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Bordeaux Futures
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PRICE IS THE ALL UP FINAL LANDED COST INCLUSIVE OF GST"In the last 25 years this has been the top-performing non-1st Growth in the Médoc. The vines are situated alongside those of Chateau Latour and the rigorous pursuit of quality is demonstrated by the demotion of much of the production into the excellent Clos du Marquis. Now the young vines are not even used for Clos du Marquis with the creation of "Le Petit Lion" . Lascases will never be cheap but this is a wine that wants to taste like a First Growth and it frequently does. This has a fantastic core of fruit. Quite sweet for Lascases, an opulent wine for this property. Great intensity of crème de cassis fruit and big ripe tannins. Sumptuous and serious. Profound.
Score: 19 Farr Vintners
The 2009 is one of the greatest Leoville Las Cases I have ever tasted, which is saying something given the many compelling wines that have been made at this estate. A final blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a wine that appears to be a hypothetical blend of the 1982, 1986, and 1996. Its 13.8% alcohol is perhaps the only thing that sets it apart from those vintages, which had nearly a full percentage point less. The high alcohol is barely noticeable in this 2009, which boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration, and great clarity and purity of creme de cassis, black cherry, spice box, graphite, and wet rock characteristics. Extremely full-bodied with a boatload of sweet tannin nearly concealed by the wine-s power, glycerin, and awesome fruit concentration, this intense effort never tastes heavy or tiring. This remarkable St.-Julien should be accessible in 3-4 years, and will evolve for 40-50. (Tasted once.) Drink 2013-2063.
Score: 96-100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188)
Tasted at the château. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, with 6.4% vin de presse, delivering 13.4% alcohol and a pH of 3.65. The nose has brilliant delineation: this is the first thing that hits you, as if you can peer into the clos of the vineyard itself. Very expressive, almost feminine and wily, crystalline (this is something that I did not expect.) The palate is medium-bodied, saturated and supple on the entry, seamless tannins, a sense of controlled opulence here, very pure, rounded towards the finish, again, gliding across the mouth and caressing, rather than gripping it. The finish is very pure, almost Napa in style, but retaining sufficient structure and prudency of alcohol to allow that Saint Julien terroir to shine through. This is an irresistible Las-Cases, perhaps a modern day '85? Tasted March 2010.
Score: 96-98 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
Black color. What a nose. Black licorice, raspberry, currant and dried flowers galore. Full-bodied and superpowerful, with masses of fruit and toasted oak, but a blockbuster finish of fruit, tannins and everything else. I have never tasted such a flashy sample. I am blown away by this. A more fruit-forward style for Las Cases.
Score: 97-100 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com
The lovely fragrance of violets and lilac comes through on the nose, the perfumed lifted and refreshed by red fruits. Powerful black fruits on the palate enrich with first cassis then sloe backed up by dark chocolate and liquorice. The tannins feel ripe adding to the sweetness but there is enough structure and acidity to balance, to lift the flavours and give a sleek elegance to the finish. Drink 2022-2050.
Score: 95-98 Derek Smedley MW
Everything you'd expect from Las-Cases in a great vintage, this is wine with power and tannin to spare. Deeply coloured, almost chewy wine, with lots of oak, but incredible structure, freshness and concentration. Meaty, savoury and textured with very fine, polished tannins and impressive length. The Delon portfolio is extremely impressive in 2009. 20+ years
Score: 98 Tim Atkin MW
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PRICE IS THE ALL UP FINAL LANDED COST INCLUSIVE OF GSTThe greatest Haut-Bailly ever made? One can't speak enough of the job Veronique Sanders has done in 2009, allied with the owner, the American banker Robert Wilmers, who has given her carte blanche authority. Tiny yields have resulted in the most concentrated Haut-Bailly I have ever tasted. Eclipsing even the 2005, the 2009 (a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc) possesses 13.9% natural alcohol. Dense purple to the rim, it exhibits a precise, nuanced nose of mulberries, black cherries, black currants, graphite, and a singular floral component. A wine of profound intensity and full-bodied power, yet stunningly elegant, and never heavy or massive, it builds incrementally on the palate, and the finish lasts over 45 seconds. Remarkably, there is not a hard edge to be found in this beauty. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were harvested between October 7 and 14, which explains their phenolic maturity. The wine's extraordinary freshness, elegance, and precision are nearly surreal. This tour de force should age brilliantly for 40+ years. (Tasted two times.) Drink 2010-2050."
