Pauillac and northern Medoc

 

Thoroughly enjoyable in 2009, for me Saint Julien was the most consistently excellent appellation. It's been  a very interesting year to taste, as some of the biggest names have made the most subtle, elegant wines in the Medoc, a reversal of many years.

 

Pauillac, AC Pauillac (third wine of Chateau Latour)

15.58% of the total production goes into this wine, that comes from only vines outside of L’Enclos, and there is a great density even at this level of quality. It drops off on the end a little, and the good ripe fruit doesn’t do too much to stand out. 87-88.

Les Forts de Latour, AC Pauillac

45.9% of total production, with a blend of 65.1% cab sauvign, 32.3% merlot, 0.6% cab franc, 1.9% petit verdot. The whole thing comes in at 13.5% alcohol, and is enormously well blanced, with an IPT of 80 (Index of Total Phenolics, the buzz word of 2009, as has been quite rightly pointed out). Enormously different weight and fruit than the third wine, this is a very juicy Forts de Latour, really a tasty wine, perhaps my favourite of the ‘First’ second wines. Plenty of density, but crunchy, bright fruit. 93-94.

Chateau Latour, AC Pauillac

Around 10% press wine has gone into the First wine, and it underwent a slightly longer maceration than in 2008. This is very different from the other firsts in Pauillac. Absolutely full of liquorice and a tangy blueberry and blackcurrant coulis. There is a clear fist of tannins, but I disagree with some assessments that it is too much. It’s more of a wave to surf over than a wall to scale. Like this very much, just such elegance and depth of flavour, and superb freshness on the finish. The blend is 91.3% cab sauvignon, 8.7% merlot, 13.7% alcohol. IPT 87 (2008 was closer to 70) – but again these silky fruit tannins. A very successful wine. 38.3% of total production. 98-99.

Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac

This has a very good weight, slightly chalky tannins. They are clearly upping selection in response to the enormous demand for this wine (the big question is are they also going to raise the price on it this year). The blend is 50.6% cabernet sauvignon, 42.2% merlot, 2.2% petit verdot, 5% cabernet franc. Has lovely subtle fresh lift on the finish, and very crunchy red rather than black fruits. Not a blockbuster, very approachable, good quality. 92.

Chateau Duhart Milon, Pauillac

More intense fruit here and clearly intended for a longer run than the Carruades. This is beautifully weighted, a real success this year. Just incredibly deft, very precise, beautiful lightness of touch. I think the best example of this wine I have tasted en primeur. 63% cab sauvignon, 37% merlot, harvested from 23 September to October 8. 94+

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

Blend is 82.5% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot, 0.5% petit verdot. There is less depth of colour than in some years, and on the palate it is truly surprising. This has that softness of tannins that was evident in Chateau Margaux, and is a signature of the confident winemaking of the very top chateaux in 2009. The tannins are very definitely there, but more of a benign force than a controlling one – instead they are soft, well balanced and fully integrated, even at this early stage. A lovely depth of fruit – red fruits mixed in with the tighter black fruits, again a very marked characteristic of this year. Not even the slightest hint of over-doing one single part of this wine. Harvesting of the merlot began on 23 september, and went through until the petit verdot finished on 8 October. This is so different from the intense wine of last year. It’s utterly delicious, very elegant. 97-99.

Petit Mouton

A good weight to the fruit, subtly exuberant, without shouting too hard. Charming – but it stood out for me more in 2008, perhaps because there were so few really good second wines last year, whereas this year there are lots. 63% cab sauvignon, 22% merlot, 15% cab franc. Some good subtly spicy undertones. 92+.
 

Chateau d’Armailhac, Pauillac

I very much like this haunting quality to the fruit. Lovely rich plum flavours, but a real intensity and build as it stays in the palate. Smoky charred aromas of coffee at the end that adds a modern touch without being overbearing. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 14% cabernet franc, 2% petit verdot. Picking from Sept 23 for the merlot to Oct 6 for the cabernet sauvignon. This has very good structure and a good sweet fruit lift on the finish. 93-94

Chateau Clerc Milon, Pauillac

50% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot, 1% carmanere. This has real elegance, and greater grip than the Armailhac, despite having less cabernet sauvignon. It’s not as immediately appealing, but it really builds in intensity and finishes off with a gorgeous punch of fruit. 92-93.

