Clos Vougeot - Grand Cru 2009
The vintage
We harvested between the 5th and 18th of September.
The 2009 vintage arrived softly with a mild spring and a rather hot June and July, even if rains tried to upset the weather's balance at the end of July and for part of August. The harvest began fairly early, especially for Domaine and Maison de Montille, where freshness, precision and balance are always favored rather risking over-ripeness. We started on the 5th and finished on the 18th of September. The results give a freshness and balance on the palate that favor a lift and a savoriness in our wines that don't give a typical impression of the vintage.
2009 is an excellent red wine vintage. Its quality compares to 2005, even if the profile of these two vintages and their optimal drinking windows are different. In fact, the 2009s resemble the 1959s or perhaps the 1989s with their ripe, yet still crackling red fruits as well as some black cherry notes melting into a background of spices mixed in with floral notes, if for no other reason than that we left in whole clusters, which we often do.
The mouthfeels are suave and vinous with freshly acidic notes and finely tuned a tannic structure that gives the wines more suppleness than the 2005s. The finishes are persistent and fresh to the point of being vibrant.
Most will be ready to drink between 2015 and 2025, while the Grands Premiers Crus and the Grands Crus can wait until 2030 or even 2040 and will be magnificent bottles.
Tasting notes
- Good full, bright red. Expressive, very ripe aromas of raspberry, red cherry, licorice and flowers. Broad, ripe and fine-grained, displaying a restrained mid-palate sweetness and very good energy. Finishes classically dry and long, with chocolatey tannins and a saline element. De Montille notes that the 2008 was the first vintage for this cuvee that gave him real satisfaction. But this should be even better. 90-93 Stephen Tanzer
- 100% stems
Tasting note: An elegant and ultra-pure red pinot fruit nose is liberally laced with warm earth and floral nuances, both of which can be found on the equally pure and almost painfully intense flavors that possess excellent power and pin point detail, all wrapped in a youthfully austere and dramatically long finish. If this can add depth over the next decade or so, it should merit the top of my predicted range. Tasted: May 06, 2011 - Score: 91-94 - Drink: 2024+
Burghound Issue 42