Bordeaux 2009 at Four Years: St Julien
You might think that the shift from Pauillac to St Julien would be a gentle one; after all the two appellations are contiguous, separated only by the gentle trickle of waters running down the Ruisseau de Juillac, the drainage channel that ultimately, shortly before it hits the Gironde, defines where the vineyards of Château Latour end and those of Château Léoville-Las-Cases begin. The underlying terroir is essentially the same, both châteaux situated on the deep gravel bed of the Médoc. And in 2009 the two communes enjoyed the same dramatic weather, beating sunshine interspersed with the occasional and usually welcome shower of rain. Certainly, tasted during the primeurs, the wines of both communes showed the warm flesh of the vintage, the overarching ‘tasting feature’ of the vintage at that time.
And yet, now that the vintage is four years old, St Julien has edged out ahead I think. Here we have one of several examples where, whereas once the vintage seemed very homogenous and defined predominantly by its texture, there is now more inividuality to be found in the wines of some communes or estates. St Julien is certainly one of those communes, and the wines are – to my palate – some of the most exciting of the vintage, with broad and consistent success across the commune. There isn’t a truly bad wine here, in a fairly comprehensive tasting as far as classed growth estates are concerned (although, admittedly neither Château Ducru-Beaucaillou and Château Saint-Pierre were present). One or two aren’t quite at the level that was perhaps possible, or come in a style that does not appeal, and so they do disappoint to some extent. But would I drink them, if they were poured for me at dinner? Yes, I would.
