Beausejour Duffau 2009

St Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B

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Tasting Notes
A blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is utter perfection, and man, what a wine. Deep, inky, incredibly concentrated, yet also silky and weightless, it delivers that rare mix of intensity and weightlessness on the palate. Offering layers of blackcurrants, crushed flowers, lead pencil, incense and loads of spice-box, it shows the intensity and rich of the 2009 vintage yet is perfectly balanced, has building tannins, and a huge finish. It’s as good as it gets. Give bottles another 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Score: 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2023-2053 25 August 2018
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. Score: 100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025-2050 01 March 2012
Unquestionably the greatest Beausejour-Duffau since the 1990, this property has made a strong comeback under the brilliant management of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. One of St.-Emilion’s greatest terroirs, it has underperformed in most vintages, although it generally produces very interesting wines because of its location and old vines. The 2009 is a whopper. A blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14.8% natural alcohol, there is no hint of its aging in 100% new oak barrels given the extraordinary concentration and texture of the fruit. An inky/purple color is accompanied by a sumptuous bouquet of spring flowers, black truffles, wet rocks, blackberries, and black currants. The wine builds incrementally in the mouth with an ethereal lightness and precision that is unexpected in view of its massive concentration, power, and intensity. One of the vintage’s most compelling efforts, it should evolve for 30-40 years. Bravo! (Tasted three times.) 96-98+ Score: 96 - 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-43 01 April 2010
Aromas of sliced fresh mushrooms, with dark berries and hints of lemons. Full-bodied, with tight and chewy tannins that are very polished and rich. A finish of dark berries and polished tannins. Serious austerity to this. Try in 2018. Score: 94 James Suckling, - Maturity: 2018+ 15 February 2012
Offers floral and licorice notes, with gorgeous fruit. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a beautiful, very long finish. Very fine and racy. Really serious. Stéphane Derenoncourt is now consulting here and I expect great things. Score: 93 - 96 James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2010
Bright and crimson. Not much nose and a little tired. Succulent fruit on the palate. Then pretty dry, angular. A long way from knit! More interest than some of the simply sweet. Chewy juicy cherry juice. 16.5+ Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2030 30 March 2010

Tasting Notes

A blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is utter perfection, and man, what a wine. Deep, inky, incredibly concentrated, yet also silky and weightless, it delivers that rare mix of intensity and weightlessness on the palate. Offering layers of blackcurrants, crushed flowers, lead pencil, incense and loads of spice-box, it shows the intensity and rich of the 2009 vintage yet is perfectly balanced, has building tannins, and a huge finish. It’s as good as it gets. Give bottles another 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.

Score: 100

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2023-2053 25 August 2018

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.

Score: 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025-2050 01 March 2012

Unquestionably the greatest Beausejour-Duffau since the 1990, this property has made a strong comeback under the brilliant management of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. One of St.-Emilion’s greatest terroirs, it has underperformed in most vintages, although it generally produces very interesting wines because of its location and old vines. The 2009 is a whopper. A blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14.8% natural alcohol, there is no hint of its aging in 100% new oak barrels given the extraordinary concentration and texture of the fruit. An inky/purple color is accompanied by a sumptuous bouquet of spring flowers, black truffles, wet rocks, blackberries, and black currants. The wine builds incrementally in the mouth with an ethereal lightness and precision that is unexpected in view of its massive concentration, power, and intensity. One of the vintage’s most compelling efforts, it should evolve for 30-40 years. Bravo! (Tasted three times.) 96-98+

Score: 96 - 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2013-43 01 April 2010

Aromas of sliced fresh mushrooms, with dark berries and hints of lemons. Full-bodied, with tight and chewy tannins that are very polished and rich. A finish of dark berries and polished tannins. Serious austerity to this. Try in 2018.

Score: 94

James Suckling, - Maturity: 2018+ 15 February 2012

Offers floral and licorice notes, with gorgeous fruit. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a beautiful, very long finish. Very fine and racy. Really serious. Stéphane Derenoncourt is now consulting here and I expect great things.

Score: 93 - 96

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2010

Bright and crimson. Not much nose and a little tired. Succulent fruit on the palate. Then pretty dry, angular. A long way from knit! More interest than some of the simply sweet. Chewy juicy cherry juice. 16.5+

Score: 16 - 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2017-2030 30 March 2010

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