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Round and friendly, with soft and velvety tannins and delicious plum, spice and meaty aromas and flavors. Juicy finish. Subtle and rich. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSSpicy wood here,with stewed pear and ginger, as well as fine berry fruits. The wine is solid, but elegant, with great ripe fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEBeautiful, Burgundian-like aromas of burning embers, roasted Provencal herbs, black currants and sweet cherries and raspberries emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant 2009 Pessac-Leognan. Medium to full-bodied and seductive with sweet tannins as well as a surprisingly evolved, precocious personality (even for a 2009), it will offer delicious drinking over the next 15+ years. This is another wine in which I noticed subtle bottle variation.Robert Parker | 92 RP Still youthfully tight, this shows a packed core of plum, cassis and blackberry fruit wrapped with bittersweet cocoa, tobacco and charcoal notes. Nice drive marks the finish, with gorgeous polish, as a mouthwatering linzer torte note expands as it opens in the glass. Drink now through 2020. 2,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The all-time greatest wine I have ever tasted from Saint-Pierre, this estate, the smallest of the grand cru classes of St.-Julien, has an opaque purple color and a spectacular nose of subtle charcoal, creme de cassis, blackberry, and incense. Full-bodied, with striking intensity and flamboyantly rich, exuberant flavors bursting with extract, the St. Pierre has no hard edges, but rather massive, incredibly well-endowed blockbuster style, which should prove to be monumental. Give it 6-8 years to take on more definition and calm down, but this is a 30- to 40-year wine. Bravo!Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2009 Saint-Pierre knocks the ball out of the park. It is a stunning Saint-Julien that has blossomed in recent years. I must confess that none of the previous bottles intimated the potential shown here. It is more compact, tighter on the nose than its peers, opening seductively with gorgeous graphite and bayleaf infused black fruit, real mineralité and great tension. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, juicy to the point where it belies the backbone, very nicely poised with a precise and long graphite finish. Ducru-Beacaillou and Léoville Las-Cases - here is your challenger to the crown. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMBeautiful aromas of mole, raspberries and flowers, follow through to a full body, with firm tannins and a juicy finish. Minerals and flowers. Already delicious and attractive. Best after 2019.James Suckling | 93 JSDensely concentrated earthy, leathery, balsamic nose with black fruits dominating. Rich, suave, concentrated palate with a welcome lightness of touch and no excessive extraction despite the firm tannins. Drinking Window 2015 - 2035Decanter | 92 DECVery densely structured, showing the ripe fruit of St-Julien while also powering it with smoky tannins and wood. The acidity is a layer under the sweet fruit and final firm character.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDark and winey, with lots of graphite and espresso-tinged grip driving the dark plum, braised fig and steeped black currant fruit flavors. Features lots of tar and briar on the finish. Muscular but mouthwatering. Should unwind nicely in the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2025. 6,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is very tight and rich with dried apple, mango and papaya, yet it’s bright and floral. Full body, dense fruit and a long, powerful finish. Really open already but complex and beautiful with a richness and intensity that is very, very impressive.James Suckling | 98 JSDrinking nicely, with some maturity yet still youthful, the 2009 Domaine De Chevalier offers gorgeous red and black currant fruits, smoked tobacco, damp earth, and cedary spice. Full-bodied, opulent, and undeniably sexy on the palate, with a great mid-palate and sweet tannins. Displaying good balance as well as ripe tannins, its dense, opulent profile is going to continue to evolve for another 30 years or more. Don’t be afraid to open bottles, though – it’s sensational today. The blend of the 2009 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDRemains deep damson in colour even at nearly 10 years old, and on the attack you find full and true blackberry cassis and bilberry notes, we are really building up layers and complexity on the nose. Gorgeous wine, just beautiful balance and juiciness, and a silken texture to the fruit, tannins that support without ever being intrusive, no question this can age. Tannins are deceptive because they build over the palate. Tobacco and walnut on the finish, I look forward to watching this develop further over the next few years. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DECIn late 2011, I had the last bottle in my cellar of the 1970 Domaine de Chevalier. Much to my surprise, it was still holding on to life and remained gorgeously complex in that ethereal Graves style. The 2009, one of the finest Domaine de Chevaliers yet produced, reveals a striking bouquet of burning embers, sweet cherry, black and red currant fruit, spice box, cedar and lead pencil shavings. The tannins are sweet in this fleshy, full-bodied offering. It is built on the notion of extraordinary harmony, elegance and complexity. While not the most concentrated or flamboyant 2009, its intense aromas are already reasonably evolved and its lusciousness and balance are terrific. Made from an interesting blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, its yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare were slightly higher than many of its neighbors achieved. Drink it over the next 25 years.Robert Parker | 95 RPDominating aromas of smoky new wood follow through to the toasty flavor that covers the fruit at this stage. But, like all 2009s, this is a rich wine that will balance out and show all of its opulence. That said, it will likely always be a firm, ageworthy wine, with the dark tannins always in evidence.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2009 Domaine de Chevalier has a vivacious, almost exotic bouquet with lavish black fruit, mint, oregano and cedar that all gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, ripe black fruit laced with white pepper and even a faint touch of Szechuan pepper. This displays exquisite balance and the finish feels deep and satisfying, clearly born in a great vintage. Tasted blind at the Domaine de Chevalier vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery rich, but sleek and pure, with beautiful mouthfeel and layers of enticing fig, steeped blackberry and warm currant confiture nicely stitched with black tea and mesquite. The long finish has a tarry underlay, but stays polished. Approachable for its mouthfeel, but has the balance to age nicely.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Talk 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 JDA 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 RPThis 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 JSThe 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 VMA 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 WS(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+ JGEnticing 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

