A bunch of Bordeaux 2009’s, tasted when they were almost exactly 15 years old, ie. about a year ago.
The wines were tasted half-blind, ie. we knew which wines we were going to taste, but not the order in which we would taste them. We also had two fully blind wines that were supposed to be somewhat related to the main theme of the tasting - we just didn’t know how closely!
Anyways, my opinions on the wines were quite varied. Some wines were quite impressive, but others didn’t move me much. Although 2009 was a very warm vintage, the wines didn’t seem to have suffered that much from it - on the contrary, most wines showed surprising levels of freshness and structure. The bigger problems were related to winemaking - several wines seemed too oaky and polished for my taste, even at 15 years of age. I don’t know how much one needs to wait before their Bordeaux stops tasting like a generic new world blockbuster and more like a proper Bordeaux?
Unsurprisingly, the two extras were not really up my alley. Ornellaia was quite decent, but especially the Chilean monstrosity was pretty nasty stuff.
- 2009 Château Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (67%), Merlot (27%), Petit Verdot (5%) and Cabernet Franc (1%), harvested between September 24th and October 14th. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 14% alcohol, 5,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,62. Tasted half-blind.
Luminous, slightly translucent blackish-red color. The nose feels savory, woody and slightly toasty with aromas of ripe dark fruits and fresh blackcurrants, some chocolatey mocha oak, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of inky character, a sweeter, evolved hint of wizened dark berries and a touch of vanilla. The wine feels juicy, dark-toned and rather ripe with a moderately full body and succulent, slightly sweet-toned flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some toasty notes of chocolatey mocha oak, light woody pencil shaving tones, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of cigar box and a touch of soft, sweet dark plum. The wine is moderately high in acidity and its tannins feel quite supple and resolved at first, but they gradually coat your gums, making the wine slowly feel more grippy than it initially came across as. The finish is woody, dark-toned and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of crunchy dark plum, some ripe blackcurrant tones, a little bit of earthy spice, light toasty notes of coffee and mocha oak, a hint of licorice root and a touch of vanilla.
At first the wine came across as rather big, clumsy and toasty, lacking finesse. Sort of very "new world" take on contemporary Bordeaux, having emphasis on toasty oak. However, the wine got a bit better with air - the fruit department pushed the more obvious oaky qualities a bit back and the tannins started to make their presence more felt - but even then this wine didn't manage to leave me particularly moved. Sure, the wine is still quite youthful for its age, and I guess with further aging you might get the oak integrate with the fruit a little bit better, but seeing how the wine isn't particularly muscular or tightly-knit, it doesn't feel like it really calls for additional aging. I wouldn't be surprised if the wine gets a little bit better as it ages further from here, but I didn't get a feel this would turn out to be anything particularly memorable with any amount of cellar time. It's good, but not great.
(88 points) - 2009 Château d'Armailhac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (24%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and Petit Verdot (2%), harvested from September 23rd to October 13th. Aged in French oak barriques (1/3 new, 1/3 once used, 1/3 twice used) for 16-18 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Slightly evolved black cherry color. The nose feels somewhat understated and not particularly open, yet still pretty attractive with aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some gravelly earth, a little bit of exotic spice, light cedary notes of oak, fragrant hints of pipe tobacco and wilted flowers, a touch of old leather and a sweet whiff of dried dark berries. The wine feels silky, juicy and moderately ripe on the palate with a moderately full body and slightly evolved flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some black cherries, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of tobacco, crunchy hints of redcurrants and a touch of peppery spice. The structure relies more on the rather high acidity than on the quite resolved and rather supple tannins. The finish is juicy, long and gently grippy with a layered aftertaste of juicy blackcurrants, some fresh black cherries, light cedary oak tones, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of baking spices and a touch of old leather.
A tasty and harmonious Pauillac. Quite ripe, but not too ripe. Perhaps a bit on the soft side - I would've liked the wine to show more firmness and grip as it came across as pretty easy and mellow now. While the moderately high acidity kept the overall feel nicely in balance, I'd expect a 15-yo Classified Growth to show a bit more grip and structure. This was a pleasant and thoroughly enjoyable effort, but ultimately nothing that would leave a lasting impression. Just a relatively smooth and approachable example of 2009 Left-Bank.
