Chateau Haut-Beausejour 2009
Wine Specs
Vintage
2009
Bottling Date
1
Alcohol %
13
In Stock
This is a ‘must try’ red wine. Made from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s loaded with big fruits intermixed with subtle spicy aromas. Silky and well rounded, the succulent red fruit flavours come through with ripe tannins and oaky complexity, creating the perfect balance of freshness and juicy crispness. The length of flavours in this wine is amazing.
Tasting Note
AromaMasses of fruits intermixed with very subtle spicy aromas, the sign of perfectly ripe grapes.
ClosureCork
GrapeMerlot,Cabernet Sauvignon
Grape Variety60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Maturation
Oaked4
PalateThe attack is silky and round, developing density but remaining fresh. Concentrated fruity flavours come through with lovely ripe tannins, providing good body on the mid-palate.
VarietalV_REDBLEND
VinificationAfter a hard winter with some dramatic gales, bud-break in the vines occurred, as in 2008, quite late -at the end of March and the beginning of April, depending on the plots. The month of April was quite rainy, bringing the threat of fungal disease and causing mediocre vine shooting. The hot, sunny weather that arrived in May enabled the vines to catch up on lost time and ensured excellent conditions for the flowering process –the very opposite scenario to the 2008 growing season. It shouldn’t be forgotten that violent hailstorms also hit the Bordeaux region in May, causing substantial damage to crops in Margaux and Saint Emilion, but fortunately sparing the north of the Médoc. We at last enjoyed another glorious summer, during which maximum temperatures in July were comparable with those of 2005 and above average for our region. In spite of higher rainfall than in 2005 (and even in 2008), vine vegetation growth stopped before the grape-colour change, which began at the end of July. The mid-point of grape colour-change (mid-veraison) was 10 days ahead of 2008. The month of August was hotter than in 2005, but temperatures only rarely went over 30°C. Continuing the comparison of 2005 with 2009 the differences in the latter included cool nights which were much more frequent in August 2009. These ideal ripening conditions protected the fruit, acidity and colour of the grapes. Whilst a number of stormy spells occurred in the region, the northern Médoc escaped these conditions but went through a period of drought. This caused some withering of leaves in the young vines. Outstanding ripening conditions continued until the end of October, enabling each plot to comfortably reach perfect ripeness. This weather pattern was interrupted briefly around the weekend of 18th to 20th September by some very beneficial rain, which enabled the malic acid to drop quickly and the tannins to develop. By mid-September, thanks to high potential alcoholic degrees (between 13 and 13.5°), high phenolic potential, and the ripeness of the tannins, we were able to begin the harvest.
RegionBordeaux - France
Region CodeIFRABORDEX
Region Notes
State
Subregion
WinemakerPhillipe Moreau
Wine StyleRed (Full Bodied)
Wine Specs
Vintage
2009
Bottling Date
1
Alcohol %
13
Wine Profile
Awards
Ben Thomas
0
2013/08/03
The Weekly Review, 3 August 2013
Haut-Beauséjour is part of the Louis Roederer family, which is most famous for its Cristal Champagne. It’s a stylish wine, too, with layered aromas of redcurrants, cassis, tobacco, and quality oak. This is concentrated and bordering on full-bodied with blackcurrant, blackberry, mulberry and vanilla flavours, but refreshing acid adds restraint and keeps the wine light on its feet. Add fine-grained tannins and you’ve got a pretty slick wine.
Winemaker Notes
The whole is both rich and silky; the length of flavours is amazing, leaving a finish packed with flavour which is not at all drying. The ageing in barrel should provide extra aromatic complexity and roundness. The aim is to preserve the balance, freshness and juicy crispness of this wine.
Food Pairing Notes
lamb, beef, bbq, hard cheese