2009 Jean Gautreau Haut-Médoc

The 2009 Cuvée Jean Gautreau is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Merlot picked between September 18 and October 5. The bouquet is not dissimilar to the 2005, offering well-defined blackberry, raspberry preserve and cranberry fruit, followed by incense and sandalwood. The new oak is neatly subsumed. The palate is lively and energetic on the entry, then quite spicy and saline, displaying supple but firm tannin and hints of dark chocolate toward the finish, which fans out confidently. Superb. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet.