11/22/2023 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine:

Undoubtedly getting a bit dustier. Still has breathtaking complexity though, with the fading red fruit backed by an endless cornucopia of tertiary flavors, all set against the Margaux violet backdrop.

Fresh and dry and acidic and lovely. Fine tannin, but it's melting away. Faint metallic tinge on the finish.

Drink up.

EDIT- left the remnants in the fridge for a couple of days and if anything it's even better. Actually I probably should have given it more air to start with.

I still think there's no reason to wait to open this, but this isn't a wine which will fall apart once uncorked. Let it unfurl.

5/15/2021 - vide Likes this wine:

Well, I am back on my favourite subject: 2009 left bank Bordeaux. The arrival of these wines was much vaunted in the UK, and even supermarket giants such as Tescoes stocked them. The glammar was all around, and for good reason: the 2008s were obdurate, unforthcoming, and still are; 2007 was deemed the worse year of the decade (but in fact it is not not) 2006 boring; 2005, of course wonderful, but we will need time to decide how wonderful.

And the 2009s? Not for me, I'm afraid (although I have a lot of them). So far they are bright but shallow, with soft tannins that will take us nowhere.

But hope srings eternal.

8/24/2020 - sirpat00 wrote:

Bordeaux 1990 horizontal tasting (Fribourg): 1990 Bordeaux horizontal hosted by a private collector. 30 years down the road, the vintage comes across as bold and muscular, youthful and in general not yet open for business or at times closed. Highlights included Figeac, Haut-Brion, Mouton, Calon Ségur – and to my surprise – Marquis de Terme. See tasting story for more take-aways and the complete line-up.

Tasting note
Roasted coffee bean, very fine aging notes of leather, fruit profile of broad palate of berries, drops of spices and dried herbs. Intense palate with lots of fruit, comparatively round for the vintage at this stage – on the downside in the finish an acidity overhang which kept me from going higher. Having said that, the crowd was of a completely different opinion arguing that the 1990 was outright unpalatable along with other vintages in the 90ies like 1994 and 1996. While I agree on the latter (especially on 1994), going back to my previous 1990 notes a 18 months or so ago I found a pretty consistent assessment, including on acidity. The nay-sayers are wrong.

12/3/2021 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine:

Bought this as an "unknown vintage" wine, but from a superb cache of wine from auction. Quite pleased it was a '61 when I cut the capsule.

Very light in color, even for its age, but no shortage of power on the nose. Like all the best examples of this underrated Château it has a terrific meaty quality, but still retains the freshness of Margaux violets. Plenty of complexity, with mint, cinnamon, chocolate and a bit of iodine. Almost perfect.

The taste isn't quite up to the standards of the vintage though. It's consistent with no particular weaknesses, but lacks the intensity of the best '61s (although perhaps there are few of those left now). The tannins have melted away almost completely, and the structure comes entirely from the acidity, which makes it feel a bit soft, albeit with plenty of flavor. The finish is also drying just slightly, and is medium length at best.

Overall this is half a great wine, giving far more pleasure to smell than to taste. But that's more than I expected from a bargain bottle.

12/30/2013 - Joe the Critic Does not like this wine:

I'm mystified by the favorable reviews. I've tried this twice, and it seems harsh and acidic for a 2009 Bordeaux in this price range. It certainly is concentrated, but the fruit is underwhelming, and I don't detect the characteristic earth or tobacco/cedar notes that I associate with the Haut-Medoc.

2/28/2019 - logos Likes this wine:

low fill, tawny rim. fine, intense, cassis nose with firm flowery edge. silken texture is appealing; flavour rather simple for its class and short finish. nose improves and has remarkable clarity later, with a pretty violet touch.

8/11/2018 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine:

Birthday wine, a bit late this year. Decanted about an hour, and that was about right to open it up nicely.

Brilliant ruby color, fading a little around the edge. Tons of tobacco and mint on the very expressive nose. Some red fruit and the typical Pauillac damp soil.

Beautiful concentration and length; excellent balance as usual. Tannins are very nicely integrated; far more than most 1988s. Perhaps lacking the flamboyance of some Moutons of the era, it needs some good food to pair with.

Drink now.

5/23/2013 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine:

Had a few more similar to the first note but this one was a different beast. The nose is fabulous coffee and cherry cola. Not fantastically complex, but very enticing nonetheless. Much fuller in the mouth than previous bottles. If you love old Bordeaux this is a cracker at $20.

5/7/2013 - Pvinbrock Does not like this wine:

Bottle totally corked. The cork was totally saturated. Bought on winebid, would not buy any older wines again from them. Not sure how it passed their inspection.

7/1/2015 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:

Don't know why, but I just don't drink Dunn that much…only own a single bottle of 87 HM…but after trying this 10 HM….I NEED more Dunn in the cellar!! Amazingly the first thing you notice in this wine….is how smooth and soft it is! I was expecting some tannic teeth enamel stripping beast….instead you get this pillow soft mouthful of silk! But this isn't a Mr. Softy…it has a deep kind of structure to it….after the silk, there is a firmness of graphite minerals, spicy cedar pencil finish. The fruit is dark with blackberries and cherries…currant…ripe, yet totally dry! Savory all the way….with wonderful tasty flavors of licorice, desert sage brush, chocolate covered blueberries, dusty cellar floor earth…….all in perfect balance. Amazing at such a young age….I'm blown away!

12/27/2015 - Javachip wrote:

Auction purchase with unknown provenance. High shoulder fill. Cork loose and fully saturated, removed in pieces. Sadly this was completely maderized. But that didn't stop the non-oenophiles at the party from drinking the entire bottle, when we told them how rare and expensive it was.

7/25/2013 - aagrawal wrote:

Bonham's and Butterfield Pre-auction tasting (San Francisco, CA): Fresh red fruit, young, needs time. Good acid, but largely unremarkable. 88-89

3/20/2013 - Collector1855 wrote:

Parker has downgraded this wine to 85 due to the vegetal character. There is for sure a green pepper note (next to earth and spices) and yes, it is clearly not on the fruity, opulent side which RP likes. However, whenever I serve this wine blind during a tasting or with food it does really well and gets many thumbs up (btw, it was strangely even more spectacular when young). Why? this wine has highly, highly complex aromas and is soft and delicate to drink. So think of something like blue cheese for example, yes many people may not like it, but nobody will say it is boring (like Gouda or Emmental). Where Parker is right, and this is no secret in Bordeaux either, Chateau Figeac has together with Cheval Blanc and Ausone the best terroirs of the entire appelation but the Figeac Team only makes a so so wine. Time for someone more ambitious to take over this estate... 93-95

11/10/2009 - rwstorer wrote:

Light red and very cloudy in color. Dusty nose. Not a lot of fruit showing but a lot of tanin and acid. Not very enjoyable.