I’ve been lucky enough to have the 2009 Château Palmer numerous times over the past handful of years, and it continues to be a primordial yet heavenly wine every time, revealing a deep purple color as well as an incredibly powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherry liqueur, smoked tobacco, graphite, crushed stone, and chocolate. Possessing full-bodied richness and a massive, dense, incredibly powerful style (not far off the 2018), it gains elegance and finesse with time in the glass, has ultra-fine tannins, and one hell of a finish. This magical Palmer needs another decade to hit maturity and will evolve for 50+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBursting with potential for decades of enjoyment as it just hovers around its drinking window at 11 years old. Still extremely young, with fleshy black damson fruits that settle in and deepen through the mid palate. As with the last time I tasted this just over 18 months ago, the violet and peony notes swirl out of the glass as it opens. The texture is velvet, with grain and depth to it, and a smoky edge alongside chocolate and mint. It’s so young still, it will go and go and lives up to some of the best Palmers on record, with generous fruits matched by natural tension and tannic grip. This won the audience award at the virtual tasting. Thomas Duroux had been at the estate for five years at this point. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.Decanter | 98 DECThis has such class and power. Aromas of blueberries and blackberries, with hints of violets. Full-bodied, with polished tannins and a juicy finish. Solid and extremely pretty. Fabulous finish. Try in 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSDeep garnet colored, the 2009 Palmer delivers a beguiling array of black fruit—warm plums, cassis and black cherry compote—with kirsch and wild sage sparks plus profound suggestions of fragrant earth, black truffles, iron ore and liquid licorice. Full-bodied, rich and decadently seductive in the mouth, the generous fruit is superbly framed with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPA beautiful wine, with the firmest tannins surrounded by perfumed fruit. It is dense, of course, but this density is balanced with great elegance, blackberry fruits, sweetness and final juicy acidity. The wine is structured, a powerhouse of concentration while preserving this complete style.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Palmer has a beautifully defined bouquet with bright black cherry and boysenberry fruit, crushed stone and rose petal. Not as decadent as the bottle poured at the BI tasting, yet precise. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and refined tannin, and crisp acidity. Wonderfully poised with quite a penetrating finish that delivers a payload of multi-layered blueberry and blackberry. This is a very well crafted 2009 Margaux destined for long-term ageing. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is on another level from most in the appellation, with gorgeous layers of warm currant confiture, smoldering tobacco, licorice snap, warm paving stone and anise all framed by tarry but integrated grip. Stays sleek and well-defined through the finish. Should age beautifully. Best from 2015 through 2030. 9,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Palmer) The 2009 Palmer is borderline overripe, but manages to just hold itself together and will provide some pretty dramatic early drinking, but I seriously doubt it has the structure to carry it deep into the future. The nose is a very ripe blend of blackberries, black cherries, chocolate, damp earth and luxurious, nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and sappy, with good mid-palate depth, soft tannins, low acids and a long, complex and seductive finish. This is cut very much in the same style as the 2009 Lafite, and while it is admirably done in this style, it will never rank up in the upper range of my personal hierarchy of great vintages at Palmer. But a very well made wine in its style. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 90-92 JG

This magnificent, dense plum/purple-colored Pessac-Leognan reveals notes of scorched earth, burning embers, blackberries and truffles. Composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from a vineyard gorgeously situated between Malartic Lagraviere and Haut-Bailly, it possesses full-bodied power, a stunningly intense, voluptuous, layered mouthfeel and abundant levels of fruit, glycerin and tannin. The 2009 ranks alongside the magnificent 2000, which is aging at a glacial pace. Unfortunately, proprietress Helene Garcin only produces around 500 cases of this somewhat cult-ish Pessac-Leognan. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.Robert Parker | 98 RPThis smolders beautifully from start to finish, showing warm tar, tobacco leaf and steeped black currant fruit, with hints of hot stone and graphite buried deeply on the finish. Deep and long, with lots of character still to emerge. Best from 2016 through 2026. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2009 Branon has a pure bouquet with black cherries, bilberry and just a touch of boot polish. It feels well defined with nicely integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, juicy and succulent with a nicely detailed, quite peppery finish with a persistent aftertaste. Based on this performance I might well have under-estimated this Pessac-Léognan. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM

A full 80% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend of 2009, giving it an unmistakably Pauillac character in terms of its dense tannins, and its pencil lead, slate character. Power and finesse abound, with a pulse of electricity and a softening from smoked oak on the finish. One of the best Grand-Puy-Lacostes delivered under owner François-Xavier Borie. Tasting utterly gorgeous right now... Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2009 Grand Puy Lacoste is one of the great vintages from this estate in the modern era. It storms from the glass with scents of blackberry, undergrowth, cedar and mint, retaining the classicism of GPL. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious with a gorgeous, lithe, graphite infused finish that lingers in the mouth. Bon vin. Tasted blind at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMDark and delicately spicy this a very complete medium-full bodied 2009 that’s not a jot too ripe or too firm. Beautiful balance through the long polished finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 95 JSI loved the 2009, and like most 2009s, it has a ripe, sexy, yet still classic style that’s evolving gracefully, with ample darker currant and black cherry fruits as well as tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, truffly earth, and spice box-like nuances. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, with plenty of mid-palate depth and tannins, it’s going to continue drinking brilliantly for another two decades. It needs an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon. (Drink between 2021-2041)Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is a step up, with ample black currant confiture and roasted fig notes allied to a racy graphite and iron spine. Very sleek through the finish, despite its heft, with a long finish filled with cassis bush and tobacco. Best from 2013 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA complex, dusty tannin wine, layering smoky wood and black fruits with a the firmest dry character. Very intense, rich, dense and potentially powerful.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEMedium to deep garnet in color, the 2009 Grand-Puy-Lacoste opens with a nose of sweaty leather, damp earth, baked cherries and dried mulberries with touches of fried herbs, black olives and cast iron pan. Medium-bodied, firm and chewy, this is a more elegantly styled 2009 with provocative herbal sparks and a ferrous finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

