2009: Mother
Nature’s generosity
combined with the
quest for
perfection.
The weather conditions that prevailed in 2009 remind us all of the climate that forged such mythical vintages like 2000, 2005 or even 1982, 1961 and 1945, the more so if we consider the dominant weather patterns at the end of the summer.
In 2009:
• The wet winter favoured the reconstitution of the water-table,
• The spring was fine, albeit marked by frequent storms,
• The superb hot and dry summer exceptionally carried through to mid-October.
These are the ideal weather conditions that marked the whole lifecycle of the vine – from the budding process right through to grape maturity.
During the hot (but not scorching) summer, the plants underwent continual and moderate water-stress – a condition that is beneficial to their quality. The cool nights allowed the vines to rest and favoured their rehydration.
The autumn (September & October) witnessed the perfect maturation of the grapes under excellent weather:
• Record sunshine,
• Higher than normal temperatures
• Drought conditions,
• Some providential rainstorms.
Under such ideal conditions, the harvest started on the 23rd September with the picking of the Merlots, followed by the picking of the Cabernets Sauvignons that greatly benefited from the Indian summer. The harvest ended on the 9th of October.
The grapes brought to the vats had a “textbook” format in the sense that they were the exact replica of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, as they are represented on the plates of ampelography treaties.
All the grapes were perfectly healthy, identical in shape, size and colour (blue for Cabernet Sauvignon and black for Merlot)...! The literally perfect climate brought back to all of us fond memories of the 1982 vintage, except that the yields, bunch repartition and leaf cover as well as vinifications are now more judiciously managed than they were years ago.
The grapes were very sweet and particularly tasty, with beautifully ripe skins and pips. They revealed no signs of over-ripeness, but were marked by a slight touch of acidity that buttressed their wonderful fruit and superb freshness.
As exceptional as it may seem, it was possible, just by tasting the grapes in the vineyard, to determine the ideal harvest time for each plot and to foresee not only the character of the wine that would be produced, but also its taste, richness and balance.
Thanks to modern viticultural and oenological techniques, the 2009 vintage produced pure and precise wines, characterised by heights of concentration yet unattained at Ducru-Beaucaillou. Although the harvest was close in quality to its 1982 counterpart, it yielded wines that are unquestionably superior to their elders.
The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a rich, generous, and luscious wine. Solid and voluptuously built around ripe and dense tannins, it is fruity and fresh, with a perfect acidity. Its finale is unending and sensual.
To poetically describe this wine, one could compare it, if it were music, to a beautiful piece of “languorous soul”; were it an icon, it would evoke Beyoncé Knowles in a gold and deep red satin evening dress.
The 2009 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 85% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.
