14 October 2009

[Matthias R WHT]

With the Bordeaux crop now safely in the fermenting tanks, it seems
certain that 2009 will be an exceptional vintage.

Here, Liv-ex is opening up the blog to Gavin Quinney, a local grower
and winemaker, for an insider's view on 2009.

Gavin was not one of the lucky Bordeaux growers this year. His
vineyard at Château Bauduc, where for ten years he’s been making house
wines for Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein, was hit by two hailstorms in
May, trashing much of the crop. (He did recover, in part, by leasing
more vines.)

An experienced taster, Gavin has covered the Primeurs for Wine &
Spirit magazine – and latterly, Harpers Wine & Spirit Trades Review –
since the 2005 vintage.

--

“Exceptional”. That’s the refrain at the leading châteaux in Bordeaux
in 2009. Since mid-June, it has been warm, dry and sunny, and the
glorious weather in the last ten days of September and the first week
of October has allowed the top estates – on both Banks – to pick their
Merlot and Cabernets in perfect condition.

Christian Moueix was very enthusiastic as he completed the harvest at
Pétrus on 1st October. The vintage is “truly exceptional”, he said.
“The word this year is fruit – it’s unbelievable the feeling of the
fruit that we have. Ripeness, not over-ripeness – even if the alcohol
level is very high – but everything is so fruity, even in the lesser
blocks. I don’t speak just of Pétrus, of course, but for all our
vineyards in Pomerol. Usually I am rather pessimistic but this year
everything went so perfectly that I could not dream of better weather
all along the year.”

“It’s a little bit too early to talk about the vintage,” Hubert de
Boüard told me ten days later, as he finished the Merlot and started
his Cabernet Franc at Château Angélus, in St-Emilion. “But as a
winemaker for 25 years, it’s really exceptional.”

Across the Gironde in Pauillac, Philippe Dhalluin, the Technical
Director for Mouton Rothschild, was equally optimistic as they
harvested their Cabernet Sauvignon from 1st October onwards – just as
they did at Lafite next door. Both estates had picked their Merlot
during the week before. “It’s clearly exceptional – that’s obvious”,
he said, “because of the quality of the grapes, the richness, the
purity, the extraordinary weather – not a drop of rain.”


Fortunately, the protracted dry spells were preceded by a very wet
April and average rainfall in May, which helped replenish the water
levels. The weather since has been superb – not too hot, with just the
occasional smattering of rain. And, unlike the stifling summer heat of
2003, the nights have been quite cool.


Would the sunshine continue into September and into early October for
the harvest? Yes was the answer, with the only serious rainfall coming
mid-month, and especially over the weekend of 19th September. The
rain then was light in the Médoc but quite heavy on the Right Bank,
especially in Pomerol and parts of St-Emilion. This, however,
benefited some water-stressed vines.

The last ten days of September and first week of October were
extraordinary, with record temperatures in early October, providing
ideal conditions in the final days leading up to and during the
harvest.

Until 10th October, I had seen no rot to date on any red grapes at the
important châteaux. Those properties still holding out for more
maturity have run the risk of rot, as it was more humid from 8th to
12th October although the forecast from the 13th onwards is fine again
– which also bodes well for the sweet whites.

What about the red grapes, and the wines they’ll produce? Clearly,
alcohol levels are potentially very high, especially for Merlot, which
has higher sugars than the Cabernet Sauvignon as you’d expect.

The potential in the grapes, which are noticeably consistent in size
and true to type, is huge. The flavours are explosive, and with
massive colour, thick skins and powerful but ripe tannins, there’s
great excitement about the quality of fruit. Of course, careful
extraction will be needed and the level of alcohol is the one possible
fly in the ointment. Some Merlot has come in at over 15°, with the
norm – for major estates ­– being around 14° to 14.8°, and even these
numbers could be conservative. Balance is crucial, yet my impression –
on tasting the grapes – is that the top producers should achieve this.
The PH levels are good and the tannins are very fine. But they’ll be
big wines.

Levels of alcohol should be slightly less of a concern for the many
châteaux of the Left Bank, with their Cabernet Sauvignon coming in
from 12.4° to 13.8° – with many blocks much higher than usual. From
what I’ve tasted in Pauillac, St-Julien and Margaux, the Cabernet
Sauvignon on the Left Bank is outstanding. Meanwhile, much of the
Cabernet Franc of the Right Bank is very good – “the best I’ve ever
picked”, according to Otto Rettenmaier of La Tour Figeac, on the
borders of St-Emilion and Pomerol.

Yields too are good, but these have been tempered by the fact that the
skins are thick and there’s less juice. (It’s not difficult to see
which side of the equation the producers might focus on when it comes
to discussing prices.)

Only those vineyards which were hit by hail in May have very low
yields, and as far as the very top growths are concerned– most of the
damage was in the stalls, not the royal circle – the hail was limited
to relatively few vineyards in St-Emilion, such as at Château
Trottevielle.

As ever, it’s interesting to compare with other vintages, even if
every vintage is unique. A mythical blend of 1982, 1989 and 1990 has
been mentioned, with 1947 being Christian Moueix’s choice. And as
Hubert de Boüard pointed out, the legendary Cheval Blanc 1947 was
close to 15° alcohol.

Incidentally, they certainly didn’t have the kit back then. The news
in 2009 could have been the installation of many new, highly
sophisticated ‘optical’ sorting machines on trial this year, such as
at Mouton Rothschild, Léoville Las Cases and Pétrus. These rejected
very little as 99.9% passed through with flying colours. So whilst
these huge bits of equipment were, in my opinion, almost superfluous
this year, it was an uncomplicated, relaxed vintage in which to test
them. The benefit will no doubt come in the years ahead, with slightly
less than perfect grapes.

In summary, 2009 is clearly an extraordinary vintage, and it’ll be a
surprise if any of the leading merchants decide not to come for the
Primeur tastings next Spring. But don’t forget your toothbrush.



- Liv-ex Fine Wine Market. 14 Oct 2009.