From proprietor Jonathan Maltus, this blend of three terroirs, two on sand and one on gravel, is a blend of 92% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. About 2,000 cases are produced, and the prodigious 2009 is the finest vintage to date. Inky blue/purple, with notes of licorice, camphor, black truffle, blackberry and blueberry, this full-bodied wine has massive concentration yet at the same time displays elegance and harmony. The equilibrium and 60+-second length make for a huge, massive, but incredibly well-balanced wine, like a shadow of the proprietor himself. Drink it over the next 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPBlueberries and sandalwood on the nose. Full body, with super fine and silky tannins. They are fine and compressed. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 92 JS(old-vines merlot with a bit of cabernet franc): Bright, deep ruby-red. Blackcurrant, blackberry, licorice, mocha and dark chocolate. Densely packed, sweet and deep, with noteworthy energy to the black fruit, mineral and bitter chocolate flavors. Still tightly coiled for a Right Bank 2009 for all its plushness of texture. The slowly building finish is concentrated and long.Vinous Media | 92 VMA solid, modern style, with a core of fresh raspberry and blackberry fruit liberally inlaid with toasty spice and anise notes. Stays juicy and inviting through the finish. Drink now through 2018. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

One of the most distinctive wines made in Bordeaux, Le Dome has one of the highest percentages of Cabernet Franc of any claret I can think of. Composed of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, it exhibits a certain delicacy and elegance (due to the Cabernet Franc component) in addition to resounding power, concentration, depth and multidimensional personality. Black/purple to the rim, it offers strikingly intense notes of spring flowers, raspberries, mulberries and wood smoke, medium to full body, sweet tannin and a cunning intensity and texture that suggest finesse and delicacy. However, the wine’s richness, length and lingering depth build incrementally in this exceptional St.-Emilion. It will be drinkable in 4-5 years and should age for two decades or more. This is Jonathan Malthus’ finest wine to date.Robert Parker | 99 RP(mostly cabernet franc): Bright medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black fruits, bitter cherry, licorice, violet and crushed rock. The wine’s great energy and vibrancy give it buns of steel, with the fine-grained black fruit, violet and licorice flavors conveying a strong impression of dry extract. Tannins are firm but fine on the extremely long, gripping finish. Wonderful elegance allied to great thrust here. The best wine I’ve tasted to date from Jonathan Maltus, but then all of his 2009 releases are outperformers.Vinous Media | 95 VMA gorgeously perfumed wine, dominated by the ripest Cabernet Franc, combining richness and an intense structure. With its tannins, it will age well over many years. The fruit is finely textured, deliciously juicy, showing the most complex series of flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WELoads of blueberries, with hints of wet earth and fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied, with layers of ripe tannins and juicy fruit. Goes on for minutes. Best wine from this estate ever. Try after 2018.James Suckling | 95 JS

