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.
Love the nose on this, with blackberry, licorice and stone. Full-bodied, with supersilky and ultrafine tannins. This wine goes on and on.
Very dark but lustrous. Toasty and intense. Tarry. Excessively aggressive on the palate and some hints of damp cat fur. Not really much fun on the palate at the moment! Drying finish. Date tasted 2nd April 2010. Drink 2014-2019.
A deep, rich and dark colour in the glass. Exotic with the sweet spices of oak and brambly black fruit on the nose. Powerful and dense. The palate is glossy and round, with concentrated cassis and sweet plum. Everything is turned up in this wine, with mouthcoating but ripe tannins countering the weight of fruit. Increasingly toasted and spicy on the finish, this is a hedonistic and modern but balanced Bordeaux.
Tasted blind at the Farr Vintners "Ten Years On" 2009 tasting in London.
Black red, big smoky Havana tobacco nose, full and with quite grippy Cabernet fruit, but good structure and will age well. Drink 2014-20.
Having just had the 2000 Branon, which performed unbelievably well, this is definitely a wine for connoisseurs to seek out. The problem is that just under 500 cases were made, all from relatively old vines planted in the early sixties. This blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc is from a parcel of the Branon vineyard sandwiched between Haut-Bailly and Malartic Lagraviere in the heart of Leognan. The 2009 reveals smoky, earthy, barbecue notes intermixed with creme de cassis, blackberry liqueur, charcoal, and graphite. This hugely concentrated, intense, dense, full-bodied powerhouse possesses silky tannins, plenty of glycerin, an over the top, extravagantly rich mouthfeel, and a finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. A potential legend in the making, this wine should drink well for 30+ years. (Tasted once.) Drink 2010-2040.
Tasted at Clos l'Eglise. This has a ripe black cherry, briary, redcurrant tinged bouquet with very fine definition and clarity. The palate is medium-bodied but with firm tannins, quite robust, a broad-shouldered, quite powerful Branon that grip the palate, earthy tones towards the weighty finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2010.
