Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pontet-Canet is a little shut down to begin, but with coaxing this baby is soon firing on all cylinders with a full-throttle nose of chocolate-covered cherries, crème de cassis, boysenberries and spice cake plus tons of kirsch and cranberry sauce sparks and a beautiful undercurrent of emerging tertiary characters: cigar box, sandalwood, chargrill, truffles and cast iron pan. Full-bodied, rich, multilayered and completely seductive, the palate is charged with incredible energy, with a firm backbone of velvety tannins and seamless freshness providing solid grounding and promising a very long life ahead. It finishes with an incredible display of epically long-lasting flavor fireworks. Wow!

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pontet-Canet is a little shut down to begin, but with coaxing this baby is soon firing on all cylinders with a full-throttle nose of chocolate-covered cherries, crème de cassis, boysenberries and spice cake plus tons of kirsch and cranberry sauce sparks and a beautiful undercurrent of emerging tertiary characters: cigar box, sandalwood, chargrill, truffles and cast iron pan. Full-bodied, rich, multilayered and completely seductive, the palate is charged with incredible energy, with a firm backbone of velvety tannins and seamless freshness providing solid grounding and promising a very long life ahead. It finishes with an incredible display of epically long-lasting flavor fireworks. Wow!

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2009 Potensac has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, melted tar, black tea and graphite scents. Nicely defined it maybe a little conservative given the growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity. Classic in style with fine graphite and cedar notes towards the finish. Enjoy this now and over the next decade. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2009 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is a wine of straightforward harmony and genuine richness. The bouquet offers dark fruit, licorice, spice and tobacco. The Ovello cru shows an impressive level of overall opulence. In fact, both the Ovello and the Pajè vineyards have cooler conditions that help them excel in warm vintages like 2009. The tannins are firm and delineated. At the back, the wine offers a lasting sense of structure and character. It is beautiful now and promises an exciting evolution ahead.

Vinous (93)

The 2009 Barbaresco Bric Turot is rich, broad and expressive. Dark cherry, tobacco, underbrush, licorice, menthol and savory herbs notes all blossom in a large-scaled Barbaresco with tons of sheer appeal. The Nebbiolo tannins are present, but they are nearly buried by the depth of the fruit.

Contains 1 bottle each of Beauséjour Duffau, Clinet, Clos Fourtet, Cos d'Estournel, Ducru Beaucaillou, Evangile, Léoville Poyferré, Montrose, Pavie, Pontet Canet, Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge and Pape Clement Blanc

James Suckling (93)

A soft and fruity wine, with orange peel and berries and plums. Full body, with super fine tannins and a fruity finish. Refined and very pretty. Structured in the end. Fresh. Succulent. A style away from the over extracted one a few years ago. Try after 2018.

Wine Advocate (95)

This wine is only made in the best vintages, and the next release is 2011. The 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a mysteriously ephemeral wine but also a very powerful one at the same time. The alcohol content is 16.5%, and this is one of the most important indicators used when deciding that a vintage is good enough to make Amarone. This wine shows a deep, dark color that is reinforced by thick density and smoky aromas that lift from the glass, followed by exotic spice, campfire ash, camphor and plenty of dark plummy and raisiny fruit. The bouquet reveals outlying aromas of bitter chocolate and crushed slate. In the mouth, the wine offers plenty of ripeness and fruity sweetness, but there is enough supporting structure here to absorb both the sugar and the alcohol. There is a sweetly fragrant earthy note on the long and silky finish.

James Suckling (97)

Gorgeous nose of raspberries and blueberries. Hints of chocolate and oak. Full bodied, but compacted and very racy. Lovely fruit with milk chocolate, but the texture of tannins is so beautiful. This is the best Rauzan ever made - except perhaps the great pre-phylloxera bottles of the 1800s. Try in 2019.

