Branaire Ducru

Pure, concentrated blue fruits on the nose, very ripe and rich but the freshness on the palate confirms that the team have judged this just right. With fine, silky tannins and a very polished, glossy feel, this wine fills the mouth and stands up and asks to be noticed, with good reason. Drink 2019-2030+. - armit

Only time will tell whether the 2009, another great effort from Branaire, will eclipse the 2005 and 2003. Certainly at 13.6% alcohol it is the most powerful Branaire ever made, and the final blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot showcases what a great vintage 2009 is for Cabernet Sauvignon. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by raspberry, boysenberry, crushed rock, graphite, and floral notes, and an opaque, broad, dense, substantial, impressively structured wine without any hardness. It requires 4-5 years of cellaring, and should last four decades or more. (Tasted two times.) Drink 2014-2054. - Robert Parker

Clos du Marquis

Red berries and cedar on the nose with lift and fragrance, on the palate there is a distinctive saline character, finely grained tannins and appealing, juicy textures. The core of the wine is compact at present but with a strong supporting structure and as ever, this will cellar well for at least two decades. Drink 2017-2030+ armit

Not strictly speaking the second wines of Léoville-Las-Cases (it's made from different vineyards), but often regarded as such, Clos du Marquis is another opportunity for drinkers to touch the garment of greatness without paying the high prices. This is savoury and complex, with violet aromas, plumskin and blackberry fruit and a backbone of almost Italianate acidity. 15+ years.
Tim Atkin

Gloria

Soothing, charming and fragrant on the nose, this starts out soft and seductive before showing its muscles, building in the mouth with great density of fruit and a ripe tannic structure. Notes of spices and tobacco accompany the fruit which is fresh and well defined with a pleasing pepper note on the finish. This is appropriately glorious. Drink 2017-2030+- armit

There have been many great Glorias over the years as this property consistently over-performs. The 2009 may be the finest yet produced. Loaded with notes of Christmas fruitcake intermixed with red and black currants, licorice, spice box, and blackberries, this inky/purple-colored wine is atypically full-bodied with a viscous texture, and loads of tannin, extract, and richness. Deep and layered, it will offer thrilling sipping over the next 25+ years. (Bottles of the 1982 I own are fully mature, but are not close to falling apart.) (Tasted two times.) Drink 2010-2035. - Robert Parker

Beychevelle

Jancis: 16.5
Wine Spectator: 90 -93
Neal Martin: 93 - 95

Pretty dark crimson right out to the rim. Alluring graphite notes on the nose. Fresh and mild. Not dramatic but neat and pretty. Very sweet but with the tannins in check. Though it will take a little while for them to dissipate. Real juice and concentration though. 16.5 - Jancis Robinson

Sweet berry and floral aromas, with a creamy undertone. Full-bodied, with a dense and polished palate, fine tannins and a long finish. Best since 2000? 90 - 93  James Suckling

Tasted at the château and at the UGC. A blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot cropped at 45hl/ha. A deep purple/garnet colour. Clear. Immediately, the nose is very pure with a tangible sense of minerality in the aromatics, not a powerful nose, quite contained, but very focused and speaking of its place. Black fruits, cold granite, a touch of cedar. I like the precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a little edgy at first, a nice sense of tension, lightness combined with intensity. Perhaps a more feminine 2009, but that is not meant pejoratively. Very smooth with lively small black cherries, cedar and pencil shavings towards the Cabernet dominated cashmere finish. Good persistency. Excellent. Tasted March 2010. 93 -95 - Neal Martin

Sarget de Gruaud Larose

Not tasted by armit

Ducru Beaucaillou, 2ème Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 96-99
Neal Martin: 93-95
Robert Parker: 96-98*
Decanter: 18.5

This has an impressive powerful and hearty structure, with seductive floral, currant and licorice aromas and flavors, showing powerful tannins at the end. This sneaks up on you at the end. Structured and very, very powerful. The blockbuster tannins are sweet and fruit-coated. This is a classic, powerful style of Ducru. May be best yet. Wow. - James Suckling

Can the 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou be better than the brilliant 2000 and extraordinary 2003 and 2005? Purchasers will have to decide for themselves, but this compelling effort is one of the all-time great Ducru Beaucaillous. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, and, remarkably, despite the fact that 90% new oak was utilized, not a hint of wood can be found in either the aromatics or flavors. This inky/purple-hued, unctuously textured 2009 reveals layers and layers of blue, red, and black fruits, and hints of licorice and spice box. Despite its substantial, massive size, it retains an elegant style, but will need 3-5 years of cellaring. It should last for 40+ years. (Tasted once.) - Robert Parker

Black red, very smoky, really concentrated nose, lots of extraction, massively structured, certainly a most impressive wine, one of the blockbusters of the vintage. Drink 2017-30. - Decanter

Lagrange, 3ème Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 91-92
Neal Martin: 93-95
Robert Parker: 90-93
Decanter: 17

Dark crimson. Purple rim. Very sweet indeed on the nose – unusually so for St-Julien. Glamorous and luscious with a hint of ink and freshness. Lots to enjoy! The tannins are very well handled and it’s pure pleasure. Maybe lacks just a hint of freshness. - Jancis Robinson

Intense aromas of blackberry and smoke. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and long finish. Solid and tight. As it should be. - James Suckling

