A brilliant effort from well-known oenologists Dany and Michel Rolland, the 2009 Bon Pasteur is dominated by Merlot, with a touch of Cabernet Franc included in the blend. It reveals textbook notes of mocha, tobacco leaf, blackberries, black cherries, roasted coffee and wood smoke. Full-bodied and luscious with a succulent, beautifully textured, multidimensional mouthfeel, low acidity and sweet but noticeable tannin, it is reminiscent of the 1982 Bon Pasteur, which continued to put on weight for a decade or more. If the 2009 does the same, it will come close to equaling that legendary vintage. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate #199, Feb 2012)

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Le Bon Pasteur has a comparatively generous bouquet with dark berries, sloes and mulberry with lifted alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It has a core of rich dark berry fruit with hints of molasses and bay leaf, whilst the finish needs a couple more years to fully integrate and unwind. Lovely. Tasted January 2013.

– eRobertParker.com, Jul 2013

[80/20] Ripe, plummy, natural black cherry and mineral nose; nicely balanced, medium full wine, finely if dryly tannic, with a nice but not excessive concentration, and a fresh acidity; long and quite racy to taste, well sustained across the palate, gently spicy, sweetly ripe, black cherry and oak vanilla flavours, a nice mouthfilling fragrance, a gentle minerality and a long, gently sweet, perfumed finish. Very nice! 2018-30