Magrez-Fombrauge 2009

Tiny yields, malolactic in barrel, aging on its lees and no fining or filtration produced an exotic, full-throttle St.-Emilion boasting an explosive nose of blueberry pie, lead pencil shavings, black truffles, camphor, incense and toasty oak. Made in a borderline extreme style, the wine is extracted and full-bodied with enormous quantities of fruit, extract, tannin and glycerin. The alcohol of just over 14% is not as high as I would have expected. I purchased the 2000 Magrez-Fombrauge and am thrilled by the way it is developing as it is displaying more complexity and nuances now than it did when it was released. I suspect the 2009 will do the same thing, but on a slightly faster evolutionary track. Wines such as this tend to transform from blockbuster fruit bombs into far more civilized, elegant and streamlined wines. The 2009 should be forgotten for 5-6 years and drunk over the following 25-30.

A modern-styled St.-Emilion from the stable of Bernard Magrez-s properties, this limited production (500 or so cases), 100% Merlot cult wine is made from the finest parcel of the Fombrauge vineyard.

A blockbuster, with loads of concentrated fruit and coffee bean and toasty oak on the nose. Full-bodied, with velvety, chewy tannins and a long finish. Big and powerful.

This opaque blue/purple-tinged 2009 (100% Merlot from the best parcel of the Fombrauge vineyard) possesses a bouquet of creosote, truffles, graphite, smoke, blueberries, and assorted black fruits. It is an extreme, super-extracted, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated St.-Emilion boasting massive levels of extract, tannin, and glycerin. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should last for 25-30 years. The fruit was harvested between October 5 and 8. While this is clearly the modernist approach to winemaking, the 2000 tasted recently was showing fabulously well, giving all indications of being a 30-year wine. (Tasted two times.) Drink 2018-2048.