(90 points) - 2009 Château Batailley - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (74%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (2%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks for 25 days. Aged in French oak barriques (55% new, 45% once used) for 18 months. 13% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Somewhat evolved and rather opaque blackish-red color with a faint maroon hue. The nose is very much Bordeaux with quite classically styled aromas of fresh blackcurrants and ripe redcurrants, some leafy and subtly minty green tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light bell pepper tones, a hint of loose tobacco, a touch of licorice root and a fragrant whiff of cedar. The wine feels firm, dry and enjoyably sinewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite classically styled flavors of fresh blackcurrant and dark plummy fruit, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light sweeter nuances of toasty oak spice, light blackberry tones, a hint of loose tobacco and a touch of minty greenness. The overall feel is quite structured with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, juicy and rather tannic with a fresh and quite intense aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and fresh bilberries, some roasted bell pepper tones, a little bit of loose pouch tobacco, light toasty mocha oak notes, hints of minty greenness and leafy character and a touch of earth.
A surprisingly sophisticated and classically styled effort of Batailley. Although the warm vintage has granted some richness and sense of succulence to the fruit, the overall feel is still surprisingly firm and structured with a lovely, somewhat minty and subtly herbaceous undertone that lends a subtly old-school feel to the wine. Seeing how 2009 Bordeaux is often seen as a very warm vintage that produced some rather rich, "modern" wines, this is a surprisingly traditional effort for the vintage. I enjoyed the sense of structure and depth of flavor here. I'd say the wine is already in its drinking window, but as it doesn't really show that much development, I can see the wine evolving and improving for many, many years more. Good stuff, recommended.
(93 points) - 2009 Château Clerc Milon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (44%), Cabernet Franc (4%), Carménère (1%) and Petit Verdot (1%), harvested from September 23rd to October 13th. Aged in French oak barriques (30% new, 70% used) for 16 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Still quite youthful and moderately opaque dark ruby color. The nose feels a bit restrained and maybe not that Bordelais in character, but still enjoyably nuanced with a somewhat polished bouquet of bilberries and elderberry juice, some woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, light vanilla tones, a little bit of sweet boysenberry, a hint of dark chocolate chips and a touch of licorice root. Despite the rather warm vintage, the wine doesn't feel ripe and velvety but instead quite dry and sinewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and savory flavors of dark plums, some fresh bilberries, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of toasty oak and exotic spices, a ferrous hint of blood and a sweeter touch of ripe redcurrants. The combination of the moderately high acidity and rather sparse yet still pretty tough and grippy tannins make the wine feel pretty structure-driven. The finish is long, dry and moderately grippy with a quite intense aftertaste of boysenberries and elderberry juice, some cedary notes of oak, a little bit of tobacco, light toasty notes of mocha and chocolate, a hint of smoky campfire and a touch of ripe redcurrant.
This wine didn't feel that Bordeaux to me, at least aromatically - the tell-tale cassis notes of Bordelais Cab seemed to be completely absent here. Aromatically the wine seemed closer to a somewhat polished, modern new world red - perhaps a Bordeaux blend, but definitely not a Cab-heavy one. However, despite these observations, I found the wine rather harmonious and enjoyably structure-driven. Despite the warm vintage, the wine didn't seem that ripe. Definitely not under-ripe, but this was not a soft, sweetly-fruited contemporary Bordeaux, either. As the wine seemed still pretty youthful, I'm hopeful that the wine continues to age and evolve in the right direction, developing some tertiary complexity and losing some of that glossy new oak character in the process!
(92 points) - 2009 Château Beychevelle - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (44%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (4%), harvested from September 21st to October 12th. Aged in French oak barriques (50% new) for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Very deep, almost fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't look youthful, nor evolved. The nose feels a bit restrained but also nuanced, clean and immediately identifiable as a Bordeaux with rich aromas of sweet dark fruits, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of old leather and loose tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings and toasted oak spice, a hint of licorice, a touch of fragrant exotic spices and a faint whiff of salty liquorice powder. The wine feels quite firm, savory and sinewy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and juicy dark plums, some old leather tones, a little bit of tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, dark-toned hints of toasted oak spice and licorice and a touch of fresh black cherry. The overall feel is very balanced and you really don't taste that the wine comes from a very warm vintage, as its high acidity and ample, assertive and still very grippy tannins keep the overall feel very stern and tightly-knit. The finish is juicy, quite tannic and subtly warm with an intense and quite persistent aftertaste of juicy black cherries and wizened blackcurrants, some oak notes of cedar and pencil shavings, light licorice tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, a hint of old leather and a touch of exotic spice.