A big, powerful, masculine Pomerol with a style not dissimilar from Le Gay, the dense purple-colored 2009 Gazin exhibits black currant, black cherry liqueur, coffee, roasted herb, an exotic Asian spice component, vanillin, creme caramel and toasty oak in its aromatics and flavors. From a vineyard near Petrus, Le Gay and La Fleur Petrus, it is full-bodied with licorice, earth, truffle and creme de cassis in the mouth. Give this powerful, backward 2009 an additional 6-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPVery dark, spicy and mysterious, this is a concentrated and graceful Pomerol that shows what was possible in this vintage if everything was done right. The stunningly fine tannins drive the very long subtle finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2009 Gazin has a very concentrated, high-toned bouquet with Merlot firmly in the driving seat, a mixture of black and blue fruit. The palate is rounded on the entry with supple tannin, succulent and glossy in style with macerated black cherries and salted liquorice towards the finish. This needs another year or two in the glass. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMGazin has vines at the highest point in Pomerol, at just over 40m, right next to Petrus. This is a powerful, upright wine that’s just getting going at 10 years old. It was double-decanted for two hours before the tasting, which helped enormously compared to when I tasted it a few weeks ago. You can feel the tannins holding everything in place buy the quality and intensity of the fruit is unmissable. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECThis has it all in place—dark, smoldering tobacco and cocoa notes, rich plum sauce, braised fig and steeped black currant fruit, joined by lengthy, mouthcoating, tar-tinged grip. Still youthfully raw, though, so cellar for maximum effect. Best from 2014 through 2028. 5,541 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA smoky wine, its fruit submerged in the wood character. It does have weight, along with powerful, tight tannins. It’s a wine that will need many years.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A blend of just over 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot (last year I mistakenly wrote that the balance was Cabernet Franc), the opaque ruby/purple-colored 2009 reveals notes of scorched earth/burning embers/charcoal, black currants, ripe cherries and lead pencil shavings. Full-bodied and pure with sweet tannin, this is an under-the-radar, high quality claret to drink over the next 20-25 years.As powerful and rich as the 2000 and 2010, Haut-Bergey’s 2009 is another of the over-achieving, value-priced Bordeaux that are increasingly difficult to find. The estate, which is owned by Helene Garcin (who also owns Clos l’Eglise and Barde-Haut, and makes the cult wine, Branon, from a vineyard adjacent to Haut-Bergey), is situated near Malartic Lagraviere and Domaine de Chevalier.Robert Parker | 94 RPA wine with lovely dark berries and chocolates follows through to a full body with chewy tannins and a fit finish. Very in form. Best ever? Try in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2009 Haut-Bergey has a lovely bouquet with raspberry, cranberry, rose petal and light forest floor aromas, opening beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well judged acidity, and smooth in texture although, it lacks some density and grip on the finish. Enjoy now and over the next 6 to 8 years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM89-91 Barrel sample. A definite burnt character on the nose, but the fruit has proper richness, the wood perhaps showing too much high toast. The freshness should be kept and not lost in the wood. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEBright cherry and berry fruit flavors nestle in a broad, soft texture in this juicy red, which has bright acidity, modest tannins and an herbal, floral finish that's fresh and focused. Not a blockbuster, but balanced and harmonious. Drink now through 2017. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This sports a dark, chewy side for now, with overt charcoal and roasted apple wood notes, along with plenty of smoldering tobacco flavors. The core is still a bit chunky as well, with roasted fig, blackberry paste and steeped black currant fruit. But the underlying structure is refined, despite its density, and the finish is very long and purely rendered. Best from 2018 through 2035. 2,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSTasted at the Trotanoy vertical in Hong Kong, the 2009 Trotanoy has long been one of the standout Pomerols in what was a fecund year for the appellation. This bottle reaffirmed previous reviews, although the aromatics were perhaps a little more immediate with blackberry, roasted chestnut and truffles, just a touch of glycerin, all delivered with fabulous precision. The oak is more assimilated on the palate that still feels succulent. But, look a little further and there is real backbone cloaked by all that fruit, plus there is awe-inspiring persistence on the finish that just lacquers the mouth. Stupendous! Tasted November 2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA deep nose of blueberries, with chocolate mousse that turns to licorice and hints of rose petal. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins that fill your mouth. But they are always soft and caressing. They last for minutes. I love the texture to this wine; it is like plush velvet. Best in 2018, but so inviting now.James Suckling | 97 JS(Château Trotanoy (barrel sample note)) The 2009 Trotanoy is flat out magnificent and clearly one of the top handful of wines made in Bordeaux in this vintage. Of all the Pomerols that I tasted on this trip, only Pétrus is superior to Trotanoy, as this wine is simply a great classic in the making. The utterly profound and regal nose offers up a glorious mélange of plums, black cherries, raw cocoa, herb tones, woodsmoke, a stunningly complex base of soil, coffee bean, a hint of the blood orange to come and a very discreet framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with a huge core of pure fruit, stunning focus and balance, plenty of ripe tannins and an endless, utterly seamless finish. The 2009 Trotanoy is a very powerful vintage for this wine, but is so breathtakingly poised and light on its feet as to almost belie its amazing depth and intensity. One of the greatest young vintages of Trotanoy I have ever tasted, this is a masterpiece of traditional Pomerol in the making. Amazingly, this is the ripest wine in the entire Moueix stable this year, as it weighs in at a full 14.3 percent alcohol, and yet is utterly cool in the mouth. A profoundly great wine. (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 96-97 JGThe 2009 Trotanoy has a broody and what feels like Cabernet-driven bouquet, well defined with touches of cigar box and forest floor. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, taut red berry fruit laced with sage, white pepper, hints of fennel and a refreshingly saline finish. This is very promising although, it does not quite possess the persistence of its peers. Sultry, almost saturnine...I guess this is Trotanoy? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMA vintage that Edouard Moueix summed up succinctly by comparing it to a friend that is always ready to please, to the point that you can’t help but try to find fault. What that means in the glass is that you get plenty of aromatic complexity, and an attack that is generous, ample and ready to go. There is a caramel edge that suggests the fruit was fully ripe and is starting to soften. Autumnal red berry fruit, truffle and wet earth are on display, but it retains plenty of structure, and you can feel the tannins elongating across the palate, adding freshness and shape and helping to give width and density. It’s ten years old and starting to fully deliver. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.Decanter | 96 DECBeneath the surface tannins is great Merlot fruit, very ripe and full-bodied, a powerhouse of flavors. The depth and complexity of the wine is all there, along with a dark core of dryness. A wine for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

If you want to drink a Margaux 2009 any time soon, you need to go for the Pavillon - the grand vin is still extremely young, holding back its power and impact for another five or 10 years time. It’s still closed up enough to hint rather than reveal. The smooth, silky tannins are joined by blackberry and cassis fruit with a great sense of vibrancy and concentration, and some tingling minerality with a pulse of electricity. There’s a latent generosity here, a slow confidence that builds through the palate as the flavours layer up, yet it’s clear that there’s still lots to be revealed, particularly the hints of violet and peony florality that just peek through on the finish. This is very, very good - up with the best ever from this estate. 31% of production went into this wine, and it has the same amount of Cabernet Sauvignon as in 2005. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2022 - 2046Decanter | 100 DECThis marathon runner is currently in the no-man’s land between youthful vitality and mellow maturity. There’s a very serious tannin structure here, but it needs a lot longer to fully resolve. Very tight and closed. A perfect wine usually. But not today. Try in 2020. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 99 JSA brilliant offering from the Mentzelopoulos family, once again their gifted manager, Paul Pontallier, has produced an uncommonly concentrated, powerful 2009 Chateau Margaux made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As with most Medocs, the alcohol here is actually lower (a modest 13.3%) than most of its siblings-. Abundant blueberry, cassis and acacia flower as well as hints of charcoal and forest floor aromas that are almost Burgundian in their complexity are followed by a wine displaying sweet, well-integrated tannins as well as a certain ethereal lightness despite the wine’s overall size. Rich, round, generous and unusually approachable for such a young Margaux, this 2009 should drink well for 30-35+ years.Robert Parker | 99 RPA massive wine for Margaux, packed with tannins and ripe fruit. It has more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, giving intense black currant flavors with enticing acidity balanced by the sweetness of the fruit. Ripe swathes of this opulent fruit are also elegant and structured.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Château Margaux is intense and powerful on the nose with blackberry, forest floor, graphite and rose petals that unfurls with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, impressive density and plenty of freshness, perhaps more than the 2009 Mouton-Rothschild. There is a genuine Pauillac-like drive to this Château Margaux thanks to the Cabernet Sauvignon, clearly a First Growth destined for long-term ageing. 13.1% alcohol. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis offers gorgeously caressing fruit, with steeped plum, blackberry and red currant notes, finely embroidered with accents of rooibos and black tea, tobacco leaf, alder and sandalwood. Delivers loads of fruit, with the structure already melded into the core of fruit--but that’s the vintage style. A stunner, though I still find the ’10 a full step ahead.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Best from 2018 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Château Margaux) The 2009 Margaux is again, very, very ripe, but never strays over the line. The bouquet is deep and flamboyant, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, cigar smoke, fine soil tones and plenty of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and black fruity, with a firm core of ripe fruit, low acids, fine focus and impressive length and grip on the beautifully balanced and ripely tannic finish. This is a very well-made, low acid and big-boned Margaux that will need a good decade in the cellar to start to blossom and should provide a solid forty year window of peak drinkability. A fine result. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 93-94 JG

