Chateau Labegorce (Futures Pre-Sale) 2009
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Wine Spectator
This has dark fruit, but comes off as sleek, with cassis, plum eau de vie, blackberry paste and fig sauce notes all seamlessly held together by light toasty structure. Drink now through 2019. 14,000 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Showing vastly superior from bottle than it did from cask, Labegorce’s 2009 comes from a property that now includes the former estate Labegorce-Zede, which has been absorbed completely into this attractive vineyard just to the north of Chateau Margaux. They have excelled in this vintage. Dense ruby/purple, with notes of creosote, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, this is a rich, medium to full-bodied wine with loads of character and depth. It is usually one of the better values of Bordeaux and it certainly stands out as a major sleeper of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2025.
The Labégorce vineyards include three main plots, totalling 70 hectares in all, although only approximately 40 hectares are fully planted up. All three plots lie in the northernmost part of the commune. The largest plot, accounting for about two-thirds, lies just northeast of the fine chateau, which was constructed by the renowned architect Courcelles. There is a second plot around the chateau itself, accounting for about a quarter of all the Labégorce vines, while the smallest plot lies a little further north around the church in Soussans. The vines average 30 years of age, with the oldest vines, of which there are just four hectares, dating from between 1902 and 1950. More date from 1951 to 1985, whereas a quarter date from 1989 when extensive replanting took place. Vineyard practices involve careful use of chemicals, with no herbicide used at all, and yields are typically 50 hl/ha. Harvesting is by hand, and fermentation begins with a short, cold maceration followed by a temperature controlled process. Each parcel of vines, of which there are many, is vinified separately. The blend is 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Malolactic fermentation takes place in oak, 30% of which is new, where the wine spends up to fifteen months. It is fined using egg whites before bottling. The grand vin is Chateau Labégorce, and the second wine is Chateau Tour de Laroze. There is also a third wine, produced from a 4 hectare plot entitled to the Haut-Médoc appellation, called La Mouline de Labégorce