UGC Week: Bordeaux 2009, Day two

Xavier’s wines are thrilling, a great Lacoste Borie (2nd wine of GPL), a magnificent Haut Batailley; fragrant, seductive and very serious. Grand Puy Lacoste itself is beautiful; classic, true to its terroir and very classy. Then to Lafite Rothschild (tasted at Duhart Milon this year). Duhart is splendid; a heady mix of damson fruit and liquid minerals. Lafite itself is enormous; a monumental wine built for the very long-term, bravo!UGC St Estephe, Pauillac and St Julien was held at Batailley. Howling winds, horizontal rain and poor car parking facilities couldn’t dampen our spirits. This was an interesting tasting; at was a first glimpse at some less prestigious estates. Highlights included both Pichons, Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre, Langoa Barton, Beychevelle and Lynch Bages. There were several over-achievers: Phelan Ségur, Ormes de Pez, Lafon Rochet, St Pierre and Lagrange all stood out. Alas, although the overall quality was excellent, Croizet Bages, Lynch Moussas and Grand Puy Ducasse were poor.

UGC Margaux was even patchier. Although the quality is definitely an improvement on 2008, most of the wines here seemed to lack Margaux style. There were a few good wines, but most were strangely atypical. They will certainly age well and are mighty impressive, but not necessarily classic. Stars included Durfort Vivens, Rauzan Segla, Lascombes and Malescot St Exupery.After some much needed refreshments at Cantemerle, we set about the Listrac, Moulis, and Medoc UGC. In great vintages like 2000 and 2005, these wines present some of the best value from Bordeaux. The 2009s are arguably better than both of these vintages. The best wines were fragrant, concentrated, with exceptional purity and ripe rounded tannins. Stars included: Chasse Spleen, Cantemerle and Poujeaux, whilst there is incredible value to be found at estates such as Beaumont and Greysac.