2009 Domaine des Baumard "Clos Ste.-Catherine" Coteaux du Layon (Pre-Arrival)
Plump, ripe and full, featuring a slightly exotic edge to the guava, mango and creamed peach flavors, before a racier side of green plum, honeysuckle and plantain moves in behind. Still youthfully raw, with the fruit bouncing rather than gliding for now. The finish is long, revealing an echo of green almond that bodes well for cellaring. Best from 2015 through 2026
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I tasted a 2009 Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine that was to a much greater extent than with Baumard’s other as yet un-bottled cuvees a mere approximation to the likely final blend, since some lots had barely finished fermenting and were too gaseous and turgid to be included in a sample blend. Even so, primary yeastiness and fermentative overlay are prominent in the nose here, but beyond that the vista is impressive. Honey, pine sap, licorice, glazed pineapple, quince preserves, and candied grapefruit rind dominate the nose and palate, which displays a luxuriant creaminess. Predictably, this lacks the elements of refreshment or vivacity of the corresponding 2008, but manages by setting up an exchange of sweetness with stoniness and with subtly bitter citrus oil and pit fruit elements to generate considerable sense of dynamic. Furthermore, I think nature has helped this wine, in that it fermented a bit further than the proprietors had envisioned or than is usually experience with this cuvee. The result is a sense of structure and balance in lieu of acidity, as well as a freedom from superficial sweetness. And in a wine this high in residual sugar, more alcohol doesn’t mean a level of alcohol that would generate heat or roughness.