One of my all-time favorite cru bourgeois, as well as one of the most consistent, in 2009 the Patache d’Aux is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This wine has been a winner since the early 1980s and it continues to offer a classic style of Medoc. Earthy, cedary, with red and black currants and a hint of unsmoked cigar tobacco, the 2009 is certainly lower in acidity and riper than more traditionally styled vintages, but it is super-attractive and ideal for drinking over the next 5-10 years.