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Never have I tasted wines of such extraordinary potential from this region.... 100 point scores will come thick and fast; it is really too early to say, but I think these are truly exceptional so here are my first absolute 100 pointer... Chateau D’YQUEM

The 2009 vintage is the most complete sweet wine vintage I have ever tasted! The residual sugars are so good, so light, so integrated, so well balanced by the racing acidity which brings everything into perfect pitch that I was totally blown away; one after another, the wines were serene in their structure that I had difficulty not swallowing each and every single wine, virtually all have something different and wonderful to offer. The 2009 sweet wines vintage is astonishing; monumental, these have extraordinary precision and delineation, and the purity is, in my opinion even better that 2001! These wines in general are so utterly clean, forget the wood element which is present today, forget the fact that it will take time for the aromatic profile to develop, the aromatics are OK for the moment, all of this will either be blown off or develop with time, of that I am totally certain.

Even though there is a high level of Botrytis (rot) on the grapes, beneath all of this, there is such smoothness, such complexity, such concentration, such lightness, such elegance, such integrity, such sophistication, such complete serenity, that I became totally mesmerised and fully immersed in the wines and ultimately lost in their sweetness, I became lost for superlatives, I think ethereal is the word I’m looking for, certainly it is the state I found myself in.

Also, when I had completed my notes for the first and only time, I started tasting again, without taking notes, just enjoying a few of the very choice wines. People have to buy these wines, if you die before tasting these, you will never know the greatness that can be achieved with the “mould” we know as Botrytis; these are quite simply, the elixir of life!

In short these are magical!

Day one of the tasting, first appointment Chateau d’Yquem at 9.15 and my second appointment was back into Bordeaux to Haut Brion, by the time I had finished both tastings and given perfect scores to both wines, I wondered what else was in store from this vintage, excited anticipation was filling my mind. I was brought back down to earth with a bump tasting the Graves white wines, and reality firmly set in by the time I got to the reds.

Day two ended with the full sauternes tasting, two hours of pure magic.

2009 Chateau d’Yquem Premier Cru Superior – Sauternes 100/100
The colour is pure light green/yellow gold, with gold specs at the edges. The aromas are somewhat muted at present but do offer up early aromas of honey glazed pineapple, orange zest, crème caramel, smoke and some earthy mossy tones. When it enters the mouth, it is rich, large scaled and very powerful, the fruit simply explodes across the palate, intensely ripe botrytis laden fruit, then the acidity kicks in and your taste buds start screaming with excitement, the acidity is so big, you immediately begin to salivate with the wine in your mouth, a pinpoint laser picks out each of the individual flavours peach, dried apricot, coconut, orange marmalade, pineapple, crème brulee, blanched almonds, maple syrup and all the time your mouth never stops salivating. This is incredible; I have tasted many Yquem’s from many vintages but never one like this. The most exciting, refined wine I have ever had the pleasure to sample. Seamless and endless, I could still taste the wine by the time I reached my next appointment and that was a 30 minute drive. Sandrine Garbay the Maitre de Chai gave me half a glass full and I finished every drop, we discussed the 2001 being the perfect wine, and it is, well it was until now, this is the new benchmark. Given the acidity levels this could last 100 years.

2009 Extravagant de Doisy Daene – Sauternes 98-100
Showing a yellow green colour along with an extravagant nose, this wine is made from a selection of only seven barrels, it offers a complex and subtle scent of smoke and orange peel characteristics. On the palate, it is marvellous and melts gracefully with nuances before finishing ethereal. I have never known this growth to be so subtle and full both at the same time. It is a massive creation with great botrytis as well as good acidity, great, great wine!

2009 Chateau Suduiraut, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 97-100
Medium gold coloured, this appears to be at least the equal of the 2001 vintage. Exotic and mesmerising, powerful flavours buttressed by terrific acidity, unctuous in the mouth with honey, mango, candied lemon rind, ultra concentrated but beautifully balanced, everything it absolutely in the right place, glorious future.

2009 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 97-100
Potentially the finest ever offering from this estate, slightly mossy and woody on the nose, but totally gorgeous on the palate, full bodied, opulent, enormous with plenty of everything going one, pineapple, crème brulee, peach, caramel, maple syrup the racing acidity brings it all in focus, a superior tour de force.

2009 Chateau La Tour Blanche, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 96-98+
Pure class, this is another of the truly remarkable Sauternes from this vintage, medium gold, with big exotic aromas of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, orange marmalade and candied citrus rind, wonderful fruit presence, weighty with full body, deeply concentrated and precise without the higher acidity of some. This is another sensational wine.

2009 Chateau Rieussec, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 96-98
Another monumental effort from Rieussec in 09, extraordinary definition and clarity, smoky caramelised pineapple, mango, banana, apple, crème Brulee, fills the mouth with great sweetness but the acidity is focusing all of the flavours and your mouth salivates through the fruit sensations. Full bodied but with clarity and elegance, never steps out of line, totally intense.

2009 Chateau Guiraud, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 96-98
Even better than the 2001 vintage, this is gorgeous, complex and full flavoured, powerful, dense, full bodied and beautifully delineated, caramelised oranges, dried apricot, coconut, pineapple and other tropical fruits sautéed in butter, the finish goes on and on, it doesn’t have the acidity of the very top wines, but that doesn’t matter, this is totally superb.

2009 Clos Haut Peyraguey, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes 95-98+
Aromas of dried apricot and lightly burnt sugar, ultra thick like honey, yet spicy and fabulous, coats the palate with big sticky fruit countered by lovely refreshing acidity which brings in candied lemon. Very noble and powerful, with almost insane levels of botrytis, very complex on the finish yet totally tiptoeing across the palate.

2009 Doisy Daene, 2nd Cru Classe – Sauternes 95-96
A greenish light gold colour is followed by a richly fruity wine with loads of peach, pear, honey, and vanilla notes, an elegant, medium-bodied palate, the acidity is quite shy at present, and there’s plenty of botrytis, even with the Extravagant taken out this is still a great wine.

2009 Chateau Coutet, Premier Cru Classe – Sauternes ??+
One of the greatest Coutet’s I have ever tasted, amazing fruit and definition, full bodied with terrific sweetness and an ethereal palate, beautiful delicacy and super acidity, would mark it 96 to 100 but I don’t know if they will strip out the Cuvee Madam from the best barrels, so reserve judgement at this time.

I tasted through all of the top estates. These 2009s appear to be somewhat in the style of the 2001s, with high levels of residual sugar sometimes even higher than 2001 fully loaded with botrytis, most have lower acidity, and fat, full-bodied unctuous personalities. This region’s harvest began extremely early the first week of September, then the rains came over three days, after a couple more days to dry off and the harvest was completely finished within three weeks.

These wines have all the nobleness and racy richness of the 2001 vintage and more, people who like the big, flamboyant, over the top styles of the 1990s will totally enjoy the 2009s as I did. Plenty of others are worth looking out for, but we won’t be buying more than the wines detailed above.
 

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