This is a "wow" wine, with a stunning display of plum, blackberry and raspberry confiture aromas and flavors, allied to a dense but very velvety structure. Licorice, violet and plum cake notes fill in the background. Everything carries through the long, lush finish until the fine chalky minerality finally appears, adding remarkable finesse to this otherwise explosive display. Hard not to drink now, but this will cruise in the cellar.--Non-blind Pavie Macquin vertical (December 2014). Drink now through 2030. 3,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDeep garnet colored, the 2009 Pavie Macquin leaps from the glass with gregarious Chinese five spice, prunes, baked blackberries and hoisin notes with hints of licorice and chargrill. The full-bodied palate is quite mature with a plush, velvety texture and loads of baked berry and exotic spice layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPVery dark and dense with roasting coffee beans, black plum and prune aromas plus a touch of volatility. A self-confidently decadent wine with a distinct sweetness at the front, but a rather drying finish. This needs time to soften. Better after 2022. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 94 JSVery fruity aromas hint that this is a bright wine, its tannins shaded by the red and black berry flavors. The structure is integrated, showing ripe as well as fresh fruit with final flavors of chocolate.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERipeness is pushed to the edge in the 2009 Pavie-Macquin. Maybe over the edge. Readers will find a full-bodied, voluptuous wine bursting at the seams with radiant intensity. Exotic, racy and full-bodied, Pavie-Macquin is a good example of the heavily-extracted style that was in favor back then. I find it lacking in both complexity and interest.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis estate has really delivered some exceptional bottles in recent vintages, with, for me, the 2015 and ’16 some of the best ever. But the 2009, at this tasting at least, shows some high-toned aromatics that err towards volatile, with a flavour of kirsch that’s a little excessive, and a finish that’s a touch abrupt. That’s not to say you won’t find plenty of rich, well-expressed cassis fruit notes along the way though, and a ton of spiced olive paste. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DEC

Currants and blackberries on the nose. Spicy and intense undertones. Full body, with juicy fruit and a soft, very silky texture and a long, long finish. Polished and very pretty. Best Carraudes ever. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 95 JSOf course, the wine to buy in order to get a look at the Lafite Rothschild style and personality is their second wine, Carruades de Lafite, which has become very fashionable in Asia, causing the prices to soar. A very strong effort, the 2009 Carruades de Lafite may be the finest Carruades since the 2003. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals lots of sweet cassis intermixed with subtle smoke and forest floor, undeniable lusciousness and full-bodied hedonism. The wood component is pushed to the background, and the wine is extremely viscous, round and delicious. Additional complexity should continue to emerge over the next decade and this 2009 should keep for 20-30 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPVery soft wine, with ripe Merlot dominant. There is a rich character along with fresh tannins, very juicy, licorice and big, firm fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThis has a lightly firm coating of cocoa powder and roasted cedar, with the core of red and black currant and fig paste held at bay for now. Stays taut through the finish, but good cut and weight and an alluring tobacco note make this worth waiting out. Best from 2014 through 2024.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Carruades de Lafite) Carruades has gotten very expensive in the last several years, which at least allows the good folks at Lafite an ample budget for expensive, luxury grade new wood to lavish on the wine. This they clearly do, but never go over the top and let the wood dominate the wine. The 2009 Carruades is impeccably made and will delight fans of this bottling, as it offers up a deep, pure and seductive nose of cassis, blackberries, coffee bean, lovely soil tones, cigar smoke and plenty of nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, suave and seamless, with impeccable balance, plenty of fine-grained tannins and excellent length and grip on the complex and utterly classy finish. A superb Carruades. (Drink between 2016-2035)John Gilman | 88-90 JG

Delivers blueberry and blackberry aromas, with hints of dark chocolate. Full-bodied, featuring chewy, rich tannins and a beautiful velvety texture. This is superb. Really structured.Wine Spectator | 95-98 WSThis is always made with the young vines. Full-bodied, with super velvety tannins and gorgeous mineral, dark berry and spice character. Lovely velvet texture. Amazing quality for a second wine. Best in 2017.James Suckling | 96 JSRich and smooth, with some juicy character, the fruit with black cherries, licorice and sweet jam. At the level of many top wines, this is the second wine Château Ausone.Wine Enthusiast | 92-94 WERepresenting nearly half of the production, this estate’s second wine, the 2009 La Chapelle d’Ausone, is an extraordinary effort. Better than many of the grand vins made during the 1970s and 1980s, it is an equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc revealing an inky/blue/purple color along with notes of incense, blueberries, raspberries and crushed rocks (which give the wine a distinctive minerality). Medium to full-bodied as well as exceptionally pure, broad and opulent, it should drink well for two decades or more.Robert Parker | 92 RPBright ruby. Cool, complex aromas of cassis, licorice, Thai basil, fresh herbs, gingerbread and coconutty oak. Bright and firm, even a bit youthfully ungiving, but juicy and penetrating, with an exhilarating note of Asian spices. Very tight and firm on the long, vibrant back end. A second wine with a very strong personality of its own.Vinous Media | 91 VM(La Chapelle d’Ausone) The second wine of Ausone is a very classy and thoroughly modern wine that will drink well with five or six years of bottle age. The nose is deep and complex, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cocoa, vinesmoke, fresh herbs, espresso, soil and new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and tangy, with a really impressive base of soil for a more modern styled wine. The finish is long and shows just a bit of firm tannin that will want resolution. A extremely impressive second wine. (Drink between 2016-2035)John Gilman | 87-90 JG

