Château La Cabanne 2009

This delivers a clean, polished and direct beam of cherry sauce and cassis, framed by hints of spice and backed by a light toasty finish. Not big, but pure and balanced. Drink now through 2015. 2,000 cases made.

This rich, wood-aged wine shows a fine balance between rich black-fruit and new toast flavors. It has weight and power, without being over the top. For medium-term aging.

Bright ruby and damson fruits, violet-tinged, this is just gorgeous. Plump rich fruit, softened by just over a decade in bottle. It has gentle woodsmoke and earth rounding out the already softened tannins, and overall just a juicy, rich wine that is packed full of Pomerol seduction.

Ripe and exotic wine with lots of ripe fruit such as plum and berry. Chocolate too. Full body, chewy tannins and a long finish. Walnut. Chocolate finish. Decadent.

Oxidised sample. Good juicy fruit underneath though not that sweet – quite dry on the finish, in fact. Then alcohol. A bit ungainly. (JR)

The 2009 La Cabanne is deep in colour and shows little signs of aging compared to others in this vintage. It has a vital and energetic bouquet that is well-defined, focused and surprisingly youthful, with layers of blackberry, raspberry and violets. The palate demonstrates more structure than other Pomerols I have tasted, gentle in terms of grip with a slightly granular texture. Predominately red fruit, it feels smooth and cohesive with just a touch of gaminess percolating through with time. This is an excellent La Cabanne, drinking beautifully now, but on this showing, it will give another 15-20 years of drinking pleasure.

Time has been good to this wine. Showing much better than it did 7 years ago, today, you find a mature, silky, elegant, medium-bodied, earthy, plummy wine with a bit of truffle and a soft, refined finish. This is not a long ager, so I would opt for drinking this over the next 7 years or so. No decanting needed. Just pop, pour and enjoy.

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet sheen at the rim. Open, ripe bouquet with gianduja chocolate notes, caramel and dried fruits, plenty of smoky nuances, with a slightly bacon-like touch. On the palate, velvety with soft contours yet still somewhat demanding, with a solid core and a peppery finish.

Deep purple, saturated at the core, with a garnet sheen at the rim. The nose feels a bit cool and reserved, plum skins. On the palate, quite firm with a demanding astringency, yet there’s something muted underneath. Will it shake that off again? Potential rating: 17/20. 12:

Velvety, fine, opulent and powerful bouquet: blackberries, smoked bacon, chocolate, leafy/spicy notes. Broad, soft palate with firm tannins, a sweet, appealing aromatic profile, and a dry finish. 17/20 2015 - 2028

Supple, velvety palate; a slight lack of density—drink sooner rather than later.

The 2009 reveals notes of praline and black berries, while showing freshness and hints of graphite. On the palate, the wine has substance. It can rely on the support of its compact, perfectly integrated tannins, which ensure both its current poise and its future. A wine in great shape, with muscle and a touch of charm.