Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 2009

JAMES SUCKLING: "Dark and delicately spicy this a very complete medium-full bodied 2009 that's not a jot too ripe or too firm. Beautiful balance through the long polished finish. Drink or hold."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Still holding on to its youth, this is clearly a great vintage for Grand Puy Lacoste. Reserved, and showy, although it is a bit more restrained than flamboyant, the wine is full-bodied, concentrated, rich, ripe and fleshy. The red fruits are sweet, bright and generous on the palate and in the finish. Give this another 5 years or so and enjoy it over the next 20 years after that!"

WEINWISSER: "80 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 % Merlot, 2 % Cabernet Franc. 44 hl/ha. Sattes Purpur-Granat, lila Schimmer aussen. Elegantes Bouquet, Zedernhauch und blaue Beeren, mittlerer Druck, schwarze Pflaumen, floraler Touch. Eleganter Gaumen, schöne Souplesse, delikat balanciert mit rundlichen, geschmeidigen Tanninen, Heidelbeeren und Lakritze im Finale. Ein sehr delikater, feiner Wein, der aber heuer eine gewaltige Konkurrenz in Pauillac hat:"

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, tiefer Farbkern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feiner Edelholztouch, schwarze Beerenfrucht, dunkle Herzkirschen, kandierte Orangenzesten, feine erdige Nuancen, tabakiger Anklang. Komplex, süße Kirschen, präsente, eingebundene Tannine, gute Frische, dunkles Nougat im Abgang, bleibt gut haften, kann bereits angetrunken werden, wird von weiterer Flaschenreife nur profitieren Also besser noch zwei, drei Jahre warten."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A complex, dusty tannin wine, layering smoky wood and black fruits with a the firmest dry character. Very intense, rich, dense and potentially powerful."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This is a step up, with ample black currant confiture and roasted fig notes allied to a racy graphite and iron spine. Very sleek through the finish, despite its heft, with a long finish filled with cassis bush and tobacco. Best from 2013 through 2025. 15,000 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2009 Grand-Puy-Lacoste opens with a nose of sweaty leather, damp earth, baked cherries and dried mulberries with touches of fried herbs, black olives and cast iron pan. Medium-bodied, firm and chewy, this is a more elegantly styled 2009 with provocative herbal sparks and a ferrous finish."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Strongly Cabernet on the nose. Thick and sweet but with freshness on the finish. Very solid, very 2009. Just kept from falling over itself."