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2009 Château d’Armailhac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (1/4/2013)
Partners’ Dinner (Wild Rocket, Singapore): I really rather liked this. It may have lacked some of the sheer depth of fruit that some 2009 classed growths are showing in their youth, but this had a nice, classic Pauillac feel to it which really appealed to me. For something so young, it actually had a nicely interesting nose, with plump, fleshy aromas of ripe cassis and plums swathed in a light cloak of earth and tobacco smoke. Attractive. The palate shared some of the ripeness on the nose in its crunchy flavours of cassis and blackberries on the attack, so that it was obviously from a warm vintage. But it was also very fresh and lively, with a good focus and lovely sense of balance that seems to have escaped many houses in 2009, showing a pure Pauillac black-fruitedness wed to a touch of black tea and spice, and just that bit of meatiness at the mid-length finish. Fine, slightly chewy tannins rounded the whole package off. I enjoyed this very much, more so than many a young Bordeaux I have had recently. While not the most profound of wines, it had a nice depth and substance to it as well, suggesting that it will age very nicely over the next decade or so. A nice suprise from d’Armailhac. (92 pts.)
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