Chateau de Malleret 2009, CB Haut Medoc

A claret by now. In the glass, a medium depth with a garnet rim. On the nose, a well-projected scent of blackberries and cherries with some integrated herbal and earthy notes. The palate shows blackberry/blackcurrant and cherries along with earthy/herbal notes of hawthorn, liquorice and chestnut as well as a pleasant drift of musty cellar. Both the body and the intensity here are medium with age softened tannins, and it is drinking very well now. The finish is persistent; reasonably rich with 14% ABV. Very easy to drink by now.

The Chateau Malleret I know is owned by Patrick Leon, the wine maker for Chateau Margaux for 24 years before he set up Malleret. He in the meantime, helped Sacha Lichine to launch the very successful Chateau D’Lesclans, the great maker for rose wines.

Indeed, it's a rare pleasure to have an affordable and ready Bordeaux from an excellent vintage 2009. A softer wine by now with a majority 56% Merlot, a reasonable good structure with 41.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Light complexity with the 2.5% Petit Verdot. The property is located 15 km from Bordeaux, boasts a sizeable 17th-century chateau and situated on 700 acres. This wine won Silver at the Concours Agricole 2012 wine competition in Paris.

Fellow WWCC writer Natalie McLean commended 89 points. Neal Martin had to say about the 2009 Château de Malleret: “Tasted at the Cru Bourgeois 2009 tasting in London. The de Malleret 2009 has a well-defined cedar and briary-scented bouquet with crisp blackberry and dark plum fruit interlaced with cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly chalky tannins but a very edgy, vibrant finish with lively black fruits that are just slightly clipped on the finish. Otherwise, a very good effort. Tasted September 2011. 89 points”. In our recent tasting in a small catch-up dinner, our taste team upgraded our score to DD91.