Bordeaux Futures 2009

2009 Bordeaux: A treat impossible not to swallowMy first results: Montrose, Clos Manou, Petit Manou, Moulin Haut Laroque, La Mauriane, Troplong Mondot, La Mission Haut-BrionChronicle n° 94 (March 1st, 2010) For red wines, the 2009 vintage is more heterogeneous than the 2005 when all regions and all estates had produced their best wines for a long time. Regardless of what you hear and even if the vintage seems to be pre-sold, the interest of buyers will be to be picky. One of the pitfalls of 2009 seems due to harvesting too late. If late harvesting is useful in order to obtain rounded tannins, the waiting time cannot be unlimited. The taste of the fruit can be lost. I recall that merlot is particularly sensitive to this loss of taste. I do not rule out this lost of taste on cabernet sauvignon. Remember that in 1997, the very late harvest of these grapes has not radically changed the situation. Another pitfall exists on ripening. Considering the drought, the level of grape maturity was not easy to assess. The various situations were probably more homogeneous during the 2005 vintage. Selection Since the harvest, I have invested a lot of time to keep track of estates which I have noticed as outsiders in their category or among all categories. Either their quality is at the top of classified growths estates, although they neither command the price nor have the fame; or these wines are classified growths and in full progress yet for now do not have the deserved recognition; or else, they are already very well-known and this vintage will further enhance their amazing journey. About the style of 2009 Bordeaux red wines. The wines from 2009 differ from the 2005s by a lesser square-shaped tannin character. They offer more sweetness on the palate and a mellow taste that make the tasting so hedonistic and so delightful that I need to make a real professional effort not to swallow these wines myself! Otherwise, any analysis would become capricious. Its delightful nature and impossible not to swallow character is the mark of the vintage. It will disturb many commentators in the coming weeks. It will be even harder to keep a cool head to properly taste that many wines (impossible to spit) which exceed 14° alcohol. And we do not feel it! That will wake up the festive spirit, enthusiasm or contradictory statements. The judgments will be even more difficult to establish that, in the Medoc, on the gravelly and thinner soils, alcohol levels are normal and are around 13°. How these wines will be judged in comparison with others that are richer in alcohol? As part of an instant comparison, these wines start with a slight handicap. Just because a wine is 14° of alcohol does not mean that it will be better than another at 13°. But at this time of the year, one might think. But the hardest part of the futures’ tasting, as you already know, is to project, quite simply…the future of the wine being tasted. MONTROSE 2009……………………………………………………. 17 // 92 This past February 5th, as early as for the 2008 Bordeaux futures campaign, château Montrose presented the results of their work to Bordeaux professionals. For me, this is the best wine that I have tasted made under the leadership of the new management team. It comes to my mind, although I still need to verify it, that this vintage may very well prove to perform better than the 2005. The 2005 vintage was a transition vintage (the estate got sold during the barrel aging period of that vintage). At Montrose, the 2009 is the first vintage made from vines that have been put back into a natural culture mode since 2006, and having stopped using herbicides. The wine is very intensely colored, with a solar-profile yet still discreet nose. Distinguished by a fat entry on the palate, it is then followed by a lovely aromatic development along with a juicy character, a refined touch as well as a fine grain of tannins. Body shows strong presence from the mid-palate onwards. The wine finishes tasty and long, yet in a discreet and classical style that has no similar character to the extravaganza witnessed in some other vintages such as 2000 and 2003. This strict work needs time to express. I was also evoking this slightly reserved style last year. Take note that my rating for the 2008 vintage of Montrose has increased at the end of barrel ageing which is a positive sign for this 2009. A blend of 60 % cabernet sauvignon, 30 % merlot, 5 % cabernet franc and 1 % petit verdot. CLOS MANOU 2009………………………………………………….. 16,75 // 91 This is a magnificent wine that I place beyond the 2005 vintage. Showing a great deep color and a profound nose that is very fruity, ripe and subtle, this wine is superb on entry, both dense and mellow where it develops tasty, with fat and power, but also a noble and complex tactile presence. Great length. Nobody could imagine that this growth is elaborated in the location of Saint Christoly du Médoc. It is however the Number 1 outsider on the left bank. A blend of 56 % cabernet sauvignon, 38 % merlot, 4 % cabernet franc and 2 % petit verdot. The production is of 20 000 bottles for the Grand Vin, thus representing one third of the 9.5 hectares production of the estate. Alcohol level: 14,25° - Total acidity : 3,50 – pH : 3,59 – IPT (potential tannin level): 90 (which is high). Reading the analytical sheet, no one would believe that this wine is impossible not to swallow. As a reminder, this wine is made from handpicked and manually destemmed grapes, aged in 100% new oak barrel. A serious craftwork process delivered at a soft price. This is a must have of the vintage. Contact : sogeviti.sf@wanadoo.frPETIT MANOU 2009………………………………………………….. 