Bordeaux 2009 at Four Years: Pauillac
Although it might not come through so clearly in St Estèphe, where the number of classed growth wines is small and generalisations are hampered by the extreme style made at Château Cos d’Estournel as well as chronic underperformance at other addresses, any doubts about the 2009 vintage and the appellations of the Médoc are put to bed by this tasting of a dozen wines from Pauillac. This was a comprehensive selection of wines, taking in two first growths, the two second growths both derived from the Pichon estate, as well as all the other significant estates including Château Pontet-Canet, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Lynch-Bages. Naturally it also took in a few less acclaimed châteaux.
The two first growths included in the line up were Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Mouton-Rothschild; the third, Château Latour, does not participate in the tasting event. This is a great shame as the tasting is an excellent opportunity for the British press to get to grips with the vintage and the absence of what many would regard as the region’s most iconic first growth does leave something of a hole in the tasting scheme. Sadly, now that Château Latour have withdrawn from en primeur and early sales of the wines, Frédéric Engerer and Francois Pinault preferring instead to hold the wines back for later release when they are closer to being ready to drink, the likelihood of Latour returning to this tasting, showing its wine long before its release, seems unlikely. The estate continues to show its wines during the primeurs though, so we should not give up hope.