I was quite surprised how balanced and surprisingly traditional this vintage of Beychevelle came across as. There were no obvious warm-vintage characteristics - ie. sweet or overripe fruit, lack of structure or excessive levels of alcohol - in sight and the rather stern, structure-driven overall feel was that of an old-school Claret! Sure, the wine packed a bit more ripeness and muscle than, say, the vintages of the 1980's or the 1990's, nor was there any herbaceous leafy character that were quite commonplace back then. Even so, this wine was very serious and even if the wine sees a relatively high amount of new oak barrels, the flavors were surprisingly much on the classic fruit flavors, not on glossy, toasted new oak. The wine is still relatively youthful and quite tightly-wound, but nevertheless quite an impressive effort already now - however, as the wine seems to be evolving in the right direction, I'm quite sure it will get only better with additional age. This is a fine and very complete wine for a 2000's Bordeaux and easily among the best 2009's I've tasted. Highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2009 Château Talbot - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (30%) and Petit Verdot (5%), harvested from September 29th to October 13th. Fermented in oak vats. Aged in French oak barriques (50% new) for 15 months. Bottled from May 9th to 27th, 2011. 13% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Deep, quite opaque and slightly evolved maroon color. The nose feels quite decidedly Bordeaux with a savory, a bit tertiary bouquet of juicy yet not that ripe blackcurrants, some autumnal, leafy forest floor tones, a little bit of licorice root and leather, light evolved gamey tones, a hint of wizened dark plums, a touch of hoisin sauce and a whiff of smoke. The wine feels dry, balanced and quite silky on the palate with a medium body and somewhat evolved flavors of juiyc blackcurrants and black raspberries, some pipe tobacco, light dark plummy tones, a little bit of gamey meat and umami, an autumnal hint of leafy sous-bois and a sweeter touch of toasty mocha oak. The overall feel is pretty firm and quite structured with the rather high acidity and ripe, grainy tannins that don't feel immediately that grippy, but gradually make the wine feel surprisingly tannic. The finish is long, quite evolved and rather grippy with a nuanced aftertaste of juicy dark fruits and tobacco, some leafy forest floor tones, a little bit of dried blackcurrant, light tertiary notes of hoisin and soy sauce, a hint of licorice root and a chocolatey touch of sweet, toasty oak spice.
A somewhat rustic St. Julien that feels a bit more evolved and also perhaps slightly less sophisticated than the other 2009 Bordeaux wines we had in this horizontal tasting. Doesn't offer the depth and elegance that the best wines do, but then again, the overall feel is quite harmonious and on point - if not as youthful as the others. This is still pretty much a textbook Left Bank Bordeaux - and who knows, maybe we just had a bottle that was more evolved than it should be? - so I'm not complaining. Based on this bottle, I'd say the wine is quite close to its peak and while it might at least keep, if not improve for a good number of years, this didn't feel as long-lived as many other 2009 Bordeaux reds.
(91 points) - 2009 Château Durfort-Vivens - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (24.8.2024)
A blend Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), Merlot (23%) and Cabernet Franc (4%), a part from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Aged in French oak barriques (45-50% new) for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Luminous, somewhat translucent ruby-red color that doesn't look young nor old. The nose feels fragrant, sweet-toned and quite expressive with layered aromas of dark forest fruits and fragrant flowers, some blueberry juice tones, a little bit of red licorice, light woody notes of cedar, a hint of something smoky and slightly rubbery - reduction? - and a touch of vanilla. The wine feels open-knit, velvety and somewhat mellow on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and juicy but also a bit dilute flavors of sweet red plums and wizened raspberries, some ripe blackberry tones, a little bit of red licorice, light notes of pipe tobacco, a hint of cedar and a touch of vanilla. Contrasting with the expressive nose, the flavors seem to be lacking a bit in intensity. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with rather resolved, gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, gently grippy and slightly warm with a long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of succulent red plums, some ripe black raspberries, a little bit of peppery spice, light evolved notes of beef jerky and meaty umami, a hint of cedar and a touch of vanilla.
