Bordeaux is incredibly varied – with hugely different styles of wine produced across its appellations. Here, we run through everything you really need to know about each of the main subregions – and the best estates in each  

Explore Bordeaux, subregions, their wines and top estates – in Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Pomerol, Saint-Emilion 

Your guide to Bordeaux’s subregions, wines and top producers

Your guide to Bordeaux’s subregions   

The wine world should have descended on Bordeaux this week to taste the 2019 vintage from barrel and make their assessments, with the chateaux initially due to release the wines from mid-April onwards. However, it comes as no surprise, the biggest event of the fine wine year is currently on ice. While the Bordelais speculate on the en primeur ice thawing somewhere between May and July, vintage reports are starting to trickle in from the turreted chateaux, as well as the independent assessment of the vintage from the Associate Professor of Oenology at the University of Bordeaux, Dr Axel Marchal - between them they provide us with a tantalising taste of what's to come. Associate Professor of Oenology, Dr Axel Marchal, and his colleagues at the University of Bordeaux, are tasked with providing an annual and independent assessment of the vintage. Based on the report, 2019 is looking like a must-have.  The academic team bases its assessment on weather data and has a tick-list of five conditions throughout the growing season. Tick at least three of the five boxes and you can expect a very good vintage. Appearing on a webinar this week hosted by Jane Anson, Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter, Marchal explained that in the best soils four of the five parameters were fully satisfied and the remaining condition of flowering was at least partially
met - making it an a highly promising vintage from an academic perspective.  It is incredibly rare that all five conditions are fully satisfied. In fact Axel explains that in regards to quality of ripening there is an emphasis on the final two conditions being met - dryness during veraison and clement weather during harvest - both of which were ideal in 2019, setting us up for a stellar vintage.  The five conditions relate to 1) flowering; 2) fruit set; 3) shoot growth reaching completion and ending just prior to veraison, 4) dryness during veraison and 5) clement weather during harvest – ensuring no dilution or rot when grapes reach maturity and they are at their most susceptible. Axel reports rapid, homogenous, early budburst following a warm spring provides ideal
conditions for flowering, resulting in good yields and most importantly a homogeneity
when ripening. 2019 had this early warm start to the season yet there were some challenges, notably with some Merlot vines at flowering suffering some millederange resulting in a reduction of yields and uneven flowering.  A dry early summer saw perfect conditions for fruit set and in the best soils shoot growth reached maturity ending just before veraison, when the energy of the plant switches to the ripening of the grapes. August and September provided perfect conditions for veraison right up until harvest with no hydric pressure thanks to good reserves of water and sporadic rain
episodes throughout the period. The harvest was picked in beautiful clement weather. Quality assured, what should we expect stylistically? "I'm very impressed by the vintage," said Nicolas Glumineau from Pauillac's Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. "It's like the comparison between '09 and '10; '18 is more like '09 because it's opulent and expressive and '19 is more like '10 with its tension and precision. [The 2019 vintage] is much more my personal style as a wine lover." Eric Kohler and Jean-Sebastien Philippe of Chateau Lafite Rothschild said much the same stating, “Our gut feel is that just as there will always be a discussion between 2009 and 2010, we will have the same between 2018 and 2019. 2018 being closer to 2009, and 2019 being closer to 2010.” Heading even further up the Medoc to the most northerly appellation of St-Estephe, the head of Chateau Phelan-Segur Veronique Dausse summarises the wine style that we can expect: "Combining the qualities of concentration, structure, ripeness and length, 2019 also has the freshness necessary for the balance of great Bordeaux wines," she says. "The upright and precise character of this 2019 vintage is also surprising, given the solid alcohol degrees." As they say, "good things come to those who wait" - and with the 2019 vintage this has never been more true.

While the Bordelais speculate on the en primeur ice thawing somewhere between May and July, vintage reports are starting to trickle in from the turreted chateaux, giving us a tantalising taste of what's to come. 

