2009 - Beychevelle, Saint-Julien

Revisited at about fifteen years of age, there is some early maturity to the hue here. In keeping with this there is good evolution, with toasted spices, leather, dried cherry and dark chocolate, not to mention a little emerging black tea leaf and black truffle. It has a ripe and charming warmth, one followed by a beautifully cool presence on the palate, with coolly polished dark fruits, as well as a backbone of surprisingly firm and unsurprisingly ripe tannin, which adds a grippy structure to it all. Long and polished, there is still some resolution to do in the structure here. Like many wines of the 2009 vintage though, it would benefit from a modestly cooler pouring temperature to focus the structure. Drink or hold.

Juicy, richly textured, plenty of depth here, rich red and black fruits, stretching out through the palate, fresh on the finish, this takes time to open and is still young in feel, not as generous as some 2009s but captures the graphite and gunsmoke of a Left Bank Cab and will keep on delivering. Harvest September 21 to 12 October, 60% new oak for ageing.

The 2009 Beychevelle is very perfumed and floral on the nose with brambly red fruit loam, incense and mint. It's well-defined and shows more pedigree than the 2005. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple entry, a fine bead of acidity and slightly grainy in texture. This has a touch of curry leaf towards the finish that I have found on previous bottles. Drinking now, and it should cruise for another 15-20 years. Tasted at the Beychevelle vertical at the property.