 
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac

The main event, and right from the start this is restrained, well defined and accomplished. As with Lafite, there is  gentleness to the nose that you rarely see in a first growth at this stage. Wonderful mix of minty freshness on the top palate, and velvety rich fruits underneath. This has depth and stature, but has a softness that caresses the palate and is entirely seductive. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot. Picking again Sept 23 to Oct 6. Average temperature here was 13.9, (0.5 higher than the 30 year average), and rainfall was 850.5mm (30mm less than the 30 year average).  97-98

Ailes d’Argent

72% sauvignon blanc, 27% Semillon 1% muscadelle. This year a little more sauvignon blanc than normal. Another gorgeous, searing acidity, beautiful apricot and crushed elderflower white wine. Just so lovely. Feel so pleased after tasting a number of lesser whites that have lost the acidity. This is gorgeous. 94.
 

Goulee, Medoc 

From the team at Cos d’Estournel, this comes in at a high 14.5% alcohol, 3.7 PH. It only just manages to balance out with this level of alcohol, but idoes get there. It’s a smooth and silky wine but I preferred the 2008. Texture is great, and a really lovely attack, but would like a touch more fruit and a little less heat. 88-89.

Les Pagodes de Cos, Saint Estephe

Again 14.5% alcohol. This is big, tight, tannic. Could easily be the first wine of a lesser estate. Well integrated tannins, not giving a lot away at this stage. Far better than the 08, and clearly a long life ahead of it. 69% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 1% petit verdot. Aged in 50% new oak barrels. 92+.

Cos d’Estournel, Saint Estephe

65% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 1% petit verdot. Aged in 50% new oak barrels. The nose is even less open that the Pagodes, and there is a steely wall of tannins, but underneath it is utterly gorgeous – you just need to sit with this wine for a while and listen to what it is telling you. I’s definitely a wine that tries to wow you, and almost loses itself in the process, but it's worth the wait in the end.  Love the description (sorry whoever you are) that this is Las Vegas, where Montrose is Paris. Expect grilled bacon, wet stones, lots of silky blackcurrants and blueberries. Great precision and length. 94.

Tronquoy de Sainte-Anne, Saint Estephe

Second wine of Tronquoy-Lalande, also owned by Bouyges of Montrose. Chalky tannins to start off with, a nice feathery quality. 67% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot. Good rich fruits, better than expected and a lot better than the 08. 88.

Ch Tronquoy-Lalande, Saint Estephe

A lot more liquorice here, and obvious extraction. Picking from Sept 18-Oct 7. Not particularly generous, but this is a big year. 89.

La Dame de Montrose, Saint Estephe

Rich sweet fruit (but just 15% new oak, so this is ripe fruit coming through), cherries and damsons. Not the extraction of some, here the weight of this fruit seems more effortless. 28% of production went into the second wine, about the same as in 2003, just so much good stuff for the first. Very pretty and charming, nice tannic frame. 92.

Chateau Montrose, Saint Estephe

60% new oak. 72% of entire production has gone into the first wine. Very evident structure, the tannins are tight and standing up for attention, but not a hint of bitterness from the (evident) extraction. Not as flattering as the Cos, but much more true to a ‘classic Saint Estephe’. The finish is gorgeous, and there is a fresh feel overall, with great life at the end. Remontage kept to maximum of twice a day, because colours, tannins, polyphenols... all came out so quickly and easily. I really like the brambly purple fruit, this is an excellent Montrose. 96.

Chateau Potensac, Medoc

48% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 30% new oak. Great value (was 11 euros ex negoce last year). Chalky tannins, good weight of fruit, 13.9% alcohol, but nice light finish. 91

Chapelle de Potensac, Medoc

Again, a potentially great value choice. Light, not complex, but pretty and charming. 65% merlot, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot. 87.
 

Le Petit Lion, Saint Julien

The (new) second wine of Leoville Las Cases. This is lovely, very crisp, floating fruit structure. Not all all intimidating, this is very appealing wine, led by autumn fruits, and some summery touches of redcurrant, some elderflower here also. Very charming. 91

Clos de Marquis, Saint Julien

Different terroir (formerly seen as second wine but in fact different microclimate). I prefer the Petit Lion. This is good, but a little less weight on the finish. 89.

Leoville Las Cases, Saint Julien

What an utterly gorgeous nose. And beautiful, rich, joyously glass-staining purple. Fantastic wine, deep layers of flavour, all perfectly integrated. Lovely weight. 76% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 9% cabernet franc, aged in 65% new oak. The tannins are keeping things gith, they have their hands firmly around the fruit, protecting. But rich damson and vanilla custrard inside, delicious. Hold tight for the price though... 97-100.

