2009 Belle Vue (Haut Medoc)

In a somewhat tragic twist, this over-achieving cru bourgeois in Haut-Medoc has turned in its finest wine to date, an unfined cuvee made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 20% Petit Verdot, created by the late proprietor Vincent Mulliez, who died suddenly last year. Sadly, this was his best effort. Notes of blackberries, black currants, licorice and a hint of toasty oak jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, well-endowed, impressively pure and textured wine. It should drink nicely for up to a decade.

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot. Very dark. Oaky and ripe on the nose. NW in its fruit but Bordeaux in its tannins. Big and dense rather than elegant. Plenty of extraction here. Maybe a little too much but perhaps it will settle down… (JH)