2009 Chateau Guiraud 2009 375ml

96 POINTS

Wine Spectator

This is a bird of a different feather, with an exotic, vibrant aroma of toasted coconut, followed by an almond cream note that gives way to the core of green fig, papaya, Cavaillon melon and honey. There's stunning richness and mouthfeel, with the power to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Very impressive.

96 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

95-97 Barrel sample. Poised well between complex dry botrytis and very sweet, ripe fruit, this is a concentrated wine, full of richness rather than total sweetness. There is a final burst of spice.

96 POINTS

James Suckling

Gorgeous aromas of dried apricots, apple pie crust and pineapple. Full-bodied, with medium sweetness. Dense and layered. Beautiful now but will improve with age.

95 POINTS

Peter Moser - Falstaff

Intense yellow gold colour with silver reflections. Nuances of ripe apricots, a hint of orange marmalade, fine touch of honey. Powerful on the palate, firm texture, mineral and fine balance, well-integrated acidity, good length, definite ageing potential, fine nougat and coconut touch on the finish. Already accessible, but better to wait.

94 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

This is a smoky, rich wine that shows evident wood aging. This feature adds weight, though the sweetness is currently muted. It is a wine with potential intensity; the fruit and acidity will emerge in several years.

94 POINTS

Neal Martin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2009 Guiraud is very tight on the nose, taking time to unfurl, with notes of apricot, peach, a touch of honeysuckle and quince. Good definition. The palate is impressive: tightly coiled, honeyed fruit, very fine acidity, linear at first then fanning out across the finish with notes of dried apricot, nectarine, a touch of almond and a faint hint of spice. With good length and unctuous on the finish, this Guiraud is impossible to ignore.