Château Vieux Maillet Pomerol Bordeaux 2009

Château Vieux Maillet Pomerol Bordeaux 2009

For early week dinner with some left over steak and an assortment of artisan cheeses, I pulled from the cellar this middle aged Right Bank Bordeaux blend.

Château Vieux Maillet castle sits outside the village of Pomerol, on the edge of the Pomerol plateau, in the Pomerol AOC, near the appellation Saint-Emilion. In the area are some of the most prestigious and noted producers of the region, Châteaux Petrus and Figeac, to name a few. The area is known for the diversity of soils with gritty brown soil, clay, flabby iron slag, sandy clay on a deep base, all which combine to giving the wines expression, complexity and depth.

Herve and Griet Lavale, owners of Châteaux Lussac and Franc Mayne, took over the estate with eleven acres of vineyards in 2004, and set upon an ambitious renovation and modernization.  They changed the team, expanded the vineyard, and modernized the winery and vinification with new equipment, installing new gravity feed vats, all coming together prompting Robert Parker to write, "The 2009 is finest wine I have ever tasted from this estate".

The vineyards are planted 90% to Merlot with 90%, with the remainder planted in Cabernet Franc. 

The guiding principles for the Laviales and their team are, "from the vineyard to the winery, for the fruit, the fine grapes, vinified well, express the wonders of Pomerol." 

Château Vieux Maillet Pomerol Bordeaux 2009

Reflecting the vineyard plantings of the estate, this is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.  

At thirteen years, this is likely at its peak, but not likely to improve further with aging. The fill level, foil, label, and most importantly the cork, were all in pristine condition. 

This release was awarded 91 points by Wine Enthusiast, 89-91 points by  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 90 points by James Suckling and Wine Spectator.

Nice casual sipping with the steak and cheeses. Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, black current, blackberry and plum fruits with notes of dark mocha and tobacco with hints of espresso and earth with silky tannins and a 'delicately fruity finish'. 

RM 89 points. 

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