Lalande-Borie, Saint Julien

Smells like wet Japanese ferns. Nice sweet fruit, bit overworked, but good. Rich fruit, very overripe, a popular choice I imagine, although lacks some elegance. From 30ha of vines. 89-90.

Le Croix de Beaucaillou, Saint Julien

From 30ha of vines that are always intended for the second wine (same approach as Latour, or Leoville). Kept vinification temperature at between 25 and 27 degrees, so as not to overextract. Remontage just twice a day, and using azote to lift and break the cap from within, no harsh punching down. Lovely depth of flavour, there is lots of power, but wrapped in softness. Plum, damson, greengage, really like this. 91-92

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, Saint Julien

Beautiful structure, really wonderfully protective tannins, and lovely length. Good balance of power and delicacy in the mid-palate. There is an implied sweetness to the fruit, but it’s not in your face. Since 2004, the Borie family has 100ha in St Julien, with 35ha going into this first wine (of 70ha in total at Ducru). Really enjoy this wine, very interesting, nothing too tight or unrounded out. Highest levels of tannins ever, far higher than in 2005 (hear this all over) but ripe, expressive and well integrated. Slightly concern that alchol throws things out of whack on the finish. 94.

 

UGC (tasted blind at Ch Beychevelle)

Chateau Coufran, Haut Medoc

Over extracted and lacks a lot of charm. There is fruit, but it doesn’t have the ‘croquancy’ of the Saint Julien wines. Still, if you look, the fruit is without doubt present, few people have missed completely this year. 87.
 

Chateau Citran, Haut Medoc

Sweeter fruit on the nose here. Plenty to like in this wine – good weight of fruit, very well balanced, alcohol that you can feel but that doesn’t intrude, very nice tannic structure. Punches above its weight. 91.
 

Chateau Lamarque, Haut Medoc

Very smoky fruit nose, can definitely feel the presence of oak – and this is too much on the palate also. Over-extraction ahoy. Misses for me, although the coffee beans on the finish do go some way to redeeming it. But alcohol has not been tamed. 87.
 

Chateau Beaumont, Haut Medoc

Ever so slightly whiff of reduction on this, and again on palate. RT
 

Chateau Malescasse, Haut Medoc

This also doesn’t have the best ever nose, and again manages to over-extract. In fact, this is surprisingly green, more than any of the others that I have seen.  47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. 85-86.
 

Chateau Belgrave, Haut Medoc

The weight of fruit is good. It gets plenty of tannic structure into the frame, and you can imagine there would have been rejoicing in the cellars. But where is the charm of the best 2009s? Seems to be a little too imposing, although it gets recognition for great length, and a punch of fresh air on the finish.  75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 90-91
 

Ch La Tour Carnet, Haut Medoc

It has sweet, squeaky clean fruit, and lots of mocha and chocolate, almost spooned in. Tastes oddly like it has had the terroir surgically removed – but that’s not to say that it isn’t a good wine, with lovely length, and some very good acidity that grips the fruit. Plenty of vanilla and bakery aromas. Has appeal, but don't expect a gentle ride around the park. 52% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 89-90.
 

Chateau Camensac, Haut Medoc

Good structure, very tight tannins, these Haut Medocs seem to be doing all they can to mimick the big guys, without realising that most of the big guys have relaxed this year, and just let nature and fruit shine through. This is a good wine, and will have its fans, and has a lovely finish. But not elegant enough. 90+.
 

Chateau Cantemerle, Haut Medoc

This has a subtly warming nose, I like it, and paired with a lovely rich purple colour. A little reduction on the palate though – had to taste two bottles, but the second one had a good density to this fruit, deep blackcurrant aromas. The fruit is good and weighty, the tannins start to come in strongly, and then taper off in the mouth, going to a soft finish. This is fairly delicate and subtly imposes itself, without too much aggression. It’s very good. 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. 92-94

Chateau Beychevelle, Saint Julien

Richer, deep colour. This is a classic claret, where the tannins are strong and on a mission to remove all moisture from your mouth. Very good length, there is a bit of tooth-hurting sweetness right on the very finish. Interesting, well made. 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. 94

Chateau Talbot, Saint Julien

Again a step up in colour, until here we are basically opaque. Nose much more closed also, and here the fruit has less charm. It is big, no doubt will take a long time to open, but seems more of an old style, a little out of step with the possibilities of 2009. But no doubt very good matiere in here. 90-92.