Very impressed by the 2019 Bordeaux vintage - it's like the comparison between 2009 and 2010; it's opulent and expressive with freshness and precision

Bordeaux 2019 en primeur update

Sauternes might be the most distinctive wine on the planet. Its combination of power, unctuosity and aromatic complexity is unparalleled. These extraordinary wines consistently compete with the finest wines made anywhere in the world. But unlike most wines of the world, Sauternes’s journey from vine to bottle is a tumultuous affair. Typically, over half the crop is sacrificed in order to reach the heady levels of complexity the region is famous for. The journey from berry to bottle is one of the most fascinating molecular transformations and one of wine’s greatest miracles. Bérénice Lurton of Ch. Climens describes the process “as a sacrifice, death and resurrection all in one. It is like the rising of the phoenix,” she says. “Within the process of the grapes’ destruction is the ability for transcendence and transmutation into something else, something beautiful.” Every Sauternes vintage is a rollercoaster ride of unknowns – one that would leave most vignerons at the end of their tether. “All the rules you know about wine production: forget about them,” Lorenzo Pasquini – who recently arrived at Ch. d’Yquem – says. The grape’s reaction to its terroir, to humidity, to the process of noble rot: it’s all a gamble and, often, a gamble you lose. No one understands this game of chance better than Bérénice Lurton. The crop at Ch. Climens has been decimated in the last few years. She hasn’t made a sweet wine of any volume for five vintages in a row. Frost has become the biggest threat of late, completely wiping out the most recent 2021 crop as well as 2017. The severity of the damage to the vines in 2017 encroached on 2018 too, where coulure (poor fruit-set) and mildew also dwindled production to zero. In 2019 it was the attack of the drosophila fly that destroyed almost the entire crop, and in 2020 it was hail’s turn to wipe out production. No one in Sauternes is left untouched by the risks involved. Once – and if – your crop survives, there are several key elements to a successful vintage in Sauternes. Pasquini thinks it is best to think of Sauternes as having two ripening phases per season. The first is like any other wine region: the maturation of the grapes. The varied terroir here plays its role. The gravel and clay soils at Yquem, for instance, are vital in reducing the vigour of the vines, naturally producing small bunches of concentrated fruit. Pasquini remembers being taken into the vineyard to try the grapes when he first arrived at Yquem. “It was just incredible how tasty they were,” he says. This concentration is an essential part to the finest Sauternes. At Ch. Doisy-Daëne and Climens, it is Barsac’s limestone soil, which brings added florality, salinity, freshness and aromatic complexity to the final wine. This first phase of ripening will determine the style of vintage (rather than the final quality). Lurton describes how 1997, 2002, ’04 and ’07 were all dull summers in Bordeaux; while not great for the region’s reds, they were incredible vintages for Sauternes. The cooler temperatures produced a brighter, more acidic style with great tension. The development of botrytis following this was a great counterbalance, adding richness, intensity and aromatic complexity. “But it doesn’t have to be a cool vintage in Sauternes to be a great one,” says Lurton. Dry, sunny years like 2005, ’09 and ’15 produced a richer style of wine – with botrytis only adding to the opulence and richness of the year. Once the grapes have reached maturity, and only then, do vignerons pray for botrytis to arrive. “The botrytis plays two roles,” says Ch. Doisy-Daëne’s Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu. “Most famously it is known to digest the skin of the berry and this allows for the water evaporation from the berry, and therefore concentrates the sugar in the grape.” But Dubourdieu believes its second role is just as important, but less well known. “The botrytis causes a chemical reaction in the berry. As a way to fight the botrytis, the berry produces precursor aromatics in the grape. Depending on the maturity of the berry when the botrytis arrives, this directly affects the concentration of aromatic precursors produced.” The magic number for Dubourdieu is a potential alcohol level of 13%. “If the berry is at this level of maturity, it can produce up to 50 times the number of aromatic precursors than less mature grapes.” Once the botrytis sets in, the vignerons then pray (and there is a lot of praying) for another dry period in which the grapes can further concentrate under the effects of botrytis. This is where the wind – a key feature of Sauternes’s microclimate – becomes vital. The wind can quickly concentrate the grapes – but, depending on the varying exposures and terroirs within the region, different styles of botrytis aromatics and flavours develop adding even more complexity to the wine. “Having more botrytis grapes to choose from, creates more flavour complexity in the final blend,” says Pasquini. This is, in many ways, Yquem’s greatest asset – with 113 hectares under vine. In some vintages, quality botrytis might only be successful in one part of the vineyard, but in a great vintage there is opportunity to blend the different botrytis styles from across different microclimates for a more complex expression. This is what brings such variation in style from château to château, and vintage to vintage. Production in the last few years has been on a worrying sliding scale. The sacrifices made seem to be greater with every vintage. For a winegrowing region whose fortunes are so much in the hands of Mother Nature, is Sauternes at risk? Is there a danger that we will lose the unique conditions necessary to make these unique sweet wines? For Dubourdieu, the warming climate has, on the contrary, brought many benefits. Firstly, the grapes much more often reach 13 degrees potential alcohol before botrytis sets in, meaning there are more years in which he can craft “great” wine. His biggest concern, however, is that the climate is pushing the onset of botrytis later and later. “The 2020 is a perfect example of this,” he explains. “The grapes had reached significant maturity by the end of August, but botrytis didn’t arrive until mid-October.” The dry, warm, sunny September held off any onset of botrytis. “The danger of this is if botrytis comes too late, there won’t be enough power from the sun to concentrate the berries through the all-important evaporation process. Also there is the risk of the acidity dropping too.” Beyond mid-October, if no botrytis has formed the whole vintage could potentially be lost. Fortunately this hasn’t yet been the case, but 2020 came close – and it could become more of a threat in the future. “For now, the issue is quantity, not quality,” says Dubourdieu. “The increased levels of mildew in the summer, the hail and the spring frosts – these are our concerns.” Sauternes has had a long line of great vintages, however volumes have been decimated. Whatever the appetite in the market is, there is very little Sauternes available from the most recent vintages. There’s often a question over the appeal of these luscious wines – but Sauternes production is so limited that its audience can only ever be small. Yquem, Climens and Doisy-Daëne all describe themselves as guardians of this unique craft, rather than vignerons feeling commercially pressured to produce a drier style in greater volume. They know that for many wine enthusiasts drinking Sauternes is not a regular occurrence – but they want it to be one of the most memorable wine experiences of their lives when they do. And that’s the magic of these wines. Despite the low volumes, Pasquini, Dubourdieu and even Lurton are optimistic about Sauternes’s future. Quality has never been better and they’re in a long-term game: they look at yields over 20-year, not five-year, cycles. There is a new buzz coming from a rise in tourism in the region, while the spirits industry’s recent interest in Sauternes barrels for cask finishing is yet another alternative income (with old barrels selling for five or six times more than they bought them for), not to mention the publicity – bringing Sauternes to a whole new range of potential consumers. Unfortunately, 2021 is looking like another miniscule vintage for the region and that’s even before botrytis has arrived. But not even this dampens Dubourdieu’s mood: “If you want to control everything, you certainly wouldn’t be a vigneron. As a vigneron you learn to live with uncertainty.” For Lurton, “Living with such uncertainty keeps your feet on the ground.” As the region continues to develop, their experience of uncertainty and necessary sacrifice, Lurton believes, means Sauternes “will never lose its soul”. Discover our current Sauternes listings or read more Editorial

