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2009 Tasting Report
2009 versus 2005: difference in terroir expression
As I go on with a succession of painstaking tastings, I cannot help but notice the presence of a strong terroir expression in the wines’ taste and nose. It seems to be typical of 2009 and was not a feature of the 2005 vintage, a more sunny, and therefore not marked by great contrasts, vintage. That could explain the inconsistency between the wines in 2009, which is definitely a vintage that enhances the great terroirs. Winemakers have observed that within each estate, the best grapes always come from the same plots. In 2005, Some of the traditionally less successful plots yielded such excellent quality grapes that they were included in the blends.
So, how can the performances of the outsiders this year be explained? The teams in charge of those estates work very hard indeed and perform increasingly well. For the 2009 vintage, they were able to reveal expressions from their growths that were unknown up to now.
About high levels of alcohol in the 2009 vintage
High alcohol contents induce the fleshy and mellow characteristics of a wine on entry. They also play a major part in the sensation of volume on the palate and power on finish.
In 2009 the wines are rich in fruit flavours and extremely fresh and, so far, I have not come across wines overpowered by alcohol, or very few. But the question might be raised again after the maturing process, should the fruit be altered and lose its covering potential. In other words, the work and skill put into the barrel aging will be of paramount importance for the end quality of the wines. The debate over high alcohol contents is currently causing a split in the whole of the winegrowing area with many readers worrying about the effect of high levels of alcohol in the wines.
Winemakers from the right bank have been used to high alcohol content in merlot for a long time. They are not shocked by the high alcohol concentration in the 2009 vintage.
On the left bank, and especially on the dry graves soil in the Médoc, where ripe cabernet sauvignon grapes rarely reach 13°, some are wary of high levels of alcohol in the wines.
Of course I have not asked each one and every one of the winemakers but two growths have readily talked to me about how cautious they had to be: Château Margaux and château Calon Ségur. Vincent Millet, now at the head of Calon Ségur, worked in château Margaux for a long time. For their 2009 vintage those two prestigious growths have tended to leave merlots with alcohol concentration over 14° out of their grand vin so as to keep it light. Such choice can be explained by their wish to maintain the highly drinkable character of their wine- I mean the urge to swallow it rather than spit it, which itself depends on two elements.
The first element is the balance of the wine.
The second one depends on the alcohol levels. Even if the wine is well-balanced mainly if the balance between the pH and the alcohol level is perfect- it is my belief that the urge to keep swallowing the wine also depends on the quantity of alcohol taken in with each of the sips. A 13° wine will therefore apparently present more digestive harmony than a 14° or more wine.
For the 2009 vintage, the Médoc stands apart from all the other Bordeaux winegrowing regions. It has shown that in that area, the tannins of the grapes can ripen well without dramatically increasing the levels of alcohol- quite an aesthetic achievement and very skilful winemaking indeed.
As regards drinking, right bank wines are, precisely because of their high levels of alcohol, more suited to winter drinking. Médoc wines, because they are less rich, are easier to enjoy in winter and mid-season. I personally do not believe that the 2009 will be wines to be enjoyed in hot summer days.
Wines from Saint Emilion
The results are typical of the vintage: the most noticeable successes were found in the middle of the range rather than among the most prestigious chateaux. So far, none of the first growths has surpassed the 2005 vintage. However, I have given many of the second growths the best mark ever given in a future campaign. They are equal, if not superior, to the 2005 and are the wines to go for. Such success is due to the growing care many chateaux like Corbin, Laroze, Bellevue, Grand Pontet, la Clotte, Chauvin, Le Prieuré, Fonroque, etc…have put into their wine making. Generally speaking, the results are varied. I have found as many successes for sandy soil as for limestone. On reading the names of the wines from very different areas you will understand that, for the 2009 vintage, quality is not the privilege of one particular type of soil.
