Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I need to start w/ a little preamble.

For me, Pessac-Leognan was a late comer Bordeaux region. The last one I gravitated to in my 26 yr Bordeaux experience.

Nearly all the previous 2000 Bordeaux’s I’ve had up to this point needed a lot more cellaring. Mostly 1st & 2nd Growths, some 3rd. This 2000 started lean…lacking depth & a bigger tannin profile. But that is not entirely uncharacteristic for older Pessac’s. It seemed slightly more late in its drinking window. It picked up weight in the decanter at 2 1/2 hours and then showed more weight & depth w/ my Ribcap.

This started elegant w/ soft Bordeaux characteristics. Beauty & elegance as I understand it in Bordeaux’s from this region and this kind of age. But lacked 2000 earthiness & depth. For me, this is a 3rd tier Pessac producer, my terminology. Not up there with Haut Bailly or Pape Clement and of course Haut Brion.

2000’s up to this point have shown great depth & deep characteristics. Most needing longer than anticipated aging.

This was beautiful, elegant but lean based on previous definitions. Early on it seemly felt like it was a drink up in the next 3 yrs w/o the steak. With a longish decant & steak, more 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows muddled to slightly stewy; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, some mushroom notes, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles-top soils with dark, red, withering flowers.

The palate shows beautiful elegance with nothing that bites back. Perfectly resolved velvety tannins. Ripe, juicy, somewhat ruby fruits. Yet, have slightly stewy characteristics. Dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, softly layered & even baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid, dark, Asian spices, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened, nearly sweet graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, charcoal, volcanic ash, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles, dry top soils with dark, red, withering flowers, near perfect acidity, well balanced w/ softened structure/tension, great length and an elegant finish that goes on and on and long sets on spice & clay.

Almost new cork and little to no sediment.

92-93 with a long decant & a rich, fatty steak-Ribcap. First taste after pouring into the decanter, 90.

Photos of; Haut-Bergey, Paul Garcin-Managing Director and Francois Prouteau-Cellar Master. — 2 days ago

Ashraf Attal

9.4

Wiith Yasmine again ❤️ — 9 months ago

Natalie Harper

9.5

Chateau De Belloc - Pessac-Leognan — 2 years ago

with Darren and Darren

Chris Blanchard

9.5

Amazing white love you this for the price and delivery. — 2 months ago

Will McPherson

10

Really really good. — 4 months ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.2

Juan c sulakman — 6 months ago

Robert Ahlstrom

9.2

Deep, slightly inky red-purple, pronounced acidity, mature, red currants and cherries, excellent Pessac-Leognan — a year ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.1

A nice Bordeaux blend at 7 years old. Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot. December 2025. — 3 months ago

Joel Lara

9.4

Decanted this for an hour and a half and reserved a glass in the bottle for the second day. These notes are based on the second day, as the flavors seemed to shine through a bit more. On the nose, aromas of blackberry and leather, although had to do quite a bit of swirling to get the aromas to come through. On the palate, beautifully deep flavors of blackberry and black currant coming through, with hints of graphite and cocoa in the background. Tannins seems pretty well integrated with good acidity, although definitely some grip on the finish. Cocoa seems to come through a bit more on the finish as well. Overall really tasty, but seems to be closing down a bit for sure. I have one more bottle, so looking forward to seeing how this tastes in 5-10 years time. — 4 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.6

Vintage 2009 | what a treat, white Pessac Leognan at its best, pure refinement | at bistro C — 7 months ago