2009 Bordeaux Vintage: Your Guide to Drinking or Holding

Holding a specific vintage, such as the 2009 Bordeaux vintage, takes two kinds of knowledge. You need a grasp of general vintage characteristics and of specific storage considerations. A vintage wine is one made from grapes grown and harvested in a single specified year. All, or most, of the fruit must come from that year. The importance assigned to vintage is varied and disputed. Some studies suggest experienced wine drinkers cannot distinguish between wines of good and bad vintages. Bordeaux is the exception, according to Roman Weil's research cited. These wines remain a significant part of the fine wine market. Bordeaux wine, produced in southwest France, is often a blend of grapes. Red wine production outnumbers white six to one. For owners of a 2009 Bordeaux, deciding whether to drink or hold means looking beyond the vintage year. Storage conditions and market dynamics both count.

What defines a Bordeaux vintage?

A Bordeaux vintage is defined by the year its grapes were primarily grown and harvested in the Bordeaux region of southwest France. A vintage wine is "one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year." Most countries allow a portion of wine not from the denoted year. Australia, New Zealand, and the member states of the European Union set the same bar. The requirement there is 85% same-year content for vintage-dated wine. Chile and South Africa require 75% same-year content. The United States requires 85%, or 95% if the wine is designated with an AVA.

Bordeaux wine is produced around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. The Gironde department, home to Bordeaux, has a total vineyard area of 110,800 hectares. That makes it the second largest wine-growing area in France behind the Languedoc-Roussillon. The vast majority of wine produced in Bordeaux is red. Red wine production outnumbers white wine production six to one.

Red Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. Merlot is the most planted red grape in the Bordeaux vineyard, accounting for 62% by area. Cabernet Sauvignon follows at 25% and Cabernet Franc at 12%. Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère make up 1% in total. The traditional Bordeaux barrique is a 225-litre oak barrel. Blending is an integral part of the winemaking process. Wine from different grape varieties and different parts of the vineyard is often aged separately. The winemaker then judges whether it goes into the main or second wine, or is sold off wholesale. You can explore the region's diverse producers through our Bordeaux producer atlas. Understanding factors like wine ullage levels can also provide insight into a bottle's condition and history. That matters for any vintage.

How important is a vintage for Bordeaux wine?

The importance of a vintage for Bordeaux wine is significant. The overall importance assigned to vintage is still "varied and disputed." For wine produced in regions at the colder climatic limits of wine production, vintage can be very important. Warmer seasons produce riper grapes and better wine. Conversely, a poor growing season can lead to grapes failing to reach optimal ripeness. The result is grape juice higher in acid and lower in sugar. That affects the quality of the resulting wine.

Wines from superior vintages, particularly from prestigious producers and regions, often command much higher prices than those from average vintages. That is especially so if the wines are likely to improve further with age in the bottle. However, Frank J. Prial, a New York Times wine columnist, declared the vintage chart "dead," writing that "winemakers of the world have rendered the vintage chart obsolete." Bill Marsano also wrote that "winemakers now have the technology and skills to make good and even very good wines in undistinguished years,". James Laube of Wine Spectator asserted that "even an average vintage can yield some grand wines."

Roman Weil is co-chairman of the Oenonomy Society of the US and a professor at the University of Chicago. He tested the controversial hypothesis that experienced wine drinkers "cannot distinguish in blind tastings the wine of years rated high from those of years rated low, or, if they can, they do not agree with the vintage chart's preferences." Weil's study involved 240 wine drinkers and wines ranging from four to 17 years beyond their vintage. It found that tasters could not distinguish between wines of good and bad vintages "except for Bordeaux wines." Even when a distinction could be made for Bordeaux, the match between the tasters' individual assessments and the charts' rankings was "little better than tossing a coin." When these tests were replicated with wine experts, including French wine academics, the results were "again the same as chance." Wine made in years considered worse than average for vintages may be priced far below its actual quality. Weil suggests using a vintage chart to help "find good buys in wine," for that reason. For specific information on the 2009 Bordeaux vintage, you can consult our detailed vintage page. Understanding these dynamics is key to fine wine investment.

What are the ideal storage conditions for Bordeaux wine?

AWRI Technical Note TN09 recommends insulated and/or temperature-controlled environments for Bordeaux wine. Those conditions minimize fluctuations in both temperature and humidity. Amon and Simpson (1986), cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09, specifically recommend keeping the cork in contact with the wine. They advise a "cool (15-20°C), dry location."

