So, Day 2 over. A simply sensational visit to Moueix. We kicked off with a chat with Christian Moueix at their offices in Libourne. We learned here that, at least on the Right Bank, 2009 is not an absolutely homogeneous success. The first chink in the armour of this much-hyped vintage. A hail storm struck the east of St-Emilion in May damaging a number of vineyards, reducing yields, in some cases by as much as 40%. We will learn more of how this has affected the wines of St-Emilion at the UGC tastings next week.
The tasting of the Moueix wines was quite brilliant. Right through from Barrail du Blanc up to Trotanoy, the wines display the hallmark purity and high class fruit we have come to expect from these wines. Add to that the intensity and concentration of the vintage and the results are exceptional.
Barrail du Blanc is definitely going to be one of the star value buys of the vintage, so too Songes de Magdelaine. Opinion was split on the Magdelaine and Belair-Monange, half of us preferring the concentration and beautiful fruit of Magdelaine and the others blown away by the amazing intensity, freshness and mineral drive of Belair-Monange.
In Pomerol there was almost unanimous agreement that Latour à Pomerol was the wine of the tasting. That said, La Fleur-Pétrus, Hosanna and Trotanoy were also beautifully made. Those who were lucky enough to taste here last year (arguably the highest rated range of wines Christian and his team have produced) confirmed that the 2009s had scored slightly higher marks than the 2008s when tasted this time last year.
La Grave à Pomerol cannot go without a mention, probably the finest young vintage I can remember trying. A more reserved style than some but wonderfully balanced.
A delicious lunch with Christian and his wife, Cherise, was washed down with 2000 Hosanna – succulent, fleshy and ripe allied to beautiful purity – and 1995 Trotanoy. This comfirmed what a terrific vintage 1995 is, packed with dense fruit and lovely flesh all wrapped around succulent, fleshy tannins.
We left Chez Moueix and headed south to Bel Air Graves de Vayres, one of the stalwarts of the C&B list. We tasted right through from 2003 to 2009 which was fascinating. The undisputed stars were the 2003 and the 2006. After some canny negotiating we have walked away with a terrific parcel of the sumptuous 2003 which will be followed by the equally scrummy 2006.
La Tupina in Bordeaux tonight for a bit of traditional south-west French cuisine before a day in St-Emilion with François Mitjavile tomorrow.