Bordeaux Futures 2009: Results (Part 2)

Saint-Emilion 2009 (second part)Second Report (March 31st, 2010) Why is the 2009 vintage not quite up to the 2005? I’d say the wines often lack a significant presence in middle mouth. And that presence is always the stamp of a sunny month of August. But in 2009, August was cooler than in 2005 - only three nights over 20° (but twenty in 2003 and ten in 2005), only four days with temperatures reaching 35° and over, but six days in 2005. Records kept by the Faculté d’Oenologie de Bordeaux. Is 2009 more a left bank or a right bank vintage? The excellent weather conditions in the Bordeaux area between the beginning of September and 15th October were a great advantage for late ripening varieties of grapes such as cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, which need a sunny late summer to ripen fully. But, merlots are very good too. Judging by the grades I have given, there are more outstanding wines- graded over 96- on the left bank than on the right bank. On both banks, there are mixed results, in their vast majority not quite up to the 2005 standard. For the time being I am more inclined to think that there are individual successes, thanks to the work of men and depending on the area: the Pomerol plateau, part of Saint-Emilion plateau, the Saint-Julien appellation. We’ll have to keep an eye on the next results. Last minute update For a week, between March 22d and 29th, the weather and the atmospheric conditions in the Bordeaux area were beautiful and spring-like. But the rain came yesterday. Such changes in atmospheric pressure and temperatures inevitably have an impact on the samples. Judging the wines is therefore rendered more difficult. ___________________________________________________________ ANGÉLUS St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,75 - 18 // 94 - 95 The 2009 Angelus shows a lovely, bright, dark and intense color with a fruity, fine, fresh and ripe nose. It is distinguished by a pulpy entry on the palate, which then instantly starts melting over a graceful body and yet performing dense, with a very lovely aromatic development as well as a refined touch. Melting, almost ethereal, yet of wide presence, this wine finishes dynamic, long and tasty, with fine tannins, some nuances and power. 40% of cabernet franc contributes to the success of Angelus in this vintage. The rest of the blend is merlot. Alcohol content: 14.5% - pH. 3,77 - IPT 92.AUSONE St-Emilion Grand Cru 19 // 97 In this new vintage, Ausone offers an intense, purple color with a very fine, fruity, precise and subtle nose. Superb on entry, the wine is dense and mellow, delicately melting over the palate with a tasty, rich, profound and complex character. It intermix some sensations of volume and tension, before finishing long, powerful and absolutely impossible not to swallow. It may be slightly less powerful than some other vintages; nevertheless, this 2009 Ausone deploys a very strong charm. Alcohol level: 14,85% ; pH 3.56, Total acidity 4 ; IPT 73. A blend of 45% merlot and 55% cabernet franc.CADET BON St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,75 - 15 // 85 - 86 Showing a lovely dark color with a fruity and ripe nose that offers a plum character, this wine performs tender and pleasant on the palate. The expression is fruity, evolving mellow in a rather soft style. It finishes of medium length. In my opinion, this is the second vintage where this wine starts to shape up. A blend of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. CANON St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,75 // 91 This vintage marks the return of Canon among the elite of St Emilion. This growth is distinguished by no aim for a humongous extraction but rather a unique taste of fruit and some subtle tactile nuances. Offering a fresh, fine, pure and very fruity nose, it performs silky, of classy touch and aromatic expressions. Its taste is that of well ripe red berries. Once again, it evokes me of the wines from the Côte de Nuit. It finishes very tasty over flower and licorice characteristics, with fine tannins. CHAPELLE D'AUSONE (LA) St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,25 - 16,5 // 89 - 90 Showing a lovely dark color with a fine, fruity and ripe nose; this wine offers a very lovely, tasty entry on the palate, developing aromatic, melting, dense, juicy and elongated at the same time. It finishes tasty and aromatic. Enjoyable. The blend includes 66% merlot and 30% cabernet franc. Clos La MADELEINE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,25 - 15,5 // 87 - 88 Showing a dark color with a fruity, ripe and creamy nose, this wine behaves mellow and tender on the palate, of fruity taste and good body presence. Spicy on finish, with a hint of wood, it delivers both fine aromas and tannins. CORBIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 16 - 16,25 // 88 - 89My best