The 2009 Lafon-Rochet feels just a little pinched at first, but it soon opens with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and antique armchair aromas. Very fine delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and very fine tannin, pure black fruit laced with cedar and black pepper, segueing into a slightly earthy but persistent finish. Maybe it just needs a little more grip but otherwise this is a great Lafon-Rochet from Basile Tesseron. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMPretty aromas of menthol and other spices and red fruits. Full to medium body with fine tannins and a refined finish. Very lovely now but obviously better in 2015.James Suckling | 92 JSThis is a chateau that is getting better and better. This 2009 is packed with sweet fruit, impressive tannins and a complex dark structure. It is fruity, yet powerful, for good aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEJuicy and very lively, with lots of briar, currant, cherry, toasty spice and anise notes all framed by bright floral and iron hints. The long finish has excellent cut and drive. Best from 2013 through 2021. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis wine seems to be one of the few that has not yet recovered from bottling. In a somewhat monolithic, latched-down style, it has plenty of stuffing, lots of structure and an impressive dark ruby/purple color, but it is very hard to coax from the glass. It is a rather classic St.-Estephe made by the Tesseron family, with its distinctive blood orange label, but this wine seems to beg for another 5-7 years of bottle age. The final blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc has some impressive fruit, but the wine just seems slightly more clipped and narrow than I remember it from barrel. Hopefully, time will mellow out this impression. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Lots of currants, berries and chocolate on the nose and palate. Full and chewy. Solid tannin structure. Better in 2015.James Suckling | 92 JSLove the nose of currant and mineral, with hints of mint. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Tannic. Maybe too much. But I think it's going to come out excellent.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis uncompromising property has turned out a backward, forbiddingly tannic wine that, even in this very opulent and flamboyant vintage, will need a minimum of 10-15 years of cellaring yet keep for 40 or more years. Opaque black/purple, with notes of crushed rock, white flowers, graphite, blueberry and cassis, the wine is tight and needs to be coaxed from the glass. It is medium to full-bodied, with an excruciatingly tough-textured finish. Everything is here, and the wine is set for a long life, but it is not the least bit charming and certainly won’t be for at least another decade.Robert Parker | 90 RP

The 2009 Langoa-Barton has a gorgeous bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and light tobacco aromas that blossom from the glass. This feels so composed and pure. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine-grain tannin, beautifully judged acidity and a svelte, languorous finish that fans out with style. What a gorgeous and utterly seductive Saint-Julien. It turns out to be Langoa Barton, a wine that I have rated very highly in the past. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMVery dense and still rather reserved, with dark blueberry, blackberry and fig notes rolled together, framed by freshly brewed espresso and Black Forest cake notes. Long and tarry through the finish, with a melted licorice snap note hanging on at the very end. Best from 2014 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA deceptively approachable wine. Its gorgeous fruits are right up front, their ripeness powered by a generous, complex texture. There is concentration, but it is surrounded by so much richness. It can almost be drunk now, but should age well.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA rich and fleshy wine, yet it remains decisively dry. Attractive blueberry aroma and impressive supple tannins make this very harmonious. If it was slightly brighter in the nose this would rate even higher.James Suckling | 93 JSBackward, tannic and beefy, this youthful but formidable 2009 Langoa Barton exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of damp earth, underbrush and black currant aromas and flavors, medium to full body, lively acids and, not surprisingly, massive tannins (a characteristic of all the Barton wines). The overall impression is somewhat incongruous, having a certain precociousness in the aromatics, but then clamping down on the taster in the mouth. I recommend waiting 5-7 years before opening a bottle. It should drink well over the following 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 90+ RP

The 2009 Roc de Cambes is quite backward like the 2009 La Gomerie with ample redcurrant, raspberry, loam and sandalwood aromas eventually coming through with aeration. It does not quite possess the cohesion of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, velvety smooth in texture with a lovely dash of black pepper and clove that infuses the plush red fruit. Firmly into its secondary phase, this feels à point, though I appreciate the persistency on the finish. Very fine. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMA very deep red, with dense plum and cherry aromas, very oaky and forceful. It is sumptuous and very concentrated on the palate, although a touch aggressive now. This is an imposing wine which has real grandeur, but it remains tannic and chewy and has a long way to go. Less finesse but more overt power than the 2010. Long.DECANTER | 93 DEC