James Suckling (97)

Gorgeous nose of raspberries and blueberries. Hints of chocolate and oak. Full bodied, but compacted and very racy. Lovely fruit with milk chocolate, but the texture of tannins is so beautiful. This is the best Rauzan ever made - except perhaps the great pre-phylloxera bottles of the 1800s. Try in 2019.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91+)

Quite closed on the nose, hinting at menthol and wet stone. Then juicy and tight in the mouth, more taut and incisive than silky today, and showing superb precision for the vintage. Solid mineral grip extends the finish and gives this premier cru excellent tension, but it will need five or six years to unwind.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 2009 Chablis Blanchots is deep, powerful and intense, particularly in the way it blossoms on the palate with layers of radiant fruit. This is a striking wine graced with an expressive, open personality that resonates through to the generous finish. I especially like the raciness of the fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 2009 Chablis Blanchots is deep, powerful and intense, particularly in the way it blossoms on the palate with layers of radiant fruit. This is a striking wine graced with an expressive, open personality that resonates through to the generous finish. I especially like the raciness of the fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.

Vinous (95)

It's all there in the 2009 Chablis Les Clos. White flowers, lime peel, oyster shells and petrol are some of the nuances the run through the wine. Les Clos possesses a striking inner perfume, layers of expressive fruit and a sumptuous, kaleidoscopic finish. This is a stunning effort from Raveneau.

Vinous (93+)

The 2009 Chablis Valmur is quite closed. There is plenty of power in the glass, but not much else. Today the Valmur isn't showing much. It is the only 2009 that appears to be showing the ill effects of its recent bottling. This will be an interesting bottle to re-visit in another 6-12 months.

The exquisite Raventós i Blanc Mas del Serral 2009, a sparkling wine of exceptional complexity and grace, hails from Catalonia, Spain. Crafted by the renowned Raventós i Blanc, a winemaking dynasty dating back to 1497, this wine exemplifies perfection with three years of lees ageing and a further six years of bottle ageing. Expertly sculpted from a blend of Xarel·lo and Parellada grapes delicately harvested from the prized Mas del Serral vineyard, it oscillates between freshness and maturity.

Perfect acidity and fine bubbles introduce an amalgamation of bright citrus notes balanced with aged honey undertones, culminating in a lingering, nuanced finish. A glorious testament to the terroir, the Raventós i Blanc Mas del Serral 2009 effectively captures the minerality of the limestone-rich soils of the 12-hectare estate. Unquestionably, it stands among the premier Catalan sparkling wines.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2009 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is an awesome example of elegance combined with extraordinary power. The alcohol levels must be between 15.5% and 16%, but the elegance and sublime nature of this wine make it irresistible. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by an extraordinary bouquet of framboise, black cherry liqueur intermixed with blacker fruits, licorice and a hint of flowers. Pure with terrific layers of fruit concentration (although it's remarkably light on its feet), silky tannins, well-integrated acidity and a stunning personality, this monumental Rayas is breathtaking. This beauty will undoubtedly be drinkable early on (although Emmanuel Reynaud considers that to be infanticide), and it is capable of lasting 25-30 years. One of the world's most mysterious estates is Chateau Rayas. This small 30-acre estate is owned by the Reynaud family, which dates back to the late 19th century,. The estate has always had an image of secrecy and seclusion. Following the death of Jacques Reynaud in 1997, his nephew, Emmanuel took over, and he continues to produce wines that go from strength to strength. A cool climate property in a hot zone, Rayas is tucked away in a forest with its vineyards basically one parcel of sandy soil. Emmanuel Reynaud, who is also the proprietor of the outstanding Vacqueyras estate called Domaine des Tours, has the same eccentric idiosyncracies as his uncle. It is not as difficult to get an appointment to visit Rayas as many people think, and I highly recommend it as it is always a fascinating place to visit. After 25 years, I never cease to be amazed by what emerges from these decrepit, old, haphazard cellars that look like a biohazard room in a video game. They don't win the top prize for the dirtiest cellars in Chateauneuf du Pape (that goes to Henri Bonneau), but Rayas is a close second. Modern-day oenology graduates would be horrified by -working conditions,- but the magic elixirs to emerge from these ancient barrels, demi-muids and foudres are wondrous. On this trip, I tasted through the component parts of the 2010s, another top vintage for Rayas. Production was tiny, and the harvest was extremely late. In fact, Emmanuel Reynaud told me that 2011 would be at least ten days in advance of 2010. The 2009s, which have all been bottled, have turned out to be spectacular, and I tend to think the 2009 Rayas could turn out to be the greatest wine made by Emmanuel, even eclipsing the 2007.