Score: 96-98+ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188)
"Lovely sweet berry and plum aromas, with hints of sandalwood and cedar. Full-bodied, with milk chocolate, berry and vanilla bean character. Thick and dense tannins, but balanced and very pretty. Sneaks up on you. Really powerful in tannins. This could be better than the fab 2005. 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 percent Merlot and 3 percent Cabernet Franc."
Score: 95-98 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com
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"This estate's extraordinary progression in quality over recent years has culminated in the greatest Feytit-Clinet ever made. The inky/purple-tinged 2009 reveals loads of spring flower aromas intermixed with notions of charcoal, black currants, black raspberries, blueberries, graphite, blackberries, and hints of licorice and forest floor. A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that achieved 14.5% alcohol naturally, consumers should jump on this exquisite Pomerol as the marketplace has not yet caught up with the quality emerging from this property. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Thick, unctuous flavors, full-bodied power, and sweet tannins suggest it will drink well for 25-35 years. Sadly, only 1,300 cases will be produced. (Tasted three times.) Drink 2010-2045."
Score: 93-95 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188)
"Blackberry and licorice, with spices. Tar. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a round and beautiful finish. So silky and beautiful. Lovely texture."Score: 92-95 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com
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"PRICE IS THE ALL UP FINAL LANDED COST INCLUSIVE OF GST blend of 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a glorious bouquet of black currants, subtle smoke, charcoal, Christmas spices, and licorice. Massive, unctuously textured, and rich, but at the same time refreshing and vibrant, this extraordinary effort appears to be the finest Vieux Chateau Certan made in my lifetime. (Tasted once.)
Proprietor Alexandre Thienpont told me he has never seen such weather and perfect grapes, and that one would have to go back as far as his grandfather's time to find another weather scenario that so benefitted Bordeaux. With an off-the-chart index of tannin, with alcohol levels of 13.7 to 14 percent, and normal pH of 3.7, Vieux Chateau Certan has produced a 2009 that is equal to their four greatest vintages - 1945, 1947, 1948, and 1950.
Robert Parker added an asterisk to this wine score to signify that it is a wine he considers has the finest potential of all the offerings he has ever tasted from this estate in nearly 32 years of barrel tasting samples in Bordeaux.
Score: 96-99 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188), April 2010
This has an incredible nose of chocolate and berries that turns to sweet tobacco and China tea leaves. Full-bodied, with a beautiful softness and silkiness that makes you want to keep tasting it. Goes on and on. 84 percent Merlot, 8 percent Cabernet Franc and 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Score: 97-100 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, April 2010
84% Merlot (mainly the 1942 plantings), 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Same blend as in 1998, oddly - which was their reference point for Merlot. pH 3.8, 40+ hl/ha compared with the very small vintages of 2008 and 2006. 'Now that we have a better cellar, we can take more risks. In old days we couldn't have taken 09's risks.' Unusually low proportion of Cabernet Franc; these particular old vines just did not deliver in 2009. Very dark - much darker than Le Pin. Very luscious - more like the nose you would expect of Le Pin! Very big and rich and full. Round and chewy and very very ripe but not heavy nor very hot. Splendid nose with great richness and savour but not excessive sweetness. Gouleyant. Date tasted 30th March 2010. Drink 2016-2030.
Score: 18 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2010
The nose has lots of power and is fleshed out by rich black plum and cherry. The richness of the fruit is there on the palate, sensuous, voluptuous but there is nothing jammy about the lushness as underpinning is fresh bilberry and red cherry that balances, lightens and gives the wine a seamless sleekness and elegance. Drink 2018-2045.
