2009 Château Puygueraud
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
This blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec is from the Thienpont family. (Puygueraud is the estate where this large clan was born.) The 2009 is impressive, but the estate somewhat under-the-radar, since it is hard to pronounce and not exactly a household name. This is a beautifully fleshy wine with loads of licorice, spring flowers, graphite and black fruits. Fleshier and more concentrated than usual, with a longer, more intense finish and plenty of glycerin, this dark ruby/purple wine is a knock-out and, in theory, an attractive great value. It should drink well for up to a decade.
Critic scores
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
Deep purple. Very sweet and unctuous and should be VGV. Exotic, plush, very purple tasting. (JR)
Violets and blackberries with hints of spices on the nose. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Drink now or hold. Always excellent value. James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
About the producer
The Thienpont family bought Ch. Puygueraud in 1946, running it as a farm until the 1980s when Nicolas Thienpont moved the focus to viticulture, with the first vintage in 1983. Based in the Francs Côtes de Bordeaux, the property comprises 47 hectares of vines, both red and white.