rating ever given to this wine during futures campaigns.This is the best Corbin made in a very long time. A rare fact is that it is better than the 2005. This result is obtainted thanks to the careful work and passion of Annabelle Bardinet for what is beautiful and appreciable. I had anticipated this result by visiting multiple times the estate during the harvest (see more information on my website). I have tasted separate samples before blending and then tasted the final blend three times. I highly recommend you this wine. Corbin is becoming an outsider of Saint-Emilion. Alcohol level is between 13.5 and 15%; pH. 3,85, Total Acidity 3 and IPT 85. Yields of 45 hl/ha. It is a blend of 80 % merlot and 20 % cabernet franc. Production will be of about 50 000 bottles. Showing a lovely intense purple color with a very fruity, fresh and ripe nose, this wine enters superbly on the palate, both ample and fat, with a fine touch. It evolves ample over a taste of ripe fruits and licorice. Powerful, melting and very slightly woody for now, yet, with plenty of taste. This wine finishes over a very nice length and the best quality of tannins ever tasted at this estate. DES LAUDES St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 A blend of 90% merlot and 10% cabernet sauvignon, this wine is made by Stéphane Derenoncourt's team. What makes it interesting is the fresh and fruity character as well as its very aromatic nose. On the palate, it performs tender, mellow and very fruity. It is very enjoyable and finishes over a good length. A success. EDMUS Saint-Emilion 14,75 - 15 // 85 - 86The vineyard of this estate covers 5.8 ha and its wine if made from 100% merlot. Showing a lovely dark color with a quite fine, fruity and pure nose, this wine performs pulpy, enjoyable and tasty on the palate, with medium power and length. FONBEL St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,5 - 14,75 // 85 Showing a dark color with a fruity and truffled nose, this wine is slightly broken in two pieces: on one side it behaves tender, and then it performs slightly firmer towards finish. I think the 25% cabernet sauvignon are not justified into the blend. GRACIA St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,5 // 85 ??? I tasted it four times and each time I found the fruit over-ripe. A tactile wine on the palate, yet with no taste. Were the grapes picked too late- I wonder? Far below the 2005 vintage standard. GRAND CORBIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,25 // 84 - 85 Very darkly colored, with a fruity and slightly woody nose, this wine offers a rounded and pleasant palate, with a dull character in its fruit expression. Of Medium length. HAUT CORBIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 15 // 86 Showing an intense color with a fruity nose of ripe type; this wine performs fat, rounded, and fruity on the palate, with coated tannins. It finishes woody and creamy at the same time, of medium length. HAUT SIMARD Saint-Emilion 14,75 // 85 - 86 This wine offers a fruity nose and performs pulpy, aromatic and tasty on the palate, of medium length on finish. JEAN FAURE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,5 // 87 - 88Following the success of the 2008 vintage, this estate has pushed further its rise in quality under the leadership of Olivier Decelle. Showing a dark intense color with a rather, fresh, fruity and quite fine nose, this wine performs sappy, with a lovely fruity flavour on the mid-palate. It finishes tasty and fleshy with coated tannins. Medium length. This is good ! A blend of 54% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 6% malbec.LA BIENFAISANCE St-Emilion Grand Cru 15,25 // 87 This wine is distinguished for its lovely dark color and its fine, velvety, and ripe nose of licorice and plum. Subtle, aromatic and tasty on the palate, it offers a flavorful and generous character. Performing ripe on finish, La Bienfaisance benefits from the 10% of cabernet franc that makes it impossible not to swallow. LA CLOTTE St-Emilion Grand Cru 17,5 // 94A heart’s delightMy best rating ever given to this wine during futures campaigns.This estate just got this distinction two years in a row. It has further improved in quality since last vintage: The 2009 vintage adds up a breathtaking density to the delight of the 2008 vintage! Last vintage, Mrs Nelly Moulierac was telling me that for the first time she had waited until the full ripeness of the grapes. In 2009, she explains that she has further fine tuned the dates of harvest. The wine from this tiny estate of 4ha was made in ten different vats, from grapes picked at ten different dates. All of the harvest was performed over twenty-one days. “I did not imagine getting such fragrance at La Clotte” says Mrs Moulierac, while this property has been in her family for several generations. Showing a lovely, intense, dark red color with a great, deep and complex nose of