Judging by the varying intensity of fruit, I believe that some growths were harvested too late in the season. Of course, none seemed to have been harvested too early and the wines never showed any tartness. The most subtle and delicious ones were the ones whose blends contains a high percentage of Cabernet Franc. Merlot, on its own, cannot give the wine such vitality and liveliness, unless perhaps coming from vines on limestone soil. A high alcohol content (often over 14 °) thickened the merlot. Sometimes, for the wine to appeal more to wine tasters, samples get a higher proportion of merlot than cabernet, which, at this time in the year, is far less attractive. I believe that such systematic preference for a sweet character is a mistake. When tasting the wines I personally looked for well-balanced flavours. The 2009 Saint-Emilion were so juicy that they were impossible not to swallow. That delightful feeling was the result of the intensity of the fruit on the one hand and normal pH, never rising above 3.8, on the other hand, along, of course, with the rich complexity of flavours resulting from the assemblage (55% of Cabernet franc for Ausone, 40% for Angelus ).
Among the unclassified growths, I have also found unexpectedly thin wines for such a vintage. The rainstorm that hit the area on September 19th must have diluted the grapes thus reducing the power, particularly on the flatter soils.
Besides, many growths have been more or less affected by a hailstorm. Trottevieille, La Bienfaisance, Cadet Bon, Sansonnet, Clos de l’Oratoire, La Couspaude, Faurie de Souchard, Berliquet have not always managed to reach their usual standard this year - unless their selection during the assemblage process was absolutely ruthless.
So I would say, a heterogeneous year, much more so than 2005, but with some fabulous wines to look forward to.
Is 2009 more a left bank or a right bank vintage? Judging by the grades I have given, there are more outstanding wines- graded over 96 - on the left bank than on the right bank...
Wines from Pomerol
The 2009 vintage is inconsistent in Pomerol and less successful than in other areas of the Bordeaux wine growing region. Wines from the East of the Pomerol plateau, opposite Cheval Blanc, did better than those from the West. The vintage is distinguished by a superb L’Eglise Clinet, a magnificent Vieux.Chateau Certan and an unusual Chateau Petrus, that more than ever expresses its distinctive identity and clearly stands out from the other growths belonging to the Jean-Pierre Moueix stable.
After producing a delightful 2008 vintage, Vray Croix de Gay has now established itself as the new rising star in the limited perimeter of the appellation. And since 2007, Feytit Clinet has never failed to catch my attention during tasting sessions and definitely appears as the new outsider we need to keep an eye on.
Wines from Pessac Léognan and Graves
I truly enjoyed tasting the Pessac-Léognan, which I did three times. It is the first time I have found such consistency in the top wines. Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut Lafitte, Malartic Lagravière are all very close quality-wise. Assessing them in comparative tastings was a real pleasure, and particularly because of their expression on the nose. The typical wet leather note is present in Chevalier, the smoky touch (nothing to do with toast here) in Smith, a mix of leather, smoke and toast in Malartic, and a rich fruit fragrance, with a touch more vanilla and a broader expression, in Haut Bailly. Will those distinctive marks be present after barrel aging and bottling? I do hope so. Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion are also true to their style again this year. As I have already mentioned, I expected Mission Haut Brion to perform very well, but in my last tasting in April, Haut Brion, which is actually vinified by the same team as La Mission Haut Brion, took a serious lead on its neighbour thanks to its sublime character. Fascinating!
The best reds from Pessac Léognan revealed quite a new fragrance of cherry and plums. Most of them were tasted three times at comparative tastings and turned out to be better when served at a temperature of 18° than 16 or 17°. At 18°, they gave out a creamy touch on the palate that was very enjoyable indeed. When at a lower temperature, I found drier notes on finish. You are well aware that the temperature at which a wine is served does affect the balance between the flavours. For the 2009 vintage, the wines are so precise and delicate that no doubt they are extremely sensitive to details of such importance.
As regards the results, 2009 is marked by the rise of Malartic Lagravière and the disappointing performance of Pape Clément. We now have to wait for its barrel-aging time to be over before we can define more precisely what the wine will be like.
And finally, it is in Pessac, very close to Pape Clément, that I have found the best wine of the vintage: Haut Brion. It is interesting to bear in mind that its merlots are always picked early and “al dente” and that, since 2007, the cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon have been harvested a little later than they used to be.