The nose felt expressive, nuanced and wonderfully attractive, leading to rather high expectations - that were not met on the palate. The wine feels somewhat evolved, yet not particularly complex, and it is somewhat soft in structure and lacking a bit in intensity - something I did not expect from a 2009 Margaux. While not a bad wine in any way, this just doesn't move me in any way. Well, apart from the rather lovely nose. The wine doesn't feel old or tertiary yet, but it still comes across as a bit more developed than I expected. Most likely the wine continues to evolve and hopefully also improve for many more years, but I feel this is not going to be the longest-lived 2009 Bordeaux out there. While a pretty good wine in its own right, this was still pretty underwhelming for a 2009 Left-Bank and among the least impressive wines we tasted in our 2009 Bordeaux horizontal.
(87 points) - 2009 Château du Tertre - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Petit Verdot (8%). Aged in French oak barriques (45% new) for 17-18 months. 13% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Deep and quite opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved, somewhat translucent maroon rim. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and somewhat sweet-toned yet not that obviously Bordeaux with aromas of elderberries and exotic spices, some smoky phenolic tones, a little bit of sweet bilberry, light leathery and barnyardy - or even slightly cidery - notes of bretty funk, a hint of fresh red plum, a woody touch of savory oak spice and a whiff of tobacco. The wine feels juicy, silky and slightly sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of blackcurrants and elderberry juice, some bretty notes of leather, barnyard and phenolic spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of pipe tobacco, a hint of mulberry and a touch of crunchy redcurrant. The overall feel is enjoyably firm and structured yet not tightly-knit or aggressive with the rather high acidity and ample, powdery and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is fruit-driven, somewhat funky and quite tannic with a juicy aftertaste of blackcurrants and bilberries, some elderberry tones, a little bit of leathery brett and smoky phenolic spice, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of woody oak spice.
A characterful, distinctive and enjoyably structured Margaux that doesn't feel particularly ripe or lush, yet sporting a somewhat sweeter-toned fruit department than the other wines we had at the same time in our 2009 Bordeaux horizontal. Despite coming from a very warm vintage - in which sweeter-fruited flavors are not uncommon - the wine sports a relatively modest level of alcohol and pretty good, firm structure, making it come across as very balanced and quite impressive. Aromatically the wine was wonderfully fragrant with subtle yet lovely, rustic bretty undertones that only added to the complexity without overwhelming any of the finer nuances - however, the fruit department was somewhat atypical for a Bordeaux, and I'm not sure if could've identified the wine immediately as a Bordeaux from the nose alone, had I tasted it fully blind. However, on the palate the wine was much more textbook Bordeaux by all accounts. All in all, this was a lovely effort that was still quite youthful and I'm sure the wine continues to age and improve for at least another decade, perhaps even several. One of my favorites in the 2009 Bordeaux horizontal. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2009 Château Pape Clément Clémentin de Pape Clément - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (24.8.2024)
A blend Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (44%), Petit Verdot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). Aged in French oak barriques for 18 months. 14% alcohol. Tasted half-blind.
Quite dense and more or less fully opaque blackish-red color that doesn't appear young nor evolved. The savory nose, however, seems somewhat developed with a bit linear aromas of earth and pipe tobacco, some sweeter notes of wizened dark fruits, light licorice tones, a little bit of wilted flowers, a hint of black raspberry and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels quite firm, sinewy and structure-driven on the palate with a medium body and quite intense but also rather tertiary flavors of dried dark fruits and wizened dark berries, some licorice root tones, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light savory notes of meaty umami, developed hints of old leather and forest floor and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The overall feel is still quite stern and tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and still rather grippy, grainy tannins. The finish is evolved, tannic and slightly warm with a long aftertaste of ripe black raspberries, some sweeter notes of dried fruits and wizened dark berries, a little bit of licorice, light tertiary notes of old leather and leafy forest floor, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of tobacco.
A very impressive, stern and structure-driven Graves red that was structurally probably the most tightly-knit wine in our 2009 Bordeaux horizontal, but from the fruit department perspective the wine is surprisingly evolved and not in a particularly impressive shape anymore. The muscular overall feel does make the wine appear quite serious and impressive, but it seems that the wine must've been a lot better some five years ago, when it was less tertiary. Structurally the wine still needs a lot of additional aging, but the wine's flavors seem to be already quite tertiary and fading at this point, I'd say that the wine should be drunk sooner rather than later.