Chateau Saint Pierre, Saint Julien

Again we have polyphenol extraction to an enormously high degree. This is glass-staining purple, a highly attractive colour, great grip, lovely vanilla and slightly toasted edge, roasted nuts, lovely layers of flavour. Rounded off to a lively finish. Successful.  81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot. 94-95

Chateau Lagrange, Saint Julien

The nose is lilting here, fill the glass immediately with a smoky waft of fruit. Big on the palate, the tannins have been turned up and fully worked, but with enough freshness underneath to keep this on the right side of extraction (only just – as it keeps building in the mouth, it does dip over into dryness at certain points). The finish though is good and clean. 93.

Chateau Gruaud Larose, Saint Julien

The colour takes its foot off the pedal a little on this one, some subtle ruby reds coming through. The nose also is slightly more charred cedarwood and appealing spicy cherry. Loses it slightly on the palate, where the alcohol comes in a little hot, but the fruit moves forward to scoop things up. This has definite charm and interest. But there is stiff competition this year and for me the nose delivers above all else here. 93.
 

Chateau Langoa Barton, Saint Julien

Back to black, as Amy Winehouse would say (over and over again – shouldn’t she be recording something new?). Very modern vanilla and black cherry nose, highly fragrant, high alcohol on the palate, completely as I expected from the nose. Very powerful, great whoosh of fruits and acidity, and great length. This is undoubtedly enormously well made. More 'modern' than some years at this estate. 92-94
 

Chateau Leoville Barton, Saint Julien

There are just so many polyphenols in these wines the colours are astonishing (but then St Julien has the highest proportion of cabernet sauvignon in the Medoc, more so than Pauillac). Again, a big ambitious wine, where the tannins use bellows to suck any available moisture out of your mouth, but then fill the vacuum with a lovely fresh acidity. These are seriously impressive wines. My issue really again would be the alcohol, which has got to be very high on this one, although well balanced by powerful fruit. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22,5% Merlot, 0,5% Cabernet Franc. 94-95.

Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint Julien

A big finish for St Julien, with another richly coloured wine. Really like the nose here, concentrated but open. This has beautiful intensity, but really does carry off the freshness underneath. Excellent. 93.

Chateau Croizet Bages, Pauillac

Rich, pure, very strong, a touch too hot in alcohol for me, but there is plenty to like and this is clearly bedding down for the long haul. Easily one of the best wines that I have tasted from this estate, and rewarding a recent programme of replanting and careful selection. 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 92+.

Chateau Lynch Moussas, Pauillac

Good sweet fruit on the nose, a whiff of tobacco leaf, some good clean fruit on the palate, all in all this is a successful wine. But again, it seems that most of these winemakers had no sense that you could approach this vintage softly.  90.

 

Chateau Haut Bages Liberal, Pauillac

I like that the fruits here are a little crisper and more lively, some redcurrant even gooseberry coming into the nose alongside the blackcurrant. But not sure that it makes it all the way to the finish line, just a tiny bit clunky at the end. 90.

 

Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse, Pauillac

Beautifully opaque, almost black in colour. The nose is subtle and fairly subdued, but underneath very nice spice and tobacco fruit. Good weight of fruit, some very attractive integrated tannins, but for me there is a whack of alcohol again that should have been better tamed. 40% Merlot, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 90-92.

 

Chateau Lynch Bages, Pauillac

One of the deepest in colour of the whole tasting, this is a hugely extracted (visually) wine. I like that it doesn’t wham right into you on the palate. There is definitely a sense of restraint, or rather barely-concealed power, to this wine. The producer is very keen to throw his weight around, and the length is terribly impressive, if that is the measure of a wine’s success. All the elements are here, this is a wine that is supremely confident and knows how to toy with its audience. See you in a few years. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 95
 

Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac

Rich, pure fruit on the nose, very ripe undoubtedly, but clearly worked to ensure fruit rather than tannin is paramount. This is much more in line with the elegant, hidden-power side of 2009 – the sweet, ripe fruit, the lovely elegance, the gorgeous weight, coupled with the soft tannins and a lovely fresh undertow. Very good.  5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% petit Verdot. 94.

Chateau Batailley, Pauillac

Again, a very smoky nose. On the palate this has red fruits, and in this case could maybe add to weight of fruit rather than take it away. It’s good, but a slightly hot finish takes away the fresh attack. 22% Merlot, 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 89.