Wine Advocate (95)

The red 2009 Gran Reserva has some traces of classical Rioja and old wine character, despite being surprisingly youthful for a wine that is already ten years old. The wine is quite dark and represents the style of warm and dry vintage quite faithfully. The wine is powerful but has very good harmony, and the tannins are fine, round and mostly resolved; there is very good balance and harmony. It finishes dry and clean, with a long lingering aftertaste.

Discover the exquisite delight that is the Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva 2009. This esteemed vintage, brought forth from the heart of Spain's respected Rioja wine region, exemplifies the masterful expertise of its producer, Fernando Remirez de Ganuza. With decades in the wine-making industry, Fernando has revolutionised Rioja viticulture, selecting only the best grape clusters to be transformed into this exceptional Reserva.

The Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva 2009 is a superb blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano grapes, aged to perfection in French and American oak barrels, resulting in a rich, full-bodied wine. Hints of flavourful black fruits meld harmoniously with the depth of spicy oak, exuding a sophisticated taste experience. Don't be surprised by the wine's unique, lingering complex finish—exhibiting dark chocolate and cedar. Enjoy the true essence of Rioja with the Remirez de Ganuza Rioja Reserva 2009; a bottle for those seeking a distinctively luxurious pour.

Vinous (94)

Bright ruby. Black and blue fruits on the nose and palate, with an array of spice and floral qualities adding dimension. Rich but very lively, with impressive intensity and concentration but no sense of heaviness. Supple tannins add shape to the extremely long finish, which features notes of star anise, candied violet and cracked pepper.

Vinous (94)

Bright ruby. Black and blue fruits on the nose and palate, with an array of spice and floral qualities adding dimension. Rich but very lively, with impressive intensity and concentration but no sense of heaviness. Supple tannins add shape to the extremely long finish, which features notes of star anise, candied violet and cracked pepper.

Wine Advocate (91)

Made from a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, the second wine, the 2009 Reserve de la Comtesse, exhibits notes of forest floor, white chocolate, licorice, black currants and vanillin-infused black cherries. It possesses a sweet, round, generous style given its high glycerin. Both the Reserve de la Comtesse and Pichon Lalande have about 13% alcohol, slightly lower than most Pauillacs achieved in 2009. Drink it over the next 10 years.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2009 Monte Bello ,72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot is simply magnificent. Layers of dark red fruit, flowers, spices and graphite are all woven together in this utterly impeccable wine. The 2009 is an especially huge, intense Monte Bello, yet a sexy, silky core of fruit lies within its imposing frame. Everything comes together in this glorious, radiant wine. Last year the 2009 had some pretty stiff competition from the 2010, but today it is simply firing on all cylinders. Eric Baugher describes 2009 as a year with cold weather early on, followed by heat in early June and July. The fruit was brought in on October 12, just before an intense downpour swept through the region. There is a purity and silkiness supported by structure in the 2009 that is impossible not to admire. Simply put, this is another utterly magnificent, towering masterpiece from Ridge. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2049.

Wine Advocate (98)

Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Rieussec sings of crème caramel, chopped nuts, baked apples and spiced pears with hints of jasmine, peach blossoms and beeswax. Full-bodied, rich and decadently creamy in the mouth, the multilayered palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness. It has a very long finish offering a lasting impression of great elegance and finesse. Simply stunning.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The 2009 Nuits St. Georges Les Vaucrains is fascinating to taste after Les St. Georges. In 2010 the Vaucrains is more finessed and elegant than the St. Georges, but in 2009 those rules are reversed, as it is the Vaucrains that comes across as far more imposing, inward and structured. Today the Vaucrauins is implosive and seems to be holding back much of its potential. Firm yet well-integrated tannins frame the fruit through to the tense, wiry finish. The Vaucrains needs to be buried in a deep, cold cellar for several years, perhaps considerably longer, although I am optimist by nature. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.

Wine Advocate (95+)

The 2009 Bonnes Mares opens with knockout aromatics that meld into layers of fresh, vibrant fruit. Medium in body yet wonderfully intense in its flavors, the Bonnes Mares impresses for its class and balance. An array of dark fruit, minerals, violets and white flowers linger on the pointed, saline finish. Groffier’s vines in Bonnes Mares sit on a slope with both terres rouges and terres blanches. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.