This is fairly tight and buttoned down, and the inflexibility of the tannins dampens the expression of the fruit. It's good quality, no question, and the cassis fruit has a ripeness to it once it opens up, but it ends a little abruptly and isn't showing the generosity of the vintage. Recent vintages of this property have seen a big step up in quality and I'm certain that this wine on its own with some food would be a delicious 2009, but it doesn't stand up in the lineup today. Drinking Window 2019 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DECA wine with sliced-plum and lemon character and hints of lemon grass on the nose and palate. Medium to full body with fresh acidity and a clean finish. Try after 2016.James Suckling | 90 JSThe 2009 Belgrave has a ripe red cherry, kirsch scented bouquet with hints of raisin and fig. It is just flirting with over-ripeness...but not over-ripe! The palate is medium-bodied with candied red fruit, a little chewy in texture and perhaps needing more mineralité on the finish. Yet, there is fine density and decent precision on the finish. Maybe give this another couple of years in bottle. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VMA wine with luscious red fruits and bold acidity, The dense texture adds to the firm, solid tannins. This is a wine that offers both short-term attraction and long-term aging. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEShows the ripeness of the vintage, featuring sleek linzer torte and plum confiture flavors laced with mouthwatering spice and sweet tobacco notes. This has well-integrated toast and a very racy finish. Drink now through 2015. 18,100 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Extravagant and exotic, but still lively, this is a super-concentrated and elegant wine that’s already breathtaking, yet has enormous aging potential. Plenty of wet earth and mushroom character alongside the cassis and blackberry aromas. Super-long, perfectly balanced finish. Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019)James Suckling | 100 JSWhat a blockbuster effort! Atypically powerful, one day, the 2009 Haut-Brion may be considered to be the 21st century version of the 1959. It is an extraordinarily complex, concentrated effort made from a blend of 46% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc with the highest alcohol ever achieved at this estate, 14.3%. Even richer than the perfect 1989, with similar technical numbers although slightly higher extract and alcohol, it offers up a sensational perfume of subtle burning embers, unsmoked cigar tobacco, charcoal, black raspberries, wet gravel, plums, figs and blueberries. There is so much going on in the aromatics that one almost hesitates to stop smelling it. However, when it hits the palate, it is hardly a letdown. This unctuously textured, full-bodied 2009 possesses low acidity along with stunning extract and remarkable clarity for a wine with a pH close to 4.0. The good news is that there are 10,500 cases of the 2009, one of the most compelling examples of Haut-Brion ever made. It requires a decade of cellaring and should last a half century or more. Readers who have loved the complexity of Haut-Brion should be prepared for a bigger, richer, more massive wine, but one that does not lose any of its prodigious aromatic attractions.Robert Parker | 100 RPInky purple in colour, this has a rich, intense nose of damson, blackberry and olive paste. The palate is generous in texture and weight, more broad-shouldered than Château Margaux - which is already beginning to show its florality. This is balanced but well built in every inch. The warmth of the vintage coming through as fruit ripeness, liquorice, spice and punch, with the beginnings of truffle notes. There’s no question of its excellence and its bonhomie. Drinking Window 2022 - 2044Decanter | 98 DECThis enormous young wine is among the most backward of the vintage at this early stage, with iron-clad grip holding the broad, deep core of blackberry, cassis and roasted fig notes in check for now. The finish is a torrent of dense, almost compressed layers of tobacco leaf, hot paving stone, singed bay leaf and tar that will take at least a decade to massage together fully. This one is for the kids born in 2009. Best from 2020 through 2040. 10,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2009 Haut-Brion has a less precocious but more detailed bouquet, more nuanced perhaps with warm slates baking in the summer sun, tilled loam and cedar infusing the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perfect acidity, layers of mineral-rich black fruit. This seems to have gained more complexity in recent years and is beginning to flirt with perfection. It’s not there yet, but it is moving in that direction. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMSolid, very structured, packed with dense and dry tannins. There is a core of acidity and darkness that gives the wine a brooding, powerful character. At this stage, it seems austere although it does have the weight of fruit typical of the year.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE(Château Haut Brion) I was rather surprised by the shape and style of the 2009 Haut Brion, which seemed to have at least dipped a toe in the water of the Luxury Wine camp in this vintage. Not a direction I would take if I were the Prince of Luxembourg and in charge of the greatest terroir in all of Bordeaux, but I am not the Prince of Luxembourg. The wine is less ripe than the 2009 La Mission, as it weighs in at a slightly less heady 14.3 percent in this vintage. The bouquet is deep, pure and beautiful, as it offers up a fine mélange of dark berries, cassis, espresso, plenty of soil tones, smoke and a very generous dollop of toasty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and intensely flavored, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent focus and a fair bit of wood tannins still in need of absorption on the long, tannic finish. Today the wine is quite marked by the Taransaud component in its oak cocktail, which I have to believe is higher than the percentage used in the second wine. There is little doubt that this wine will eventually gobble up its oak tannins and smooth out a bit on the backend, but one has to ask why there is a need for so much new wood and why so much of it has to be so damn aggressive in its wood spice? These are not the aromatics or flavors of great, traditional Haut Brion, and lest we forget, this magical terroir is really where the entire Bordeaux world as we know it today once originated. Haut Brion’s historical legacy is so deep and wide that it needs take a backseat to no one on the Gironde, so let’s dial back the new wood next year and let this hauntingly mystical terroir once again become the focal point of the grand vin. Not that the 2009 Haut Brion is not a superb wine, but it so clearly could have been even better with a bit more of a traditional focal point. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 91-93+ JG