Score: 96-100 Derek Smedley MW, April 2010
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PRICE IS THE ALL UP FINAL LANDED COST INCLUSIVE OF GST"Ducru is on top form these days. Bruno Borie has made some very serious wines at Ducru in recent vintages with many vats previously destined for the grand vin now being used for the second label. From 2003 onwards production of the first wine has been reduced from 15,000-20,000 cs to 9,000-11,000 cs. There is now more second wine - La Croix de Beaucaillou than there is Grand Vin. Bruno's policy is now to only select fruit from the heart of the Ducru vineyard, overlooking the estuary for the Grand Vin. Ducru is clearly back where it belongs at the top of the super-second league. Classically structured, Ducru 2009 is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Merlot. 90% new oak. 45 hl/ha. This is turbo-charged and super-concentrated. Classic black cassis with a firm structure. Lots of black fruit on the palate with good balancing tannins. A blockbuster but not forced. Complex, balanced and long. Classy, serious and built for the long term.
Score: 18 Farr Vintners
Can the 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou be better than the brilliant 2000 and extraordinary 2003 and 2005? Purchasers will have to decide for themselves, but this compelling effort is one of the all-time great Ducru Beaucaillous. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, and, remarkably, despite the fact that 90% new oak was utilized, not a hint of wood can be found in either the aromatics or flavors. This inky/purple-hued, unctuously textured 2009 reveals layers and layers of blue, red, and black fruits, and hints of licorice and spice box. Despite its substantial, massive size, it retains an elegant style, but will need 3-5 years of cellaring. It should last for 40+ years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2013-2053.
Score: 96-98+ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (188)
Tasted at the château. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, aged in 90% new oak and 10% one-year old for 12 months, cropped at around 42hl/ha coming in with 13.49% alcohol, this has a very deep colour, very lucid. The nose is well defined, very pure, with blackberry, a touch of iodine, something reminiscent of the sea here, perhaps with a touch of seaweed? The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, the new oak very well integrated, quite feminine and sensual, silky towards the long finish. This will need longer to allow the oak to melt into the fabric of the wine but it will be worth the wait. As Bruno Borie said: imagine Beyonce. Tasted March 2010.
Score: 93-95 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
This has an impressive powerful and hearty structure, with seductive floral, currant and licorice aromas and flavors, showing powerful tannins at the end. This sneaks up on you at the end. Structured and very, very powerful. The blockbuster tannins are sweet and fruit-coated. This is a classic, powerful style of Ducru. May be best yet. Wow.
Score: 96-99 James Suckling, WineSpectator.com
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"Beautiful nose of crushed blueberries and raspberries. Full-bodied, with soft and velvety tannins and lots of pretty fruit."
91-94/100 Wine Spectator
"A ripe but well defined nose with black cherries and strawberry coming through nicely with good lift and vigour. The palate is well balanced with fine tannins, good acidity, the tannins lending an nice off-dry finish to counterpoise the lovely pure fresh fruit. Lovely."89-91100 Parker
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Another fantastic dessert wine- full bottle. Wine Spectator scores this 94-97/100- "Dried apricot and citrus fruit aromas follow through to a full body, with a very sweet and intense palate. Finishes with lots of fruit and spicy nutmeg character" and Decanter 1720 - "Excellent ultra-ripe peach and melon aromas, clear, pure, rich, complex, very Barsac, with the nice acidity linked to the village. Very well made and surely magnificent value for money."
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Wine Spectator scored this 89-92 /100 writing
"Black olive and berry aromas follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a long finish. I like the fruit concentration in this wine. 100% merlot "
Jancis Robinson scored it 16/20 and writes
"Dark, brooding crimson. Some rather smart oak and ambition on the nose. Very exotic and with enormous concentration and glamour. This could be a very good buy. The fruit is concentrated enough to withstand all that oak. A very good effort. Drink 2010-2018"
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At the edge of Pauillac. On the soil of Saint-Estèphe, the vines of Lilian-Ladouys are to be found where the roads meet, a stone’s throw from the Graves of Cos d’Estournel and the Château Lafite-Rothschild. Wine Spectator scored this 92-95/100. "Dark color, with a spiced nose of cloves and cardamom. Tar too. Full-bodied, with round and velvety tannins and a rich, fruity aftertaste. Gorgeous young wine." Great value
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"Another winner from these old vines (mostly Merlot), this sleeper of the vintage from the Raynaud family that owns La Croix de Gay and La Fleur de Gay in Pomerol exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as wonderful mocha and black cherry jam notes. Fleshy and full-bodied with outstanding purity and a heady, potent finish (the alcohol must exceed 14%), it should drink nicely for a decade or more"90-92/100 Parker
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