Excessive storage temperatures "will have a marked effect on the shelf life of bottled wine," according to Marais (1986), cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Marais observed "the development of faulty flavours and decreasing overall quality after 12 months’ storage of wine at 30°C." Temperatures above 40°C "will induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days," notes Ough (1986), cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Ough (1992) states that "any storage place where the temperature exceeds 25°C for long periods and 40°C for short periods can affect wine quality," according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. Thermal expansion can bring its own problems. Leakage of wine and/or movement of cork stoppers may result from exposure to temperatures significantly greater than ambient temperature. This physical damage affects the appearance and marketability of the wine. It does not necessarily imply that the quality has also suffered, states AWRI Technical Note TN09.

Prolonged storage of wine in a refrigerator "could also adversely affect wine quality," with vibrations from the compressor believed to be detrimental. AWRI Technical Note TN09 reports that the Institute has been unable to find any literature on this specific subject. Light can also have deleterious effects. It causes "lightstruck" flavor through the formation of volatile sulfur compounds, as demonstrated by Maujean and Seguin (1983), cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Dozon and Noble (1989) exposed still and sparkling white wines bottled in green glass to fluorescent lamps. Those wines developed a statistically significant level of lightstruck flavor after 31.1 hours and 18 hours, respectively. The same wines stored in clear glass developed this off-flavor much faster. It appeared after only 3.3 hours and 3.4 hours, respectively, according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. Direct sunlight provides 4286 times the amount of UV-A radiation as a 36 W fluorescent lamp with an illuminance of 400 lux. Exposure to sunlight, such as in retail window displays, "will be more deleterious to wine quality than exposure to electric lighting systems," states AWRI Technical Note TN09. Amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm. Rankine (1989) gives that finding, cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. For comprehensive guidance, consult our guide on how to store wine.

How do market dynamics affect Bordeaux wine?

Market dynamics significantly affect Bordeaux wine. These wines "tend to be the most common wines at wine auctions". That reflects their longevity, fairly large production, and established reputation. Many top Bordeaux wines are sold "en primeur," meaning payment is received in advance.

Market reports released in February 2009 showed that the market had "increased in buying power by 128% while the prices had been lowered for the very best Bordeaux wines," according to Ghatineh, WineInvestment.org. This illustrates the fluctuating nature of the fine wine market. In 2010, 55% of all Bordeaux wines sold globally were from Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOCs. Of those, 67% sold in France and 33% were exported. That represents 14 bottles consumed per second, according to the CIVB.

However, adverse consumption trends are reducing Bordeaux demand. Those include wider availability of other wines and generational differences in alcohol consumption, as noted by Jancis Robinson (2025) and Adrienne Klasa (2025). The area under vine in Bordeaux fell from 103,000 hectares to 95,000 hectares in 2024. Global alcohol consumption per capita reduced from 5.7 litres in 2010 to 5.5 litres in 2019. Those figures come from Christine Longin (2025) and the World Health Organization (2024). These trends impact the overall market for Bordeaux wines. You can track these movements on our live fine wine market index. You can also learn more about how to buy wine at auction.

When should you consider selling your Bordeaux?

Deciding when to sell your Bordeaux depends on the wine's optimal drinking window and prevailing market conditions.

The Bordeaux wine region has several classification systems that influence market value:

Classification Name	Region Covered	Update Frequency	Highest Category	Key Examples
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855	Red wines of Médoc (with one exception), sweet wines of Sauternes-Barsac	Established 1855	First Growth (red), Superior First Growth (sweet)	Château Lafite Rothschild, Château d'Yquem
1955 Official Classification of St.-Émilion	St. Émilion AOC	Approximately once every ten years	Premier Grand Cru Classé A	Château Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc (2012 added Château Angélus, Château Pavie)
1959 Official Classification of Graves	Graves	Initially 1953, revised 1959	Not specified	Not specified
Cru Bourgeois Classification	Not specified	Yearly reappraisal (as of 2010)	Not specified	Not specified
Cru artisan Classification	Not specified	Every 10 years	Not specified	Initial list of 44, extended to 50 in 2012

The 1855 Bordeaux classification ranked wines into five categories according to price. The first growth red wines are among the most expensive wines in the world. Some Pomerol wines, notably Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin, are often considered equivalent to the 1855 first growths. They often sell for even higher prices.

Roman Weil's research, cited, suggests that vintage charts can help "find good buys in wine," implying that market value can fluctuate based on perceived vintage quality. Market reports from February 2009, for example, indicated that buying power increased by 128%. Prices for the very best Bordeaux wines were lowered, as reported by Ghatineh, WineInvestment.org. This highlights the dynamic nature of pricing.

To inform your decision, consider the current market value of your 2009 Bordeaux. When considering selling, it is also important to calculate your landed cost. That figure includes all expenses from purchase to storage. For detailed guidance on the process, refer to our guide on how to sell fine wine.

Set up price alerts on your watchlist. They keep you informed on market movements and support timely decisions for your 2009 Bordeaux and other fine wines.