A very concentrated vintage, due to lack of rain here. Enticing aromas of cooked fruit with a gamey hint. Plush blackberry and cooked plum core, which opens out and flowers on the palate. So much flesh and glycerol. Well-covered tannins. Impressive, right up there with Philippe’s much enjoyed 2007 vintage. Now-2015

Product Code: ESP409

Philippe Cartoux - such a likeable, intelligent young man - continues to go from strength to strength at the winery he shares with his wife’s family at the Domaine de Montvac on the outskirts of Vacqueyras. The Côtes du Rhône, from densely planted, low yielding vines around Vacqueyras and Gigondas, is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah. This is a very dense and gutsy wine in the dry, low-yielding 2009 vintage. We then move up to the Sablet, from Philippe’s vineyards on the slopes above the village, Grenache dominated but with Syrah. The top vineyard holding is 3 hectares of Gigondas. The Tradition is about 2/3 Grenache and 1/3 Syrah, all raised for 6 months in old oak barriques. The Cuvée des Blaches (only 2000 bottles of this) incorporates more Syrah and takes the oak further (though only 15% new barrels) to create a sumptuous and showy bottle.