2009 is the sexiest, most opulent vintage I have tasted.” – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider 

2009 benefitted from a very promising growing season, with plenty of sunshine and warmth throughout – a ripe vintage allowed the winemakers to focus all their efforts making the wines a genuine expression of the terroir.  The concentrated wines and plethora of high scores given out by the critics gave the Bordelais every encouragement to sell the en primeur campaign as the vintage of the decade.  It was released at record prices for the time and eagerly bought up by the market.  Its "legendary" status was cemented when Robert Parker went on to award a record 19 wines the full 100 pts when he released his in bottle tasting notes and ratings for the vintage in 2012 – the Smith Haut Lafitte we will be tasting is one of Parker’s 100 pointers. 

The Society is fortunate that their Committee invested in the promise of powerful wines and sumptuous fruit, and curated a fantastic selection of wines.  The consensus seems to be that the 2009s are now very approachable and therefore fifteen years on looks like an excellent juncture to test how this much-heralded this vintage is faring. 

We are thrilled to be joined once again by Richard Bampfield MW – who has pronounced the prospect of this tasting to be “mouth-watering”.  We hope you will join Richard and the Committee at Salters’ Hall to find out what all the hype was about back in 2009 and enjoy what promises to be an epic tasting of some sumptuous wines.

The Grand Cru wines from the 2009 vintage that we will be tasting are as follows: 

Branaire-Ducru
Haut Batailley
Calon Segur
Leoville-Poyferre
Gazin
Rauzan Segla
Grand Puy Lacoste
Smith Haut Lafitte 

The wines for this tasting come from the Society’s stocks, providing amazing value for members with tickets priced at considerably less than an equivalent commercial tasting.   Member tickets are £110 and guest tickets are £130.

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Will Robertson on will.robertson@realestate.bnpparibas or Duncan Holden on duncanandliz@btinternet.com