Chateau Lafon Rochet, Saint Estephe

Red ruby colour, very rich without being manacing. On the palate, a little less polished. I do find plenty to like, and it has good acidity and a real perky fruitiness. And the tannins reach right in to remind you that they are there. In fact, this is nearly a perfect en primeur wine – so far from being ready, yet so eager to please. Really like it. 93.
 

Chateau Ormes de Pez, Saint Estephe

A little more grownup, less perky than is usual from this estate, owned by the Cazes family of Lyncy Bages. The fruit is dark and fairly insistent, with a good density. The familiar zip comes in right on the finish, but it makes you wait. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot 90-92.

Cos Labory, Saint Estephe

Very deep colour. A wine with plenty of ambition, that has stacked up every element that you could do in 2009 – all the fruit, the tannin, the acidity, the power, the backbone – 1 2 3 tick. It’s good undeniably, but again could do with a little more charm. 89-90.

Chateau de Pez, Saint Estephe

 Rich, lovely bright purple. Very good levels of extraction that don’t venture over the line, mouth-searing freshness and loads of lovely coffee beans and toasted oak. Very good. 93-94.

Chateau Phelan Segur, Saint Estephe 

A nicely subtle nose, far less try hard than some on display. Again, plenty of good raw materials, though the alcohol goes a little too high for me. Good attack, too hot finish, but overall plenty of charm, lots of interest. 89-90.

Chateau Pibran, Pauillac

60% Merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon. This was a cru bourgeois Superieur, but they are now staying out of the classification (‘the cru bourgeois is now a millefeuille of rules, and has just became too complicated for us and for our consumers’). A beautiful bright colour, very fresh and appealing. 50% new oak – unusually higher in merlot than cab sauvignon, because a very good harvest for the merlot. This is vinified and blended in the cellars of Pichon Baron, but aged in barrels in Pibran itself – moved in the barrels. The merlot are on light gravel over a good layer of limestone, fairly cool terroir have to wait to harvest. Really clear fruit tannins. 90.

Les Tourelles de Longueville, Pauillac

61% merlot, 14% cabernet franc (from a parcel close to Ch Batailley), gravel on aliose – where the maturity can be much more rapid – so these are always the vines for Les Tourelles. In 2009, 45% of the crop went into the 2nd wine, 45% 1st wine, and 10% of the third wine, called Le Pauillac de Pichon Longueville. Picking was 25 September, until 6 October. Crunchy fruit, plenty of personality. It’s very good. 13.5% alcohol. 91.

Chateau Pichon Longueville, Pauillac

They stayed away from the UGC this year, and their answer when I asked why was: ‘it’s very difficult to keep track of the samples. At the trade tasting, there is someone on hand from the chateaux to explain, but not the press. And when the samples are so fragile, we like to ensure that we are in control of them.’ Harvest was from 29 sept to oct 9, with old vines giving a yield of 33 hl/h. Undoubetdly the most concentrated Pichon that I have tasted, with 13.8% alcohol, 88 IPT – but just so elegant. The balance is perfect – it is wonderfully soft, with pure fruit and power in the mid-palate, but enrobed in silky tannins and a long finish. Vinified at between 26 and 28 degrees (they have kept things at low temperatures for the past few years to really emphasise the fruit). 17-25 days of extraction depending on vats – a short time compred to normal, and kept things slow and gentle. Crunchy black fruit with plenty of liquorice. 95-96.

Chateau Pontet Canet, Pauillac

Again, they stayed away from UGC. Director Jean-Louis Comme gave their biodynamic philosophy as the reason. ‘How can we explain that we don’t like using chemicals if we are surrounded by chateaux who do?’ He said the chateaux extracted much less (less than half) than in 2008. No pigeage, no delestage, just a couple of pumping overs per days. Wonderfully bright and dense fruit, as ever with this estate, dark and ripe but with clear, precise structure and a beautiful length of the finish. 65% cab sauvignon, 30% of merlot, 4% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot. According to Comme, the vines are not trimmed throughout the growth cycle (‘rognage’ in French). This started with cabernet sauvignon a few years ago, then cabernet franc, and in 09 for the first time with merlot and petit verdot also. No deleafing, no green harvesting, but small yields through long-term control of vigour. 80% Grand Vin, 'we could really do 100% because the viticulture just works so well, getting such fantastic grapes after 10 years of careful viticulture'. This is an estate that is just getting more and more confident. 95.