(89 points) - 2007 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (27%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and Petit Verdot (4%) harvested between the last week of August and the first week of October. All the grapes were destemmed, then vinified variety by variety, parcel by parcel. Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks for 17-22 days. Aged in French oak barriques (70% new, 30% once used) for 18 months. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep, slightly evolved and somewhat translucent blackish-red color with a somewhat pomegrante hue. The nose feels fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of sunny dark berries and pruney dark fruit, some vanilla oak tones, a little bit of developed leathery character, light toasty notes of carob or cacao nibs, a herbaceous hint of chopped chili and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels quite ripe and a bit polished on a palate with a silky texture, a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat developed flavors of dried blackcurrants and bittersweet oak notes of dark chocolate, some pipe tobacco, a little bit if gravelly minerality, light sweeter notes of dark plummy fruit, sweet hints of mocha and toasty oak spice and a touch of vanilla. The structure relies more on the quite ample and grippy tannins than on the slightly soft medium-plus acidity. The finish is juicy, rather grippy and slightly warm with a long aftertaste of sweet dark plums and wizened blackcurrants, some woody notes of savory oak spice, light toasty notes of vanilla and chocolatey mocha oak, a hint of pipe tobacco and a ferrous touch of blood.
While a big, muscular and quite impressive wine in its own right, I felt the overall feel was still quite polished with a bit too much new oak sheen, somewhat pronounced alcohol and slightly wanting in acidity. The oak use, however, doesn't feel like overdone in relation to the fruit department - although the wine is approaching its apogee, I think there is still a little bit of room for further development and hopefully the toasty oak notes will continue to integrate with the tertiary fruit flavors. I don't feel like this is going to be super-long lived vintage, so maybe it is best drunk within the next 10-15 years? Good stuff, but not really my cuppa. My guesses were a modern Napa Cab with some age, or perhaps a 2005 Bordeaux from a Château who had went over to the dark side.
(90 points) - 2010 Viña Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon Silencio - Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (24.8.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) and Carménère (2%) from the following Maipo vineyards: Pirque Viejo (38%), El Mariscal (16%), Puente Alto (16%), Los Morros (28%) and Peumo (2%). Aged in new French oak barrels for 22 months, then blended together into a stainless steel tanks and left to marry for another few months. 13,7% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar, 6,34 g/l acidity and pH 3,5. Bottled in May 2012. Tasted blind.
Dense, fully opaque black cherry color. The nose feels very sweet - borderline cloying - with very expressive aromas of crème de cassis, some vanilla oak tones, a little bit of bilberry juice, light candied notes of Bassett's black wine gums, a hint of elderberry jam, a touch of black cherry marmalade and a whiff of minty greenness. I must have to say that I find the nose quite overdone and rather off-putting. The wine feels surprisingly youthful, firm and savory on the palate with a medium body and dry yet sweetly-fruited flavors of crème de cassis and elderberry juice, some bilberry tones, light mulled wine notes of Christmas spices like cloves and vanilla, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, savory hints of meaty umami and a touch of cherry pits. The overall feel is pretty firm and structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and ample, still rather grippy and assertive tannins. The finish is long, grippy and pretty acid-driven with an intense aftertaste of fresh blackcurrants and blueberries, some crème de cassis tones, a little bit of elderberry juice, light ferrous notes of blood, oaky hints of vanilla, cloves and wood spice and a touch of licorice.
This could've been a nice wine with its surprisingly fresh and structured character, impressive flavor intensity and vibrant overall feel - it's such a shame the flavors themselves are rather off-putting to me. This doesn't feel like an impressive world-class Cab, but instead a candied combination mulled wine and crème de cassis. The sweet, heady aromatics and almost gloopy flavors make the wine feel like a parody of new world Cab. My only guess was a Chilean Cab, but I expected the wine to be 5-10 years younger - I was surprised the wine had already some age, because it didn't feel one bit evolved or tertiary! I really hope the wine will turn out to be something more serious and less overt "Chilean" in overall character as it ages - at least with this much structure and flavor intensity, the wine will continue to effortlessly age and evolve for the next decade or two. I just hope the wine develops in the right direction as it ages.
(86 points)
Posted from CellarTracker