About Medoc 2009
You all know by now that I do not believe 2009 to be a Left Bank vintage, the results being far too inconsistent in the Medoc. I must admit I expected more from the top wines in Pauillac and in Saint Julien. Margaux is the appellation in which the order has been without surprises. Château Margaux and Château Palmer are once again totally true to their style.
Among the leaders in Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux, I believe many are not as good as in 2005. In the Medoc, as indeed on the right bank, 2009 is a great terroir vintage, but for a very different reason: the way the estates dealt with drought rather than with water to excess.
I found flavours of black fruits, rather than red fruits, in the wines as never before. And it is very nice indeed!
They are usually mellow on entry, which is the mark of a great vintage. On finish, however, the wines appear more tannic and more classic in their style, though always ripe. The middle palate alone is still imprecise. Some winemakers believe it will be defined during the elevage. But I remember it was already well defined at this stage in the 2005 vintage!
The rather long and superbly fragrant finish are the other strong point of the 2009 vintage in Medoc. They are typical of the cabernet sauvignon expression when the grapes come from dry graves soils.
But, given the little rain we had in the summer, it is my opinion that the châteaux with clay subsoil have achieved the best successes. Their wines are already much more comprehensive in the mouth. Clay subsoil, and Merlot, gives a full and broad character in the middle palate that a graves soil alone is unable to give.
It is also important to note that the 2009 wines from the Medoc have an alcohol content which is about 1° less than wines from the right bank, or even than the Pessac-Leognan, rich in Merlot (Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion). The alcohol content varies from 12°9 to 13°8 and so puts the wines well within a well-known frame, which is quite reassuring. Does it contribute to influence journalists in favour of the left bank? That is not entirely impossible.
Wines from Saint-Estèphe
The results are heterogeneous, especially among non-classified estates. I found some wines lacking in density and finishing austere.
Le Crock and Clauzet, magnificent outsiders, escape this category. Tronquoy Lalande follows their path. Like Pauillac, the month of August 2009 was one of the least impacted by rainfalls throughout the Medoc in Saint Estèphe. On the other hand, 60mm of water during the month of September positioned the appellation as the wettest in the Medoc.
Other estates change and improve: Calon Ségur, Lafon Rochet, De Pez, and Ormes de Pez.
At Montrose, ambition seems enormous and the work in progress, intense. It seems to me that a competition is engaged with Château Latour : comparable location next to the river banks, a kingdom of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal, strong technical quality, maximum investment. In short, some progress that I will have the pleasure of following closely.
Wines from Pauillac
Pauillac is the area in Medoc, and in the whole of the Bordeaux vineyard, with the least rainfalls in July- a critical time for deficit water status. August followed suit and as you know “August makes the must”. In September, the rainfalls over Pauillac were two to three times less abundant than over other Left Bank areas, apart from Margaux, with 5 mm less than in Pauillac.
Out of the top three 1er Crus - Lafite, Mouton and Latour - Latour has the largest number of plots with subsoil of clay. On smelling the 2009 vintage, I immediately thought of 2003 and its success. I have rated the 2009 Latour much higher than the other two. It is the one I believe boasts the most body, probably thanks to its clay subsoil. We can also make a similar comparison between Batailley - clay subsoil- and Lynch Moussas - graves soil.
Wines from Saint-Julien
When sampling the Saint-Julien mid-range wines, I originally thought 2009 would be a very successful vintage for the appellation. But after tasting Ducru Beaucaillou and Léoville Las Cases - to me, not so good as the 2005- my enthusiasm soon abated. 2009 is definitely an inconsistent vintage in Saint-Julien too.
For the first time in twenty years, Léoville Poyferré takes the lead of the appellation en primeur. And Gruaud Larose has made a fabulous wine that paves the way for cracking achievements in the years to come.
Wines from Margaux
2009 is a great vintage in Margaux. Many growths have achieved their best in twenty years. Whereas July- with around 52 mm of rain falling in Margaux- was the wettest in the whole of the Medoc, very little actually fell in the Margaux area in August and September, as in Pauillac. At the end of the cycle, the vines were often suffering from drought.
The appellation is consistent quality-wise but not style-wise. Many different sorts of Margaux can be found in the 2009 vintage.
