A remarkable success composed of essences of a perfect vintage

 

Mayfair Fine Wines team has tasted the 2009 wines during the en primeur tastings hosted at the top Chateaux in Bordeaux in the last week of March for choosing a focused and promising selection for our valued customers. Please see our offerings – updated 19/07/2010

See Mayfair Fine Wines 2009 Bordeaux En Primeur Brochure

 

Weather & Climate Conditions

Arriving after a lovely summer and magnificent harvest, the 2009 Bordeaux vintage has met, almost perfectly, the following six conditions essential for composing a perfect Bordeaux vintage:

1)		Early and rapid flowering
2)		Fruit-set at the beginning June in dry, warm and sunny summery weather
3)		Early grape color change starting in late July
4)		Full ripening credited to hot and dry August and September combined with variable rainfalls and particularly dry weather in the Medoc
5)		"Dream harvest" of picking each grape variety at individual peak ripeness under dry conditions in late September and October
6)		Vibrantly astounding wines tasted at the properties, satisfying smiles of tasters and well-composed excitement of the owners and wine-makers during the en primeur tasting

An unique aspect for the winemakers in 2009 was managing the high levels of alcohol with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlots reaching maximums of 12.5% and 13.5%, respectively – fully expressing the terroir and characteristics of the remarkable 2009 vintage.

 

Characteristics Highlights

•		Gentler, softer and rounder styles with resemblances of 1947and 1982
•		Without extreme concentration as in 1990 or 2003 and vigorous tannins of 2000 and 2005
•		Lower acidity than in 2005 yet greater than in 2000 and especially 2003
•		Reds – deep color, stunning fruits, powerful yet roundly polished tannins and silky concentrations with vibrant freshness
•		Whites – great complexity with intense flavors
•		Sauternes & Barsac – impressively rich and powerful combined with outstanding purity and depth

 

Château Lafite Rothschild (WS 96 – 99)

"Offers currant and wild raspberry, with a lilac and exotic character on the nose, turning to sweet tobacco and cedar. Full-bodied, showing very racy tannins and a balance of pretty fruit. This is powerful yet elegant, almost delicate, with a wonderful polish. But then the tannins take off. Muscular yet agile. A very classic Bordeaux Style."

 

Carruades de Lafite (WS 89 – 92)

"Sweet berry and currant on the nose, with hints of cedar and sandalwood. Full-bodied, with wonderful milk chocolate and berry character. Long and supersilky. Love the balance to this. Slightly green tea aromas and flavors at the finish."

 

Château Latour (WS 97 – 100)

"This is incredibly floral on the nose, with violet and lilac as well as dark and ripe raspberry and blueberry. Full-bodied, with a dense and incredibly rich palate yet held back and in reserve. Such precision and beauty. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This reminds me of the 1990, but better made and better raised. It is really the style of Latour, where the tannins grab you at the end. This will most likely be a perfect wine."

 

Les Forts de Latour (WS 92 – 95)

"Violet and mineral, with hints of blackberry and blueberry on the nose. Full-bodied, with superreserved and refined tannins, yet dense and very impressive. Long and racy. Lasts for minutes. Second wine of Latour."

 

Château Mouton Rothschild (WS 97 – 100)

"I am speechless over the nose in this wine. Mint, blackberry, currant and black licorice turn to flowers such as lilacs and roses. Wow. It fills your mouth with the same fruit, but with an intensity of superpolished tannins. It finishes with complex yet reserved coffee, toasted oak and ripe fruit and then in two or three minutes it becomes milk chocolate. Just a joy to taste. Best Mouton since 1982 or 1986; in fact, it's like a bend of the two. A perfect Mouton?."

 

Château Margaux (WS 96 – 99)

"The nose is so intensely fruity, but subtle and reserved at the same time. Fascinating. Full-bodied, yet superrefined, building on the palate. It's like watching a long-distance runner starting off slowly but continuing along his or her path. Fine and dense tannins. A few minutes in the glass and the massive tannins show. Muscular and subdued."

 

Château Haut-Brion (WS 97 – 100)

"A dark and brooding wine, delivering blackberry, black licorice, mahogany, subtle grilled meat and raspberry jam. Full-bodied, with layers of ripe and chewy tannins. Loads of fruit yet subtle and reserved, and a long, long finish. Super fruit, yet held back. A 2005 in the remaking, but perhaps slightly supercharged."

 

Château Haut-Brion White (WS 94 – 97)

"Shows exotic tropical fruit such as lychee and mango, with citrus undertones and cream. Full-bodied, offering loads of intense fruit on the palate. Bright acidity and a minerally, flinty undertone. Impressive finish. Not the 2007, but very good indeed."

