Bordeaux 2009 | 1200 Point Dinner

For many this would be their dream tasting; 12 x 100 Parker Point wines from, as he describes it, "Unquestionably the greatest Bordeaux vintage I have ever tasted".

The event was held in The Martini Library at The Arch, London near Marble Arch. This beautiful boutique venue provided a relaxed atmosphere for us to entertain the 40 guests in attendance. Many of these guests were on a fact-finding mission, having invested heavily in many of the wines on offer and keen to discover where the wines were in their development.

The concept of the '1200 point dinner' was the brainchild of BWI founder Andy Lench, who wanted to provide BWI clients with the rare opportunity of a horizontal tasting of 100 point / 2009 Bordeaux, matched with exquisite food. This concept was first adopted back in 2010 with the creation of:

 'The Mythical Case'

100% Perfection

12 Bordeaux scoring 100 points

as Rated by Robert Parker

A case of 2009 Legends

Andy has been visiting Bordeaux and tasting En Primeur vintages for 28 years (since the year I was born!) so it was a real privilege for us to have him introduce each of the wines and share his expertise.

Andy gave the guests his overall assessment of the vintage as well as naming the 5 key factors identified by Professor Denis Dubourdieu, of the University of Bordeauxs' School of Oenology. So for all you budding Bordeaux Oenologists out there, this is what you need to produce an 'outstanding' vintage:

1. An early flowering at the beginning of June.

2. A healthy and uniform fruit set, meaning hot, sunny, relatively dry weather.

3. The véraison, which is the change from green to red grapes, must begin early (in 2009 it started in late July, rather than August).

4. The Grapes have to ripen fully, which means there must be warm weather with just enough rainfall in August and September to prevent photosynthesis from shutting down and stressing vines.

5. September and October have to be generally dry, sunny, warm, without excessive heat spells. 

So to the results of our findings! At the end of the evening we asked our 40 guests to give their views of the wines tasted and offer up their favourites. 

Ducru-Beaucaillou came in first place 

Léoville-Poyferré and Smith Haut Lafitte were joint second 

Cos d'Estournel was fourth.



Finally, we must say a big thank you to The Arch, London, for providing exquisite dishes to match the stunning wines. The menu was as follows:

Please see below Robert Parker's tasting notes on all the wines we tasted on the evening:

2009 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse)

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2025 - 2050 $241-$544 (150) This big wine (nearly 15% natural alcohol) is a blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts an opaque blue/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of charcoal, incense, truffles, blackberry jam, black currants, raspberries and flowers. While enormous in the mouth, the limestone soils in which the grapes are grown give the wine good freshness as well as laser-like clarity and precision. Amazing to taste, this massive, super-concentrated powerhouse comes across as ethereal and almost feminine despite its extravagant fruit, density and richness. It is a modern day legend for sure! Anticipated maturity: 2025-2050+ As I wrote after I tasted this cuvee from barrel, it is clearly the greatest Beausejour-Duffau since the immortal 1990. Under new management, the brilliant duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt is in the process of developing what is one of the great hillside terroirs of Bordeaux and St.-Emilion.

2009 Clinet

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2015 - 2045 $350-$565 (75) Clinet has been on a hot streak lately and the 2009 appears to be the greatest wine ever made at the estate, surpassing even the late Jean-Michel Arcaute’s monumental 1989. A blend of 85% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc (12%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%), this big Pomerol boasts an opaque, moonless night inky/blue/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of blueberry pie, incense, truffles, black raspberries, licorice and wood smoke. Viscous and multi-dimensional with silky, sweet tannin, massive fruit concentration and full-bodied power, there are nearly 4,000 cases of this thick, juicy, perfect Clinet. It should drink well in 3-5 years and keep for 25-30.

2009 Ducru Beaucaillou

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Julien, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2019 - 2069 $269-$834 (225) The 2009 Ducru Beaucaillou will eclipse the brilliant wines produced in 2005, 2003 and 2000. It will be interesting to see how the 2009 fares against the 2010 after twenty years of aging, but my money is on the 2009. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, this inky purple, unctuous wine possesses classic aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, blueberries, violets, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. Full-bodied and intense with Ducru’s inimitable elegance and purity, it should firm up in the bottle after 7-10 years of cellaring and last for 40-50 years. Magnificent! Bruno Borie has done a remarkable job at Ducru Beaucaillou.

2009 Clos Fourtet

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2017 - 2067 $205-$550 (100) After tasting it three times from bottle, I am convinced this prodigious wine is one of the greatest young Bordeaux I have ever tasted. Inky blue/purple with notes of camphor, forest floor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherries, licorice, the wine has stunning aromatics, unctuous texture and an almost inky concentration, but without any hard edges. With considerable tannin and just enough acidity to provide definition, this wine transcends even its premier grand cru classe terroir. It is certainly the finest Clos Fourtet ever produced. Give it 5-7 years of cellaring to allow some of its baby fat to fall away. There is certainly enough structure underneath to keep for 30-50 years. Bravo! From my barrel score of 95-98, I suppose I should have seen this perfect score coming, particularly considering what proprietor Philippe Cuvelier and estate manager Tony Ballu have accomplished over the last decade. This is one of the great terroirs of St.-Emilion, nearly 50 acres high on the clay beds and deep limestone plateau of the region, just a stone’s throw from the luxury hotel and restaurant Hostellerie de Plaisance. Yields were moderate at 34 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend is 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon (somewhat unusual) and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in 80% new oak.

