Château La Tour Figeac 2009

The finest wine yet made by this estate run by Stephane Derenoncourt’s wife, Christine, this blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc tips the scales at 14+% alcohol. It exhibits copious aromas of blueberries, raspberries, asphalt, truffles, charcoal and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied and powerful with low acidity, excellent freshness and precision, and deep, glycerin-imbued, high octane flavors, the vintage’s tell-tale voluptuousness and opulence are nicely wedded to a sense of freshness and delineation. Drink this beautiful St.-Emilion over the next two decades.

A dense, fleshy style, with mouthfilling raspberry and boysenberry pâte de fruit notes, layered with apple wood, espresso and loam. There's plenty of weight on the finish, with a slightly chunky feel and a lovely echo of dark fruit and tobacco. Best from 2014 through 2024. 5,044 cases made.

92-94 Barrel sample. A dense wine, very rich and concentrated, the Cabernet Franc tannins giving bitter chocolate and dark structure. Meantime, the fruit is ripe, sweet, packed with blackberry flavors.

Aromas of blueberries, with a toasted oak and meat character. Full-bodied, with soft and velvety tannins and a berry, toasted oak finish. Rich, yet subtle. Needs at least three or four years to come together.

Truffle, spice, mushroom, black pepper, jammy blackberries, full bodied, filled with ripe dark fruit, round tannins and a soft, plush, red and black fruit filled finish.

Deep purple-garnet colour. Intense black-fruit bouquet with plenty of blackberry, blackcurrant, liquorice, dark chocolate and vanilla seeds, plus a hint of vintage Port. A superb palate, with warm, lavish intensity of dark berries, dark noble woods, rich yet fine astringency, dark malt and blackcurrant on the finish. Wow! This is the best Tour-Figeac en primeur we have ever had the chance to taste.

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet shimmer at the rim. An intense, black-fruited bouquet: lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, liquorice, dark chocolate and vanilla pulp, with a hint of vintage Port. A sublime palate, warm fruit once again with black berries to spare, dark noble woods, rich yet fine astringency, dark malt and blackcurrant on the finish. Wow! This was/is the best La Tour-Figeac we have ever been able to taste en primeur.

A fruity, fresh, elegant bouquet with strawberry, raspberry, mocha, caramel and cinnamon sugar notes. A silky, fruity, elegant palate with refined, generous fruit, plenty of fine tannins and a powerful, full, sweet aromatic profile. Very long, fresh finish. 18/20 2016 - 2035

Enjoyable, a great value wine that delivers some of that 2009 joy. Cinnamon, tobacco, raspberry, flash of heat, but plenty of brambled fruit and cut herb character. 50% new oak for ageing. Otto Rettenmaier owner.

Dense and firm, broad-shouldered with good spicy freshness.

Sample (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc) drawn from a new oak barrel. A fine, complete wine with excellent structure and great finesse. Harmonious and polished on the finish, it shows completeness and length, with freshness on the finish.

Bordering Pomerol and farmed biodynamically, this lovely wine has all the fullness of the 2009 vintage, with a silky texture and lovely volume, yet its light terroir prevents any heaviness and it remains very airy. Has good ageing potential. If you happen to come across the second wine (L’Esquisse), pick up a few bottles.

Dark, intense color. Very aromatic nose, fruity and ripe, with a hint of smokiness. The palate is very refined and silky, with precise texture, plenty of flavor, body, and fine tannins. A very beautiful, sappy and long finish. Without being powerful, the overall impression is very distinguished. A strong pleasure factor.