Bordeaux Red Flashcards
2021
A warm spring encouraged early budbreak followed by sometimes devastating frost in early April. It is not likely to be a bumper crop.
2020
A particularly early growing season characterised by heatwaves and drought - and some downy mildew pressure in June - until mid August when thunderstorms played a (sometimes usefully diluting) part in the northern Médoc. Merlot was picked in ideal conditions in early September but then the weather turned cool and particulatry damp so some Cabernet Sauvignon had to be picked before absolutely perfect ripeness. Small grapes meant lots of tannin, and a relatively small crop.
2019
This was a pretty wonderful vintage for producers, with quantities slightly reduced by cool weather at flowering, until the time came to launch the primeurs in a pandemic. The wines, generally pretty consistent, were clearly made from fully ripe grapes with a good charge of tannins but also, considering how hot and dry the summer was, with a surprising degree of freshness. Price reductions led to a surprisingly successful primeur campaign.
2018
A year of extremes with a very wet winter and spring, very damaging hail in some areas, severe down mildew threats in most. and a very hot, and dry, summer and autumn allowed vignerons to decide on their own harvest dates. Powerful, deep-coloured wines with no shortage of (generally well-managed) tannins suggest this may be one of the region’s longer-lived vintages.
2017
Frost is the major headline for Bordeaux in 2017, resulting in the lowest yield in over 25 years across the region. What was left of the crop had very mixed fortunes. The top appellations in the Médoc generally fared well, while the right bank had much more variable ripeness levels. Even though some very good wines were made, and quantities were limited, this is a vintage that failed to sell well en primeur.
2016
The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance.
2015
Will this vintage adhere to Jancis’ rule of five, whereby any vintage divisible by five is of good quality? It seems so, with particularly healthy, uniform fruit at harvest. A generous flowering and hot, dry early summer was followed by a slighty cooler, damper August. Harvest was generally earlier than in 2014. Optimists are already calling it the best vintage since 2010 with early reports favouring the right bank.
2014
Exceptionally cool, damp July and August but the vintage was saved by an unusually dry, warm September and October that (just about) ripened the grapes though autumn concentration has resulted in relatively high-acid wines. Reds have fragrance, medium body and supple tannins but are not for long term cellaring.
2013
A universally poor vintage, beset by uneven ripening and dilution. Rot forced relatively early picking. Even at their best, the wines are pretty light – though perhaps a benefit of this is lower alcohol levels, as compared with some of the 15% bruisers of recent years. The best of a bad lot can be found in Pomerol, St-Julien and St-Estèphe.
2012
Tricky across many European wine regions, and none more so than Bordeaux. Generally speaking, it was a wet, late year with a hot mid-summer. Bad weather in October compromised quality at the crucial moment, meaning that the earlier-ripening Merlot-based reds were less adversely affected. Making good Cabernet-based wine was achievable, but only by those who had the resources for micro-management in the vineyard. Top properties made small quantities of outstanding wines but most have a lack of depth and persistence.
2011
Generalisations are difficult in this variable year, but there is agreement that quality is back down to earth after the excitement of 2009 and 2010, with lower alcohol and generally higher tannins too. A forgettable year.
2010
Another stellar vintage, with higher tannin and more freshness than 2009 but comparable intensity. More appealing to classical palates.
2009
‘Vintage of the decade/century’? This growing season seemed to have it all. A long, fine, warm summer but, crucially, with refreshing nights to help retain acidity. Dramatically ripe, voluptuous wines, especially on the left bank.
2008
Another ungenerous summer saved by some better weather at the end of the season. Yet again, those properties at the top of the tree managed to field enough good fruit to salvage some pretty impressive grand vin but life was increasingly tough lower down the food chain.
2007
An extremely difficult year for growers, with rampant mildew, not enough sun, too much rain until September. Thanks to an arsenal of modern techniques, not least rigorous selection, those who could afford it managed to make attractive wines for relatively early drinking but high prices left the primeur market as flat as a pancake.
2006
This stop-start vintage suffered inevitably by comparison with 2005, although it produced some well-made wines which looked even better in comparison with the 2007s. Drought and high temperatures were the dominant characteristics until the end of July but August was unusually cool and wet and harvest was interrupted by rain. Pauillac and Pomerol seemed to perform best in a year that can taste pretty crisp.
2005
Textbook perfection during the growing season in all respects other than price. Best kept for many a year. Quite marked tannins are too marked in some wines, notably the more modernistic St-Émilions, in which the then-prevailing fashion for extraction was taken to the limit.