 

Château d’Yquem (WS 97 – 100)

"What a fabulous wine. It’s an explosion of fruit, yet it’s very refined. I absolutely love the nose on this, with apricot tart, apple crumble, caramel and crème brûlée. Full-bodied, superripe and spicy, with mango, papaya, spices and sweet dried lemons. Incredibly long. It really rocks your socks off. Amazing. This could be even better than 2001."

 

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (WS 96 – 99)

"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."

 

Château Pichon-longueville-lalande (WS 95 – 98)

"Wow. This has an incredible complexity on the nose of currant, spice, mineral and flowers. Full-bodied, with a great density of fruit and tannins, yet polished and beautiful. This could be the new 1982 from here. Made from 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 percent Merlot and 5 percent Petit Verdot."

 

Château Ausone  (WS 97 – 100)

"Such a dreamy, perfumed aroma to this wine. Full-bodied, but wonderfully polished and integrated. It touches every millimeter of your palate and the texture makes you want to cry. It touches your soul. Goes on for minutes. Another perfect red?"

 

Château Clinet  (WS 95 – 98)

"Blackberry and mineral aromas, with flowers. Full-bodied, but reserved and supersilky and pretty. This is the bomb. Forget the 1989."

 

La Mondotte (WS 95 – 98)

"Black olive, green olive and coffee bean. Ripe fruit too. Full-bodied, with velvety and polished tannins and fabulous fruit. Love the texture and depth of fruit to this wine. So long too. Tangy freshness at the end."

 

Château Le Pin (WS 96 – 99)

"This is classic Merlot from Pomerol on the nose, with black licorice, black olive and rich fruit. Yet it’s subtle and pretty. Full-bodied, and chewy, with loads of power. Tannic and muscular. Chocolate, coffee and vanilla bean. I can’t remember a Le Pin like this. You’d have to go back to 1986, or 1983."

 

Vieux-Chateau-Certan (WS 97 – 100)

"This has an incredible nose of chocolate and berries that turns to sweet tobacco and China tea leaves. Full-bodied, with a beautiful softness and silkiness that makes you want to keep tasting it. Goes on and on. 84 percent Merlot, 8 percent Cabernet Franc and 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon."

 

WS = Wines Spectator; James Suckling’s preliminary ratings and tasting notes

 

 

The reputation of a new vintage in Bordeaux is built on two important elements: the potential quality of wines and the market’s expectation. In anticipation of the new vintage, buying Bordeaux en primeur, wine futures, has been raising considerable interests amongst wine loves and investors.

 

Purchasing en primeur not only enables wine lovers and collectors to have first hand access to the wines before bottling from barrels but also provides exceptional returns for investors, particularly with increasing reputation of Bordeaux wines. Moreover, owners of the wines are provided with certainty of the provenance of the wines. Preferred bottling sizes at the collectors’ preference enables the access to less common formats, from half-bottles to magnum and larger.

 

Whilst the prices offered en primeur tend to be considerably lower than the prices after wines have been bottled and released to the market, substantial variations in investment returns and evolution of wines through ageing have been seen for wines from different Chateaux. From the perspectives of both collectors and investors, it is important to choose the suitable wines based on the collectors’ objectives.

 

 

•		Order Confirmation:
		1)		Order indication with selection and quantity specified via email, fax or by phone
		2)		Written confirmation on allocation and invoice from Mayfair to be sent via email or fax
		3)		Payment is due on invoice
		4)		Official receipt issued by Mayfair via mail
•		Prices
		1)		Please refer to "Mayfair Fine Wines 2009 En Primeur Offerings" for the latest price list
		2)		Minimum order is 1 case of 12 bottles (750ml) for each wine
		3)		Offered in Euros unless otherwise stated
•		Bottling:
		1)		Bottling instruction to be advised to Mayfair before 31st August 2010
		2)		Prices are for standard 750ml bottles
		3)		Additional charges, to be informed on bottling instruction, to be applied in other formats if specified
•		Availability and Storage:
		1)		Collection instruction to be advised to Mayfair by 30th November 2011
		2)		Storage charges to be applied at HKD12 per case of 12 bottles per month post 30th November 2011
		3)		Wines are offered ex-cellars Bordeaux / in bond and collection is expected to be in Spring / Summer 2012
		4)		Delivery to Hong Kong is HKD150 per case of 12 bottles exclusive of insurance costs
		5)		If you wish to trade or store your wines at the In-bond facility located at Bordeaux, please refer to "Provenance In Bond" guide
•		Terms of Sale:
		1)		Mayfair Fine Wines' standard terms of sale apply
		2)		Duty and taxes will be charged separately as appropriate and to be informed to customers
		3)		For non-payment after 30 days of invoice all orders will be cancelled