Wine Words & Video Tape

Wine, Words and Videotape

Fine Wine Review site

Bordeaux 2009 Primeurs: Wonderful Sauternes and Barsac

Written by JW. Posted in Bordeaux

2009 is a wonderful vintage for Sauternes and Barsac. It is not that common that the conditions for a great red wine year provide the same conditions for a great sweet wine year but this does look to be the case in this vintage. Although it is early days the wines in general have a wonderful delicacy and balance and the warm year produced ripe fruit, high in flavour and with high potential alcohol.

Vintage conditions also proved excellent for the generation of botrytis which developed quickly in the vineyards. Many proprietors at the Union des Grands Crus tasting think that 2009 is the best vintage in the region since the glorious 2001 [and possibly better] and certainly superior to the very attractive 2007.  Time of course will tell. What is clear is that a number of estates have produced excellent wines here.  Chateau Coutet, Chateau Rabaud-Promis, Chateau Rieussec and Chateau Suduiraut were marvellous at the tasting, but there are many others including Chateau Guiraud, Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Chateau La Tour Blanche, and Chateau de Rayne Vigneau that also look wonderful in 2009. All the wines were tasted on 30th March 2010 at Chateau Dauzac. The notable omissions were Chateau Climens and Chateau d’Yquem.

Chateau Rieussec, Premier Cru Classe, Fargues, Sauternes, 2009

Light gold; very attractive nose; noble; some real botrytis notes here; with wax; palate very fresh and appealing; medium weight and racy; even more so than the Rabaud-Promis. Excellent with wonderful length. 94-96+/100

Chateau Rabaud-Promis, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Pale straw, clean waxy note; fresh and very attractive honeyed fruit; palate wonderfully attractive; sweet but with balancing acidity. Complexity here. This is very good. Nice length and zest on the finish. Fantastic, one of the best. 94-96+/100

Chateau Suduiraut, Premier Cru Classe, Preignac, Sauternes, 2009

Again fresh and attractive; some lemon hints; with butterscotch and cream; palate bold and big; this is potentially excellent. Nice zip and balance to the sweetness. Wonderful. 92-94+/100

Chateau Coutet, Premier Cru Classe, Barsac, Sauternes, 2009

Lemon straw; elegant nose; honey and lemon, attractive wine good mouth feel and balance. Excellent. 92+/100

Chateau de Rayne Vigneau, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Ripeness on the nose; honey and butter; fresh butterscotch and honey; this is interesting; very good here. Very good and refreshing. 92+/100

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Light gold; lemon and fresh again; mid-weight, some butter, honey; quite high alcohol but good balancing acid. Quite sweet. Quite fat with very good length. 92+/100

Chateau La Tour Blanche, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Light gold, soft, some lemon and fresh; lots of fruit here; good palate; sweet but balanced. Refreshing. Nice race and zip on the finish. 92+/100

Chateau Guiraud, Premier Cru Classe, Sauternes, 2009

Fresh, slightly grassy note; full bodied palate; broad but very good. Lacks the zip of Rabaud-Promis and Rieussec but should be very good 90-92/100

Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Fresh nose; attractive wine; some wax and lanolin, palate fresh and racy; will age well. Good palate well balanced. 90-92+/100

Chateau de Malle, Second Cru Classe, Preignac, Sauternes, 2009

Light gold; some butterscotch; clean; fresh; very elegant but with depth here. Should be very good. 90-92+/100

Chateau Sigalas Rabaud, Premier Cru Classe, Bommes, Sauternes, 2009

Fresh quality to the nose; grassy quality, medium weight and very attractive. 90-92+/100

Chateau Doisy-Védrines, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, 2009

Pale straw; lemon, clean, light honey; perfume on the palate, pretty; very good. 90+/100

Chateau Doisy-Daene, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, 2009

Pale straw, delicate; some light honey, fresh, medium weight. Attractive and excellent too 90+/100

Chateau Nairac, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, 2009

Pale gold, more intense, some butterscotch and waxy edge with grass; racy on the palate, medium sweet. Very good here. 90+/100

Chateau d’Arche, Second Cru Classe, Sauternes, 2009

Lemon straw; fresh, some SB elements, lemon and grass, medium weight, racy style. Lovely. 90+/100

Chateau de Fargues, Sauternes, 2009

Mid gold; grassy, slightly waxy note; medium weight, nicely balanced; medium sweet and very attractive. Fresh here. 90+/100

Chateau Filhot, Second Cru Classe, Sauternes, 2009

Fresh, some grass and honey; little wet dog on palate; medium sweet. Easy and attractive. 88-90/100

Chateau Bastor Lamontagne, Sauternes, 2009

Pale gold; ripe nose; some honey, some citrus; very nicely done; some apple; attractive palate, medium weight. 88-90/100

Chateau Lamothe, Second Cru Classe, Sauternes, 2009

Light gold; slightly eggy note; palate clean and fresh; some honey. Not bad once nose clears up. 88/100

Chateau Caillou, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, 2009

Attractive grassy note; fresh; quite lively on palate with elegance 86-88/100

Chateau Lamothe Guignard, Second Cru Classe, Sauternes, 2009

Pale gold; some waxy notes; not as clean as de Fargues. 86-88/100

Chateau Romer du Hayot, Second Cru Classe, Farges, Sauternes, 2009

Waxy note; some grassy Sauvignon Blanc tones; medium weight and sweetness. Little simple. 86-88/100

Chateau Suau, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, Sauternes, 2009

Light green gold; fresh, some SB characters; not that sweet but refreshing 86-88+/100

Chateau Broustet, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, Sauternes, 2009

Pale straw, quite grassy, medium sweet OK. 86-88/100

Chateau de Myrat, Second Cru Classe, Barsac, 2009

Pale straw; freshness here; some lemon and lime here; lacks a bit of zip. 86-88/100

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Follow Us