Bordeaux Wines

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In terms of weather in this vintage, bud-break came on 25 March after a cold start to the year, followed by a mixed May then a heatwave in June that saw good flowering. July was cool and wet for the first half, hot and dry in the second half, then August alternated between rain and a heatwave. There was fine weather again in September and most of October. All in all, it was a very good vintage for the Médoc. At this stage the colour is firmly in the rich claret zone - ruby red, not overly intense but full of life. The wine is very enjoyable and has that lovely St-Julien signature of rich black fruits floating over a bed of air, as the acidity in the Cabernet takes flight. This gives it a sense of poise and confidence, and again the signature mouthwatering finish. It’s not going for intensity and punch, but for complexity and elegance without sacrificing fruit - there are dark, spicy notes in here. It sits with you, dealing out slowly but surely the idea of balance. This wine is the epitome of why St-Julien is not Pauillac, and never will be. No Cabernet Franc in the blend here, nor in the younger wines tasted in this lineup. Served in bottle. In the wider world, François Mitterrand died in 1996, Bill Clinton was elected for his second, more scandal-hit term, and Dolly the sheep arrived in the world. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECLots of blackberry, licorice and light tar aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. This needs time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 1996 Talbot comes from an era when I think this Saint-Julien lost its way a little. It was picked from 16 September until 12 October with intermittent breaks to avoid showers. It has a relatively light bouquet with tertiary black fruit, cedar and incense, gaining a little vigour with aeration although it never fully lets go. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit on the entry, balanced but light in style with a touch of soy and black pepper towards the finish. It is certainly classic in style but it just needs more backbone and stuffing. Tasted at the centenary Château Talbot vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Haut couture becomes a wine! This dense purple wine has the tell-tale notes of flowers and pencil shavings, and its broad aromatics are intense and totally captivating. Powerful, rich, and full, but less tannic than the 2005 and more opulent, this is a dazzling Branaire to drink between 2017-2035.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2009 Branaire-Ducru is another killer wine from this vintage that’s drinking spectacularly well at age 10. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it’s still ruby/purple color is followed by a huge nose of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedar box, and even a hint of forest floor. Full-bodied, broad, expansive, and layered on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass, has sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a blockbuster finish. This incredible wine can be enjoyed any time over the coming 2-3 decades or more. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDVery supple wine, with great richness and density. It is all so complete, a pleasure, powerful yet also with sweet opulent fruits layered with dark tannins. For long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WELots of black fruits with some bitter chocolate character give this plenty of appeal. However, it’s a seriously tannic wine that still needs time to fully resolve. Drink now with hearty food or hold. Wait until 2022. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2009 Branaire Ducru has a somewhat conservative bouquet with cedar and graphite scented black fruit, touches of brown spice emerging with time. It never quite clicks into fifth gear. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly drier tannin than its peers, yet well balanced and fresh, hints of sage and bay leaf infusing the black fruit with a delightful, vivacious, quintessential Saint-Julien finish. Excellent. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMA ripe, chewy, muscular style, with good cut despite the hefty tar, blackberry, roasted fig and singed apple wood notes. The long, anise-stained finish lets the tarry edge play out, though this shows a touch more finesse than some of its colleagues. Best from 2015 through 2025. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe tannins up in St-Julien are taking notably longer to open up than in Margaux or over on the right bank, even in the generous 2009 vintage. This is a good quality wine that’s still relatively well-knitted together and subdued on the nose - as it was when I tasted it at the château. It does open though, revealing one of the more fresh, balanced styles of 2009 in this lineup. Subtle dark chocolate and cedar scents lead to a palate of cassis fruits, with a lovely swirl of tobacco on the finish. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DEC