subtle, pure, precise and noble character, this wine has the tremendous benefit of offering a lot of charm. Tasted from another sample, I also found some truffle characteristics. Superb on entry, this wine offers an unctuous, melting, tasty and subtle aromatic expression. It develops while offering a sensation of fruit juice, of joy and happiness given how delightful it is and how tannins are well coated. With no limping character despite being made from 80% merlot, this 2009 La Clotte evolves towards a great, sophisticated and long finish where the aromatic accents of a Bordeaux climate (ie. some vibrant fruit) intermix with more Mediterranean characteristics (ie. some solar nuances) from a great terroir of Saint-Emilion where merlot grown on limestone soils does wonders. This is impossible not to swallow despite an incredible density. My friends, don’t forget to fetch some in Magnum for you and the future generations. A blend of 80% merlot, 20% cabernet franc. Alcohol 14% ; pH 3.61, IPT 95, Total Acidity 3.25. Natural yield of 34hl/ha. Vineyard unaffected by hail.LA GAFFELIÈRE St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 - 16,75 // 90 - 91 Showing a lovely, vivid dark red color of good intensity with a fresh, fine, pure and very fruity nose; this is a charming wine. Caressing on the palate with a floral and fruity taste, it offers a precise expression of flesh. This La Gaffeliere finishes aromatic, melting, tasty, and of good body; performing all in softness and without being very powerful. Tasted multiple times with the same pleasure. This is not a wine built for competition, but its charm is very real. LA TOUR FIGEAC St-Emilion Grand Cru 14,75 // 85 – 86 Showing a dark color with a ripe and discreet nose, this wine performs melting and caressing, with a slightly tender mid-palate. The overall lack of vibrancy let me think that it was harvested too late. Tasted twice with similar notes. PAVIE MACQUIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,5 // 90 Showing a lovely intense, dark color with a nose of resinous aromatic character (similar to the 2008), some ripe fruit and a relatively fresh profile; this wine performs dense on entry, then develops creamy and very fruity over some fresh flavors. The body drops after the mid-palate and the wine finishes of medium length, with a hint of vividness. My preference goes to the 2008 vintage. ROL VALENTIN St-Emilion Grand Cru 16,25 // 89 2009 is a new vintage for the estate, made by the new owners, Alexandra and Nicolas Robin, also owners of Château Laussac in Castillon. Made from a blend of 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc, this wine offers a fruity, ripe and quite fine nose. Juicy and aromatic on the palate, the wine melts over a taste of plum, with good body presence as well as tasty and fine tannins. This is good and slightly truffled on finish. SANCTUS du Ch. La Bienfaisance St-Emilion Grand Cru 16 // 88 - 89The vineyard was touched by hail in this vintage, which did not prevent the estate from delivering a nice success that I consider to be due to a high percentage (30%) of cabernet franc in the blend. The alcohol level is 14.5% and the pH is 3.65. Showing a lovely, deep and intense color with a fruity and very ripe nose, this wine is distinguished on the palate for its taste and the quality of its touch, along with a full character. Sappy, finely aromatic and juicy on finish, it is really good and a success of the vintage. SIMARD Saint-Emilion 14,75 // 85 - 86 This is an aromatic and tasty wine of medium body, made from a blend of 75% merlot and 25% Cabernet franc. TROIS ORIGINES Saint-Emilion 14,75 - 15 // 85 - 86 This wine shows a lovely purple color and offers a fruity and slightly discreet nose. Soft, pulpy and fruity on the palate, it finishes of medium length. A bit tannic overall. TROPLONG MONDOT St-Emilion Grand Cru 18 // 95 Troplong Mondot offers a dark color with a great, intense and fresh nose of fruit, truffles and coffee. Superb on entry, this wine is fat, develops aromatic and melting, with plenty of taste, despite the great ripeness of its fruit. What is particularly well done is the fresh presence of this growth while being made from 90% merlot. It delivers a dense, tight, powerful and precise flesh before finishing long and sappy, with plenty of taste. A wine of great and complex length with plenty of personality. Alcohol level 15.5% - pH : 3,65 - IPT : 80 - A blend of 90 % merlot, 7 % cabernet sauvignon and 3 % cabernet franc. Yield: 30 hl/ha.To be continued! Next report on Friday, April 2nd.Jean-Marc Quarin. ___________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2010. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr. The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

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Bordeaux Futures 2009: Results (Part 2)

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