2009 Bordeaux
Most important: we opened the reds except for the du Pin five hours before the tasting.
January 25, 2012
I wish we had had the time to decant them, something I solidly recommend that you attempt at home should you bring any of them there.
A serious wine that can age will often be hard and sometimes acid in addition. Exposing them to a lot of air in a decanter has in caricature the effect that aging them for years with the small amount of air that is in the bottle. tannins and acids soften. Fruit emerges and melds with whatever oak flavors might be in the bottle.
All the wines we opened changed and got better in the two hours that of the tasting.
The Château Lanessan an Haut Medoc from between Margaux and St. Julien seemed to be the favorite of the plurality of tasters, particularly toward the end. It had the most complex array of soft and harder textures, plummy fruit, and sweet oak. you can drink it now after 2 -3 hours in a decanter, but I recommend 2 -3 years in the cellar, after which I suspect it will get better for another ten.
Ch. Beaumont is just inland of Lanessan. its wine ws more marked by fresh raspberry -current Cabernet, which attracted a number of tasters. I would guess that it would begin to show very well a bit earlier than the Lanessan and not live for quite so long.
A number of people liked the Ch. Caronne Ste. Gemme which showed more forward because it had a richer fatter more Merlot-inflected fruit. We have one case left.
Ch Villars from Fronsac near Pomerol is mostly Merlot like its neighbor, but has a more spicy cabernet franc, and also quite a bit of mineral. It was tauter than the Caronne Ste. Gemme from its stonier soils which was intriguing to some. it will mature earlier than the previous wines.
Ch. du Pin nearly all merlot, an showed smooth and softly caressing without any breathing ahead. People loved it for its under $10 price, and took bottles and cases home to drink over the next year or two.
Our first arrival special case prices for Beaumont $225, and Lanessan $249, are good through the end of this week only.
White
2009 Ch. Rahoul Blanc (Graves) “This has nice cut, with a light toasty frame to the green almond, green plum, verbena and macadamia nut notes. There's fine definition on the finish. Drink now through 2013”’ - James Molesworth 33.99; Mixed Case, 30.59; Case, 28.89
Red
2009 Ch. du Pin (Bordeaux); Color: Medium dark; Aroma: Heady herbal sweet fruit rather clean; Mouth: Clean fresh nicely spicy. Of a piece, solid and articulated; Very Good 9.99; Mixed Case, 8.99; Case, 8.49
2009 Ch. Villars (Fronsac) Very Good Plus “A solid effort, and possibly the best wine ever made at Villars, the 2009 exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as notes of forest floor, crushed rocks, blueberries, and raspberries, a superb texture, admirable purity, and a long, full-bodied finish. It should drink well for 15-20 years.” Robert Parker 23.99; Mixed Case, 21.59; Case, 20.39
2009 Ch. Beaumont (Haut Medoc); Aroma: rather fleshy very ripe & round, firm, light sweet pretty; Mouth: lighten entry very ripe fleshy nicely balanced, firm; Very Good Plus ; Decanter “a scented nose of gentle spice, bright red and black fruit . Quite rich with acidity lifting it. It has appealing fresh-tasting fruit within a neat tannic frame" 23.99; Mixed Case, 21.59; Case, 20.39 Special First Arrival Price $225 a case, $18.75 a bottle
2009 Ch. Lanessan (Haut Medoc) Very Good Plus - Robert Parker - “more explosive and concentrated than prior vintages. I’m not sure it is the finest I have ever tasted, but it... boasts a dense purple color as well as copious creme de cassis, cedar wood, underbrush, and spice notes. Beautiful opulence, silky tannins, and a long finish suggest this sleeper of the vintage will drink well for 2-3 decades.” 27.99; Mixed Case, 25.19; Case, 23.79 Special First Arrival Price $249 a case, (20.75 a bottle)
2009 Ch. Caronne Ste. Gemme (Haut Medoc); Aroma: very broad satisfying, clean , sweet spice; Mouth: clean pretty sweet rather light in the mouth; Very Good Plus “ Decanter - - “"smoky classy nose with lots of depth and potential complexity. Fine cassis and black fruits on the palate. A good vineyard wine. 4 stars”; 28.99; Mixed Case, 26.09; Case 24.64 one case left
1-25 2009 Bordeaux Case: Special, two each of the above wines - $254
Instore only 1-25 2009 Bordeaux Pack: Special, one each of the above wines - $134
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve by email here: Orders
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts.