Domaine de Saint-Guirons Pauillac 2009

The 2009 Saint-Guirons is classic Pauillac, a wine imbued with class, allure, flavor, and harmony. It reflects the great terroir of Pauillac and embodies the classic aromas, body and balance for which Pauillac is renowned. Redolent scents of blackberry, cassis, cedar and freshly cut tobacco – the classic “cigar box scent” of Pauillac – resonate from the 2009 Saint-Guirons. Happily, the wine’s alluring aromas follow through on the palate, offering plenty of concentration, flavor and purity in a medium to full-bodied format. Seamless and textured on account of ripe, friendly tannins, hallmarks of the excellent 2009 vintage, the 2009 Saint-Guirons Pauillac is already a pleasure to drink. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest pouring this classic Pauillac into a decanter an hour or more before serving at cool room temperature (no more than 66° F). Anticipated maturity: Now–2020.

What does one eat with classic claret? How about whatever one wants? Some would say that fine Pauillac deserves classic French cuisine as an accompaniment, and the 2009 Domaine de Saint-Guirons can easily stand and deliver on that note. Beef Wellington and Tornedos Forrestière certainly provide ideal accompaniments, but so do Prime Rib of Beef, Stuffed Quail and almost any game bird. On a simpler note, dishes featuring a tender veal or pork cutlet prepared with mushrooms, lentils and fresh herbs, or even meals centered on a roast chicken served with sautéed carrots and pureed mashed potatoes provide excellent companions to the 2009 Saint-Guirons Pauillac. Although Pauillac and most top rated red Bordeaux wines come with ample structure and deliver plenty of flavors, they generally pair best with simple foods of high quality. Simple meals tend not to mask the greatness of a wine. To the contrary, they highlight the complexity and finesse inherent in the best wines, so perhaps the greatest way to highlight the 2009 Domaine de Saint-Guirons is to pair it with a simple meal prepared with the highest quality ingredients. Bon Appétit!

Domaine de Saint-Guirons belongs to Francois-Xavier Borie, proprietor of Grand-Puy Lacoste. Grand-Puy Lacoste is widely recognized as one of the greatest wines of Pauillac, the appellation that enjoys a longstanding and well deserved reputation as Bordeaux’s most fashionable and expensive address. Domaine de Saint-Guirons is a limited bottling of Pauillac made by the same great winemaking team as Grand-Puy Lacoste. Moreover, it benefits from Borie’s meticulous attention to quality.

Unlike most proprietors of Classified Bordeaux, Francois-Xavier and his wife, Marie-Hélène, actually live at Grand-Puy Lacoste. Moreover, Francois-Xavier grew up in Bordeaux at Ducru-Beaucaillou in nearby Saint Julien. He studied oenology and learned his craft from his legendary father, Jean-Eugène Borie. Since he took control of Grand-Puy Lacoste in 1978 and established Domaines de Francois-Xavier Borie, Francois-Xavier has devoted himself to producing outstanding Pauillac.

Pauillac claims without argument to be Bordeaux’s most prestigious appellation. Home to three of Bordeaux’s five First Growths (Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild, and Latour) and a long list of other renowned Classified Growths, including Château Grand-Puy Lacoste, Pauillac possesses the ideal Bordeaux terroir for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Situated on gravel and limestone rich hills overlooking the Gironde River, the wines of Pauillac are noted for their age ability, complexity, opulence, and power. Typically, the finest wines of Pauillac rely more heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot or Cabernet Franc, which inclines them to a long, rich life. Some connoisseurs have even gone so far as to claim immortality for the greatest wines of the appellation from outstanding vintages such as 2009 and 2010.