Bordeaux 2009: A truly great vintage but for great winemakers.

The seductive textures and harmony of these wines is what is so arresting. The finest examples of the vintage display an ethereal balance between highly polished tannins, multi-layered complex expressions of fruit, and yet, critically, a freshness and clarity to them which gives the wines a beguiling impression of power with grace. This is, in our view, a benchmark vintage for the region, and stylistically quite different to the recent vintages before it. But that does not mean all the estates succeeded. There are various reasons behind that but picking dates, as always, proved to be pivotally important. There are examples of over-ripeness, particularly in some of the merlot. This has meant that some wines in 2009 feel clumsy. There are also signs of over-extraction in certain estates, predominantly, though not exclusively, in the areas of St. Emilion and Margaux. Though with St. Emilion, it seems to be less prevalent than in previous years. Nor is success confined to the great Chateaux; we were delighted with many of the lower growths of the Medoc particularly, and there should be a treasure trove of these estates around Pauillac, St. Julien and St. Estephe which should prove to be the best value buys in 2009.

After an early and uniform flowering and bud burst, Bordeaux experienced some localised hail storms in May. This devastated estates in appellations as diverse as the Entre deux Mere, Lalande de Pomerol, Margaux and St. Emilion. Although the storms were violent, most properties escaped, albeit with lower yields, though some were severely affected. Early hail is preferable to autumn hail as it reduces crop size but thankfully has no real impact on quality. Summer arrived soon after the storms and stayed and stayed and stayed. 2009 was in fact one of the driest summers on record, but critically without the extreme heats witnessed in 2003. These conditions persisted into September and many vignerons became concerned about hydric stress rather than the more normal concern just before harvest time, rain. Thankfully there were a few refreshing showers at just the right moments to cool and invigorate the vines, and again this forms part of the style to the wines of 2009. An Indian summer without parallel saw daytime temperatures regularly exceed 25 degrees. However, night-time temperatures plummeted, which enabled grapes to maintain their acidity and consequently the wines their freshness.

So, blessed with near perfect raw materials 2009 should be brilliant from top to bottom. Well, sadly that is not the case. 2009 is a vintage with potentially record alcohol levels and ripeness, and these needed to be managed. The top terroirs and winemakers have excelled and produced concentrated wines with extraordinary aromatic complexity, while also maintaining an important freshness, texture and balance. Winemakers who forced this, or picked too late, have produced over-extracted, clumsy wines that lack excitement and class.

So this is a challenging vintage to summarise. The highs are stratospheric, though it is not as homogenous as 2005, particularly at the lower end. There are exceptional wines from all communes including an incredible showing in Sauternes and Barsac. In general, it is a vintage that most suits Cabernet, and yet the best of Pomerol is among the best of 2009. Although the wines are massively endowed, they possess a refinement and balance which is quintessential Bordeaux. We have spent hours discussing the velvety, silky textures and exquisitely crafted tannins which we tasted during our week. But I personally liked Frederic Engerer’s analysis on the style of 2009: the elegance of 2000, the power of 2005, but with a unique aromatic twist. It is that combination which makes these wines both original and compelling.