15,5 // 87-88 This is the second label of Clos Manou. The vines are taken cared off in the exact similar way than for the Grand Vin. The only change is in the winemaking process. Berries are been destemmed on a vibrant sorting table, and the fermentation is made in concrete vats. Aging does not include using any new wooden barrels. A blend of 60 % merlot, 32 % cabernet sauvignon, 4 % cabernet franc and 4 % petit verdot. The production represents 40 000 bottles. Alcohol level of 13,7° - Total acidity of 3,40 – pH : 3,65 – IPT : 85. So what about its taste? Well, this wine shows a lovely intense color, the nose is very fruity and aromatic, with gingerbread characteristics. Delicately pulpy on entry, the wine then evolves tasty, extremely enjoyable over a medium body and fleshy tannins. For a second label, it is rather subtle. MOULIN HAUT LAROQUE 2009……………………………………… 16,75 // 91 This is the Number 1 outsider of the left bank, equivalent to Left bank Clos Manou. In fronsac and on the right bank in general, Jean-Noël Hervé is the man who was the first to have his wine stand out from the crowd of rusticity in which many people wished to corner him into. It is an admirable daily viticulture hard work. This year, he is pushing further the envelope as it would be done at château Margaux: Stop the race to get high tannins and this faltering masculinity which calls for always high scores. Long live the pleasure of a melting and velvety body one can chew on, being felt as solid but not hard. Rather than the classic 90 IPT level, this 2009 will only score 80 IPT, thanks to care and subtlety. That potential tannin level is high but not enormous. Be careful, this is great wine. Showing a dark color with a very aromatic, fruity and spicy nose, this wine enters wide yet precise on the palate. It then evolves sweet, aromatic and also melting, with fat and full of energy. This wine finishes powerful and noble with the finesse of those estates that are located on limestone soils. A great right bank bottle in perspective. Alcohol content: 14,5° that are wonderfully coated by fruit – pH : 3,75 – Total acidity: 3 Contact : hervejnoel@wanadoo.frLA MAURIANE 2009………………………………………………… 16,5 // 90 Pierre Taix has just delivered his best vintage, out of the 4.5 hectares that give birth to the selection made from château Rigaud in Puisseguin Saint-Emilion. The production is of 18 000 bottles. Yields are 33 hectoliters per hectares and it is a blend of 70 % merlot and 30 % cabernet franc. The latter are aged in 5 years old demi-muids barrels (600 liters wooden barrels) while the former is aged for 18 months in new oak barrels. Showing a lovely intense color with a rich and aromatic nose, at this point it is rather on the palate that this wine impresses for its precise and lush character. The wine melts with a taste of licorice and develops very aromatic and also tannic, coated, with plenty of taste and a finish of great length. I tasted this wine before it had completed its malolactic fermentation, which does not enable me to be precise in the description of its nose. Yet, this will be a great bottle. I invite anyone of you to taste the spectacular 2007 vintage (rated 16.25 // 89). In every single vintage, one needs to get some magnums of this wine. A must have of the 2009 vintage. Alcohol content: 14°2 (cannot be spotted) – pH : 3,4 – Total acidity : 4,90 Contact : lamauriane@yahoo.fr Finally, below are two estates of which tastings of separate vats did impress me and let me think of future great success of the vintage: Troplong Mondot and La Mission Haut-Brion. TROPLONG MONDOT Below are the scores that I gave during the tastings of several vats that were performed before malolactic fermentation (which are now completed): 17,25 // 93 - 17,75 // 94-95 - 18 // 95 - 19 // 97 - 16,75 // 91 - 17,75 // 94-95 - 19,25 // 97-98 - 19 // 97 - 18 // 95 - 17,25 // 93. LA MISSION HAUT BRION Below are the scores that I gave during the tastings of several vats that were performed before malolactic fermentation (which are now completed): 16,5 // 90 - 19,75 // 99 - 18,75 // 96-97 - 19 // 97 - 17,5 // 94 - 18,5 // 96 - 18 // 95 - 17,25 // 93 - 18 // 95 - 16,5 // 90 - 16,75 // 91 I recommend that you contact your suppliers before the rush. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The details of the 2009 climate report as well as the harvest report between September 1st and October 16th can be found on the homepage of my website along with interviews and pictures made in the vineyards at several estates among which are Corbin, La Conseillante, Palmer, Issan, Mouton Rothschild and Clos L'Eglise. To be continued with the March 15th chronicle. 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

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