The colour is in both cases medium ruby. On the nose also pretty similar. Both display an aroma of herbs, red and black berries, with the addition of leather and tobacco for the 2009, and coffee and chocolate for the 2012. In the mouth they are both very elegant. The tannins of the 2012 are edgier. The aftertaste medium long in both cases.
This the first impression, with the bottles just opened. After a while, the superiority of the 2009 vintage clearly shows off. In fact, 2009 was a great year for Bordeaux, while the 2012 is considered a classic vintage.
The 2009 vintage is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The 2012 is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
Château Mouton d’Armailhacq was classified as a Fifth Growth in the famous 1855 classification drawn up by Bordeaux wine brokers.
Count Adrien de Ferrand, “son-in-law of Armailhacq”, acquired the estate in 1878. Following the difficulties created by mildew, phylloxera, WWI and the 1929 crash, in 1930 some Médoc’s Chateaux were auctioned or sold off cheaply. In this financially difficult context for the entire vineyard, in 1931 the Count of Ferrand created the “Société anonyme du Domaine de Mouton d’Armailhacq”. A back then young Baron Philippe de Rothschild became a minority shareholder. In 1933 he bought all the shares.
In 1956 Mouton d’Armailhacq was renamed Mouton Baron Philippe, then Mouton Baronne Philippe until the vintage 1988. In 1989 Baroness Philippine decided to restore Mouton d’Armailhacq to its original identity and renamed it Château d’Armailhac.
I bought both wines En Primeur. I paid 39.20 EUR for the 2012 and 46.80 EUR for the 2009. Nowadays they sell for 60 EUR (+50%), respectively 80 EUR (+70%). An appreciation of roughly 3.8% a year each.
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Type: Red
Vintage: 2009, 2012
Producer: Chateau d’Armailhac
Price range: Extra (50-100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5