| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Beautiful, 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. Drink: 2012 - 2027
The 2009 Les Carmes Haut-Brion offer ample red cherry and crushed strawberry on the nose, touches of brown spice and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, a little dry in the middle but with more flesh on the finish. It is still not a convincing showing compared to previous bottles and I will seek to revisit this in the future. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. 89?
This is gorgeous, with blackberry and licorice and spice. Full and silky-textured tannins turn chewy, but finishes with class. Best ever? So impressive.
Some race and savour. Glossy fruit and real succulence. Pretty dry on the finish but not exaggeratedly drying. One can see Graves here thank goodness! Intense and reasonably complex and ambitious for the long term. Date tasted 2nd April 2010. Drink 2018-2030.
Dense purple red, concentrated and rather earthy blackcurrant nose, good broad fruit with warmth and vigour, natural tannins and acidity need to blend in with the fleshy charm and depth. Drink 2015-2025.
This ethereal, lighter-styled 2009 (no doubt because of the high Cabernet Franc content) is somewhat difficult to fully evaluate at this stage, but it exhibits beautifully sweet, pure, blue and red fruits (raspberries) in a medium-bodied format. The wine is sublime in its softness, finesse, and delicacy. It should put on weight and perform even better in a year or two, and should drink nicely for 15+ years. (Tasted three times.)
Tasted at the Graves UGC. This has a very upfront nose with black, slightly gamey fruit that nods towards the Rhone, but there is also very fine definition and purity, a sense of exuberance to this Les Carmes. The palate is full-bodied with slightly grainy tannins, that gamey quality coming through on the entry, lovely structure, smoky black fruits, cooked meat, a touch of sage towards the finish. Real character to this 2009 Les Carmes. Superb. Tasted April 2010.
