain
90 points
A nice "bonus" wine amidst a sea of 2009 Bordeaux, but this resulted in a sort of cognitive dissonance that made it hard to appreciate such an outlier. The fruit seemed underripe to me, a touch green, and there was a children's vitamin streak i found distracting. To revisit on a more suitable occasion...
Red
1978 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
91 points
Adding a truly mature Bordeaux after three flights of 2009s was a good idea, and this wine did not disappoint. Notes of smoke, ash and muted herbs. The fruit was a bit dried out, but still present, and the wine took on weight over time, providing a really instructive and pleasurable experience.
Flight 6 - AN HISTORIC SOLERA SHERRY (1 note)
White - Fortified
1847 Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
94 points
A wonderous experience to have a taste of this rarity. the bottle was in perfect shape, having been bought with undeniably excellent provenance. Though the cork crumbled a bit, it was successfully extracted. The wine was a fascinating interplay of sweet and dry, with a sherried and nutty nose and rich flavors of almonds, prune and burnt sugar. The youngest barrel contributing to this wine was from 1920, as it was bottled the next year.
Flight 7 - “A SWEET ONE BEFORE I GO” (1 note)
This paired very well with a blue cheese course as well as some sweet gateaux made with almond flour.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2009 Château Suduiraut
96 points
A brilliant end to our Bordeaux note, with a confected nose of honeyed lychee and sweet pit fruit. Pineapple was the dominant flavor. The acidity was plentiful. Very expansive finish.
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