Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Glorious vintages like 2009 can sometimes be better for the big guys than the small ones. That is not the case this year, where good winemakers in appellations of the Côtes or Entre-Deux-Mers with excellent grapes were truly able to demonstrate their talents. We found many harmonious, full-bodied wines that weren’t simply copies of the grands crus (overextracted, super-oaky). On the contrary, there are some beautiful wines, fruit-forward, rich, and succulent. Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: This wine, from a splendid terroir, is truly establishing itself with this vintage. Solid, deep, and long, showing refined tannins with silky, focused length. 17