A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied, it is the most concentrated and broadest example of this cuvee I have tasted in over three decades. It will be ready to drink in 5-7 years and should last for three decades or more. Consumers looking to maximize value should be checking out Duhart Milon, as this may be the single smartest purchase in this great and historic vintage!Robert Parker | 97 RPTalk about value, the 2009 Duhart-Milon is straight up sensational stuff. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it gives up classic notes of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, saddle leather and smoked herbs, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with fine tannin, impeccable balance and a great, great finish. It’s a heavenly bottle of wine that will compete with the best out there. Buy this wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2009 Duhart-Milon is recalcitrant on the nose, refusing to give much away in terms of aromas. Loamy, peaty scents emerge with time amongst the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, fresh in the mouth with good salinity. There is something estuarine about this Pauillac that lends it personality and its grip on the finish suggesting that it will give many more years of drinking pleasure. This has long been an impressive Duhart-Milon and so it is proven here. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is superb, with so much beautiful subtle fruit and wonderful flowers. Full and very lively, with super fine tannins and a lively finish. Very exciting. Best ever from here. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 95 JSA rounded wine, its tannins submerged into the ripe fruits. It feels soft, and there is just a bite of alcohol. The structure is soft, generous, opulent.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis takes a fleshy, rather toasty approach, showing roasted plum and black currant fruit, with a smoked mesquite note on the loam-tinged finish. There’s more breadth than depth, but this has the latent minerality to last a long time in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2027.Wine Spectator | 92 WSEnticing nose of ripe hedgerow fruits. Svelte, concentrated, with robust tannins to balance the sweetness of fruit, plus graphite and liquorice. Structure is disguised but it’s clearly there. Potentially very fine. Judges: Steven Brook, Alun Griffiths MW and Steven Spurrier.Decanter | 91 DEC(Château Duhart Milon) The 2009 Duhart Milon is a mini version of the Lafite this year and any fan of Lafite would be well-served to track down a goodly supply of the 2009 Duhart Milon as well. The bouquet is deep, pure and enchanting, as it delivers a beautifully perfumed blend of cassis, dark berries, espresso, tobacco ash, gravel and plenty of luxe, nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full, pure and complex, with impeccable focus and balance, ripe, suave tannins and really fine length and grip on the classy finish. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 90-91+ JG

One of the best Talbots over recent years, and possibly the best since the 1986 and 1982, this sexy juggernaut of a wine struts forth with an opaque plum/ruby/purple color and terrific notes of creme de cassis, licorice, roasted herbs and smoky barbecue. It is a brilliant effort, with full body, wonderful fruit, a savory, expansive mouthfeel, sensational texture and a long finish, but no hardness or astringency. This is a fabulous Talbot to drink over the next 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPAlways a more understated style, and this is benchmark stuff from Talbot. If you had to close your eyes and say what St-Julien tastes like you could do a lot worse than bring this wine up in your mind. Balanced, understated, unfussy, not trying too hard, lovely lovely lovely! Doesn’t mean that it is at the very top of what the appellation can give in 2010 but it is just so enjoyable.Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 94 DECThere’s a real purity of fruit here with currant and blueberry aromas coming out in the glass. Full body, with fine tannins and a fresh and clean acidity. Very polished tannins. It’s all about balance and drinkability here. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine shows black currant fruit, with just the right balancing acidity. Talbot is progressing well in its quest to bring out its fine terroir.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2010 Talbot is consistent with the vertical in December 2018 with blackberry and briary on the nose, not quite clicking into fifth gear but nicely poised. The palate if very well balanced with cedar and graphite infused black fruit leading to a conservative, "correct" finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis features a fairly plump core of crushed plum, blackberry and mulled boysenberry notes, coated with tar and driven by a strong graphite accent. An echo of pastis lingers on the finish, displaying good latent grip. Best from 2015 through 2027. 32,791 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2010 from Chateau Saint-Pierre is a straight up tour de force that’s an incredible value in today’s market. Inky colored, deep, rich and sensationally concentrated, yet also fresh and lively, it gives up tons of minerality in its graphite, chocolate covered black cherries, currants, scorched earth, and licorice aromas and flavors. It’s still a baby, yet the tannins are sweet, it has fabulous purity of fruit, and huge finish. Give bottles another 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDeceptively soft on attack but punches its fruit firmly into play within seconds, and hangs on right through the mid palate. Bilberry, cassis, sweet concentrated cherry coulis. From a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, this is still a swaggeringly tannic wine, with a gorgeous display of liquorice spice. Barely opening up, one for the very long haul. Wonderful example of a Saint Julien wine that is increasingly making all the right moves.Decanter | 97 DECDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Chateau St Pierre sings of baked black cherries, mulberries and Christmas cake with suggestions of dark chocolate, star anise and cardamom. Full-bodied and firmly textured with ripe, grainy tannins, it has tons of muscular black fruit with lovely freshness lifting the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPTwo bottles of the 2010 Saint-Pierre were poured, the first just slightly oxidised. The bouquet is comparatively light with blackberry and raspberry aromas, never really quite taking off from the glass like others. The palate is better, much better, with plenty of mineral-rich black fruit, a superb line of acidity and wonderful precision on the finish. I suspect that the fact that we could not decant the second substitute bottle contributed to the slightly subdued aromatics, but I think there is real class here. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMImmensely dark, structured, pure fruit and tannin, a wine that pushes its weight. It never goes too far, with a sense of restraint giving the wine elegance.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA toasty, modern style, with mocha and blueberry coulis notes leading the way for plush-textured blackberry and black currant confiture flavors. Espresso and mocha accents extend the finish. This has stuffing, but the polish makes the wine approachable now. Best from 2014 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WSWonderful aromas of blackberries and chocolate follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a structured finish. Dense and rich. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 91 JS