Stunning aromas of black truffles and blueberries, with Valrona milk chocolate undertones. Full body, with a wonderful core of fruit. This just dances on your palate. A wine that makes you smile. Superb. Best Valandraud ever? Try in 2002.James Suckling | 97 JSDeep garnet colored, the 2009 Valandraud is truly strutting its stuff right now with a bold, flamboyant nose of Black Forest cake, molten licorice, blackberry preserves and baked plums plus touches of kirsch, candied violets, star anise, unsmoked cigars, incense and a compelling waft of smoked meats. Full-bodied, the palate is a pedal-to-the-metal, fruit-n-spice blockbuster with a full-on sexy texture of beautifully plush, rounded tannins and tons of freshness to lift the very long, very perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPShowing beautifully, the 2009 Château Valandraud has shed considerable baby fat and reveals an incredibly classic, balanced, nuanced style today. Textbook notes of blackcurrants, white truffle, lead pencil, balsam wood, and hints of chocolate emerge from the glass. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated Saint-Emilion with a layered, multi-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and just a sexy, opulent, undeniably delicious style that’s a joy to drink. It’s rock star stuff today yet has another 10-15 years of prime drinking, after which I suspect a gradual decline.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2009 Valandraud has a ripe and opulent bouquet with precocious red fruit, fig and rose petals, a little warmth of alcohol blurring the edges and becoming more tarry with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent plush, saturated tannin. This is sleek and modern in style, heady and concentrated with a decadent finish. It conveys a sense of purity. The bottle tasted in 2017 showed a tad more precision on the finish. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMRacy and beautifully defined, with a sleek graphite frame to the mouthwatering loganberry, blackberry and linzer torte flavors. Shows lots of toasted spice on the finish, but is well-integrated, with a gorgeous mouthfeel. This has ample fruit, but remains very suave. Best from 2013 through 2025. 1,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBig, floral, ripe and juicy, this epitomizes the richness of the 2009 vintage. It offers firm tannins and generous, forward fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

Let yourself go and sink into this deep dark chasm that will swallow you whole if you let it. Enormous concentration, but every bit as much finesse, the finish extremely long and fine. And this is just beginning to give its best! Drink or hold. (Horizontal Tasting, London, 2019).James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2009 Leoville Las Cases may be the most open-knit and forward Las Cases I have tasted to date. Analytically, it is high in tannin and the alcohol is 13.8%, nearly a record at this estate. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc was showing brilliantly at the 2009 tasting I did in Hong Kong and at a later tasting. It boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration and lots of sweet, jammy black currant, black cherry and kirsch fruit intermixed with crushed rock and mineral notes. As always, proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon has built a massive wine with exceptional precision, unbelievable purity and aging potential of 40-50 years. I was surprised by the lusciousness of this cuvee on several occasions, and how much more forward it is given the fact that Las Cases can often be forebodingly backward and in need of 10-15 years of cellaring (at age 30, the 1982 is still a baby in terms of development!). The super-concentrated 2009 needs another 5-7 years before additional nuances emerge. This is a brilliant, full-throttle St.-Julien.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThis is gorgeously layered with cassis bush, anise, roasted fig and plum reduction notes all framed by racy espresso and graphite. Very deep and very long, with terrific intensity on the finish thanks to razor cut from the seemingly endless iron spine. With its purity and precision, this mineral-driven Cabernet should cruise for two decades. Best from 2020 through 2035. 14,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSStill a baby, the 2009 Château Leoville Las Cases is largely in the mold of the 1990 and 1982, offering a sexy opulence while staying in the classic, structured style of the estate. Based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, its still ruby/purple hue is followed by a sensational array of blackcurrants, cedar pencil, green tobacco, exotic spices, and incense. With incredible purity, ultra-fine tannins, full-bodied richness, and that rare mix of power and elegance, this magical Saint-Julien is just now starting to reveal some secondary nuances and won’t hit full maturity for another decade. It should see its 75th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA beautifully structured wine, with its tannins layered between the ripest black plums, damsons and black currants. It is opulent while remaining dense, concentrated and very serious. Certainly a wine for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Léoville Las-Cases simply delivers on the nose with intense blackberry, wild hedgerow, graphite and crushed stone aromas on the nose. You would put this down as a Pauillac if served blind, unsurprising given that it borders that appellation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, silky smooth in texture with immense depth. It is blessed with quite brilliant delineation and the precision on the finish is magnificent. Chapeau Mon. Delon. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMBeing Léoville-Las Cases, it is, as you would expect, still pretty determined to play its cards close to its chest. And yet the exuberance and generosity of 2009 is beginning to peep though. For those of us who lack patience, these kind of years are just brilliant for checking out what Las Cases is all about: brooding tannins are just starting to stir, controlling a tight-knit cassis, cigar box, pencil lead and liquorice body. You feel the skill in the unpeeling of the tannins, opening to reveal the perky fresh core, and you can see just why this is such a great estate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DEC(Château Leoville las Cases) The last vintage of Leoville las Cases to really move me was the 1978, so I am probably underrating this very powerful and seamlessly constructed wine a bit. The nose today on the ’09 is very deep, sappy and quite primary at this point in its evolution, as it offers up scents of black cherries, cassis, a touch of blueberry, dark chocolate, tobacco smoke and raw (but integrated) new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and sappy at the core, with plenty of firm tannins, excellent focus and balance and a very long, still somewhat woody finish. There is little doubt that there is sufficient stuffing here to fully absorb its sixty-five percent new oak with further evolution, and I am sure that there are other tasters that will really love this wine for its deep and powerful personality. But for me it is a bit of a brute and I have a hard time imagining the wine ever developing any breed or nuance to go with its raw power. Very well made in its style. (Drink between 2020-2050).John Gilman | 90-92+ JG

A charming, undeniably delicious Saint-Julien, the 2009 Les Fiefs De Lagrange offers forward notes of blackcurrants, green tobacco, cedarwood, and a touch of forest floor. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, and elegant on the palate, with still nicely balanced acidity and ripe tannins, this is one solid second wine that’s drinking beautifully today. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD(Les Fiefs de Lagrange) For several vintages, the Les Fiefs de Lagrange has been one of my favorite second wines on the Left Bank and the 2009 will be another stellar effort. The nose is deep and beautiful, as it offers up a classy blend of black cherries, dark berries, bitter chocolate, cigar smoke, soil and a deft touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and classy, with lovely, ripe tannins, sound focus and fine length and grip on the poised and beautifully balanced finish. A lovely bottle in the making. (Drink between 2016-2040)John Gilman | 89-90 JG