2009 Château Le Thil Comte Clary - Pessac-Léognan

"Deep ruby/purple, its classic Graves nose of tobacco leaf, burning embers and scorched earth is backed up by sweet cassis and black cherry fruit. Medium to full-bodied but overall very elegant and velvety, this is a complex, relatively evolved, delicious and interesting wine that should drink nicely for another 7-10 years.

Showing better from bottle than it did from cask, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet, which tips the scales at 15.1% natural alcohol, is a sleeper of the vintage. None other than Stephane Derenoncourt is the consultant, and this is clearly the best wine ever produced from this 35-acre estate sandwiched between Carbonnieux and Smith-Haut-Lafitte near the village of Martillac."