2009 Cos d'Estournel

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Estephe, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2022 - 2072 $301-$1004 (300) One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century.

2009 L'Evangile

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pomerol, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2016 - 2056 $297-$1004 (280) An astonishing effort from the Rothschild family, the 2009 l’Evangile may be the reference point offering from this estate for decades to come. A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak, with 15% natural alcohol, it exhibits a sumptuous bouquet of caramels, black raspberry liqueur, blackberries, violets, graphite and truffles. Thick, viscous flavors are reminiscent of such super-ripe vintages as 1982, 1959, 1949 and 1947. The striking aromatics, massive, full-bodied mouthfeel and multilayered palate that resembles a skyscraper in the mouth offer an abject lesson in great winemaking, extraordinary terroir, and the ability to combine power with precision, elegance and freshness. This is unquestionably a huge wine, but it also possesses mindboggling complexity and finesse. Because of its sheer extract and velvety personality, it will be drinkable in 4-5 years, and will keep for four decades or more where well-stored. The most profound L’Evangile ever made?

2009 Leoville-Poyferre

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Julien, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2018 - 2040 $179-$630 (175) One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.

2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2012 - 2052 $164-$455 (150) The finest wine ever made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia flowers, licorice, charcoal, blueberries, black raspberries, lead pencil shavings and incense. This massive, extraordinarily rich, unctuously textured wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date, although the 2000, 2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan with sweet tannin, emerging charm and delicacy, and considerable power, depth, richness and authority, it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo!

2009 Montrose

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Estephe, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2020 - 2050 $238-$754 (200) A colossal effort, the 2009 Montrose represents a hypothetical blend of the monumental duo of 1989 and 1990 combined with the phenomenal 2003. With 13.7% alcohol (an all-time high at Montrose), it is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Some structure and minerality can be detected in the background, but the overall impression is one of massive blackberry, black currant and mulberry fruit intermixed with forest floor, damp earth, crushed rocks and a hint of spring flowers. Full-bodied with sweet but abundant tannin, Jean-Bernard Delmas believes this is the greatest wine he has made during his short tenure at Montrose since retiring from Haut-Brion. This wine will undoubtedly shut down for a decade, then unleash its power, glory and potential perfection. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.

2009 Pavie

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2020 - 2050 $267-$899 (265) Bottled the week before I arrived, the 2009 Pavie appears to have barely budged since I tasted it two years ago. Many experts consider this phenomenal terroir to be nearly as great as that of Ausone. Made from a classic blend of 60-70% Merlot, 20-25% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, this inky/blue/purple-colored blockbuster reveals wonderful notes of blackberries, crushed rocks, roasted meats, spring flowers, cedar, blueberries, graphite and a hint of vanillin. With extravagant fruit and high extract as well as a hint of minerality, this structured, massively intense effort is typical of all the luxurious, perfect or nearly perfect Pavies produced under the Perse regime (which began in 1998). While built for 40-50 years of cellaring, the softness of the vintage and its flamboyant style is slightly less apparent in the 2009 Pavie than in some of the other Perse wines. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+.

2009 Pontet-Canet

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: 2025 - 2075 $187-$550 (175) An amazing wine in every sense, this classic, full-bodied Pauillac is the quintessential Pontet Canet from proprietor Alfred Tesseron, who continues to reduce yields and farms his vineyards biodynamically – a rarity in Bordeaux. Black as a moonless night, the 2009 Pontet Canet offers up notes of incense, graphite, smoke, licorice, creme de cassis and blackberries. A wine of irrefutable purity, laser-like precision, colossal weight and richness, and sensational freshness, this is a tour de force in winemaking that is capable of lasting 50 or more years. The tannins are elevated, but they are sweet and beautifully integrated as are the acidity, wood and alcohol (which must be in excess of 14%). This vineyard, which is situated on the high plateau of Pauillac adjacent to Mouton Rothschild, appears to have done everything perfectly in 2009. This cuvee should shut down in the cellar and re-open in a decade or more. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2075.

2009 Pape Clement Blanc

A Bordeaux Blanc Blend Dry White Table wine from Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Source Reviewer Rating Maturity Current (Release) Cost

Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012 Robert Parker 100 Drink: N/A $290 (155) The 2009 Pape Clement Blanc is an absolutely remarkable wine, which is not a surprise given what this historic estate has done in both white and red over the last 20 years. Their white wine, an intriguing blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon, 16% Sauvignon Gris and the rest Muscadelle, comes from 7.5 acres of pure gravelly soil. An exquisite nose of honeysuckle, tropical fruit, pineapple, green apples, and orange and apricot marmalade soar from the glass. Great acidity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a texture more akin to great grand cru white Burgundy put this wine in a class by itself. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were others who also think this is pure perfection in white Bordeaux. I tasted this wine four separate times and gave it a perfect score three of the four times. It is one of most exquisite dry white I have ever tasted from anywhere – period. Certainly the founder of Pape Clement, Bertrand de Goth, would be happy with his decision to plant a vineyard here in 1305. Pure genius!