A slightly lighter, less powerful style of St.-Julien, but also less oaky than previous vintages have tended to be, the 2009 Lagrange offers attractive, fresh, red and black currant notes, and an elegant as well as corpulent attack and mid-palate. This wine does not have the weight of the “big boys” of St.-Julien, but it displays an endearing finesse, freshness, and purity. It is by no means a wimpish, understated wine, but in the context of the 2009 vintage, it is somewhat overwhelmed by many of its neighbors. Enjoy it over the next two decades. (Tasted two times.) - Robert Parker

Léoville Barton, 2è Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 17+
Wine Spectator: 92-95
Neal Martin: 91-93
Robert Parker: 93-95+
Decanter: 19

Licorice, berry, grape and currant on the nose turns to crushed fruit. Full-bodied, with very fine tannins, pretty fruit, currant and mineral. A balanced and pretty wine. Not quite the intensity and blockbuster style of the 2005, but excellent. - James Suckling

This behemoth possesses massive extraction, an opaque purple color, huge density, extreme tannins, and a nearly endless finish. Everything is there, but the highly extracted style and off the chart tannins ensures that no one over the age of forty will ever see this wine hit full maturity. Nevertheless, there is a lot to admire, and it-s good to taste a wine that will not be ready to drink for 30+ years. No compromise! (Tasted two times.) - Robert Parker

Dense purple red, finely concentrated blackcurrant Cabernet nose with many layers of complexity, shows freshness above the controlled intensity of pure vineyard fruit, still shut in but a very great expression to come. Drink 2017-40. - Decanter

Léoville Lascases, 2ème Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 18
Wine Spectator: 97-100
Neal Martin: 96-98
Robert Parker: 96-100
Decanter: 19

Black color. What a nose. Black licorice, raspberry, currant and dried flowers galore. Full-bodied and superpowerful, with masses of fruit and toasted oak, but a blockbuster finish of fruit, tannins and everything else. I have never tasted such a flashy sample. I am blown away by this. A more fruit-forward style for Las Cases. - James Suckling

The 2009 is one of the greatest Leoville Las Cases I have ever tasted, which is saying something given the many compelling wines that have been made at this estate. A final blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a wine that appears to be a hypothetical blend of the 1982, 1986, and 1996. Its 13.8% alcohol is perhaps the only thing that sets it apart from those vintages, which had nearly a full percentage point less. The high alcohol is barely noticeable in this 2009, which boasts an inky/purple color, monumental concentration, and great clarity and purity of creme de cassis, black cherry, spice box, graphite, and wet rock characteristics. Extremely full-bodied with a boatload of sweet tannin nearly concealed by the wine-s power, glycerin, and awesome fruit concentration, this intense effort never tastes heavy or tiring. This remarkable St.-Julien should be accessible in 3-4 years, and will evolve for 40-50. (Tasted once.) - Robert Parker

Deep purple red, naturally concentrated bouquet over really smooth, sophisticated fruit with a taffeta lift, great purity and depth of vineyard fruit, superb elegance and length. Drink 2018-40. - Decanter

Léoville Poyferré, 2ème Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 17.5
Wine Spectator: 93-96
Neal Martin: 91-94
Robert Parker: 97-100*
Decanter: 18.5

Wonderful aromas of currant and blackberry, with black olives. Full-bodied, with a mouth-coating palate of supersoft tannins that go on and on. Solid and polished. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. - James Suckling

One of the stars of the vintage, it will be interesting to see if Poyferre ultimately eclipses Las Cases as the finest of the three Leovilles. The 2009 is even better than the 2000, 2003, and 2005. Its inky/purple color precedes a wine filled with extraordinary opulence, voluptuous texture, and sweet tannin. It offers both intellectual and hedonistic pleasure with layer upon layer of ripe fruit. Yields were 43 hectoliters per hectare, the blend is more than two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, and the natural alcohol is the highest ever measured at this estate, 13.95%. The high alcohol is not the least bit noticeable because of the extraordinary concentration and freshness possessed by most 2009s - a vintage characteristic that will serve these wines for decades to come. This is a wine to purchase by the case-load. It should drink well for 4-5 years. (Tasted three times.) - Robert Parker

Black red, rich and very impressive concentration of Cabernet cassis, robust and vigourous, seductively succulent fruit with superb natural tannin back up, a very exciting wine. Drink 2016-35. - Decanter

Talbot, 4ème Cru Saint Julien

Jancis: 17
Wine Spectator: 92-95
Neal Martin: 90-91
Robert Parker: 92-94
Decanter: 17

Some development at the rim. Light, graphite nose not without its attractions... Very sweet start but lifted and easy and utterly relaxed. Slightly dry tannins on the end. But very solid effort. Nice neat persistence. - Jancis Robinson

A red with a solid core of blueberry and currant aromas, with spices too. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a balanced finish. Very pretty. - James Suckling

This is the most impressive Talbot since the 1982 and 1986. It reveals an opaque plum/garnet/purple color as well as knock-out aromas of black fruits, cedar, incense, licorice, and a Provencal garrigue-like character. Substantial, sexy, and seductive, it is almost slutty in its exuberance and ostentatiousness. It was a thrill to drink this loaded St.-Julien. It should offer irresistible drinking over the next 20-25 years. (Tasted two times.) - Robert Parker