Among the unclassified growths some boast typically Margaux, fine and flavourful (margalien in French) tannins but others definitely do not and display tannins of a more grainy and austere quality. You can read about them in my notes.
Among the classified growths Cantenac Brown, and above all Kirwan, have now joined the leading group - châteaux Margaux, Palmer, Rauzan Ségla, Brane Cantenac, Issan - in their conception of what the taste of the appellation should be.
Malescot Saint-Exupéry and Lascombes are still leaning too much towards the right bank as regards their style, as Kirwan used to.
But the very best surprise definitely comes from Clos du Jaugueyron, a tiny estate (0.5ha of unclassified growth) worked under organic farming practice with skill -and much love- by owner-winemaker Michel Theron.
We should also bear in mind that hailstorms have reduced quantities and have sometimes affected the underlying quality for Kirwan, Prieure Lichine and Issan.
Wines from Médoc
This year, the wines of the Medoc regional appellation differ from those of local based appellations (such as Margaux, St-Julien, etc.) by offering a higher acidity.
In my opinion, overall, local AOC wines seem to come from grapes picked riper. I see this as an effect of man's work much more than the soils.
The amazing result of Clos Manou confirms that by investing through passion, hard work and a bit of money, on classified as simple Médoc, a great wine can emerge.
Dry white wines
2009 is a good year for dry white wines in Bordeaux though the vintage is inconsistent and not up to 2008, 2007 or 2006.
The wines display a similar character to the 2005 in a somewhat solar style and with a rather low tension on the palate.
Hot days alternating with cool nights usually favour the aromatic concentration at the end of the maturing process. I therefore expected more vibrancy in the wines. In fact, 2009 is a “technical” vintage. Here are some of the challenges winemakers had to rise up to:
- Dry and sunny weather in August can result in the loss of acidity and an increase in sugar levels- and so of alcohol- which tend to unbalance the wines. For the 2009 vintage, the answer was to plough the ground to prevent it from drying up.
- Alternating cool nights and sunny days can harden up the skin of the berries and induce a rustic character in the wine.
- And finally, a faulty analysis of the maturing of the grapes can lead to the decision to bring them in too late thus losing the crispness of the fruit.
In that particularly demanding context, Denis Dubourdieu, especially with his own estates, gets a first class. I could not fault his wines, which are delicious and particularly aesthetic when others tend to be soft and flavourless.
As regards the grape varieties, the 2009 vintage in Bordeaux favours sémillon more than sauvignon, which displays less vibrancy than in less challenging years.
Generally speaking, the 2009 dry white wines will be at their best and ready for drinking between 2011 and 2018.
Sauternes and Barsac 2009: a mythical vintage
Here comes the mythical vintage! More so than for the reds, which are too inconsistent, everything here is good. An ideal botrytis has concentrated ripe berries to give what is best for a sweet wine: an ethereal sweet character. Everything melts on the palate and then the wines end on complex flavours of fresh and roasted fruit. You can already drink and enjoy them.
I tasted the top ones three times- twice for analysis, once for sheer pleasure.
Their styles differ mainly according to the sugar concentration, which can be very high-sometimes too high.
Twenty years ago I would have suggested you went for the Barsacs, which are more vivid, rather than the Sauternes, which are more honeyed and less vivid when young. But today, having followed the evolution of the great Sauternes that are botrystised and that lacked tension when young- La Tour Blanche 1989 for instance- I can now observe that freshness and tension have come back with age. It is a little strange and impossible to explain, but here we are.
But let us keep a cool head over so much praise. As in any opulent vintage, much skill will be required to nurture the wines to their best until the end of the elevage, after which marked differences between the wines will be noted. On the one hand Yquem is said to be likely to reduce the time of the maturing process whereas, on the other hand, Rieusec is planning to keep the barrel aging process to 36 months to mellow and soften its sugar concentration.
In the meantime, my friends are enjoying the rest of the samples and are loving every minute of it! La Clotte Cazalis, Guiraud, Rayne Vigneau have delighted us all, even if they did not score 20/20. And that is true class.
This vintage will keep between 50 to 100 years!
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