Producing Sauternes is a noble venture – one that often brings more risks than rewards. Gavin Smith talks to three of the region’s leading producers about the perils of crafting the world’s most sought-after sweet wines – and why it’s worth it

Exploring the perils of crafting the world’s most sought-after sweet wines with three leading Sauternes producers, Chx Climens , D’Yquem and Doisy-Daëne.

Sauternes – the great sacrifice

Sauternes: the great sacrifice

The 2023 vintage was rare for Burgundy – offering both quantity and quality. But it isn’t quite that simple, with an atypical growing season, almost too much fruit, and a less homogenous crop. We report on the vintage and its wines – the best of which are remarkable

The 2023 vintage was rare for Burgundy – offering both quantity and quality. We report on the growing season and the wines it produced

Burgundy 2023 vintage overview

Burgundy 2023: vintage overview

The Rhône Valley has enjoyed a consistent string of vintages over the last decade or so. The Northern Rhône in particular has seen a prolific set of back-to-back vintages stretching to 2015. The Southern Rhône has managed to produce excellent wines during this time too, but yields have been badly affected in the last few years; thankfully, 2020 gave them a healthy crop. Producers compare 2020 to 2006, 2010, 2016 and even 1990 – all memorable, age-worthy vintages with great character. Similarly, to 2016, 2020 was an “easy” growing season throughout the valley. Good rainfall at the beginning of the year set up the vines nicely for a hot, dry summer, with no mildew or rot in the vineyards. For Ch. de Beaucastel's Marc Perrin, “It was difficult to find something wrong with the vintage.” If anything, he noted the strong winds in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, particularly in the northern part, saw high levels of evaporation, which brought greater concentration to the grapes but reduced the yields. Despite this, production levels were much higher than the challenging 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages (with severe drought in 2019, poor flowering and huge mildew outbreaks in 2018 and frost in 2017 seeing yields badly affected in the appellation). Stéphane Usseglio noted how successful flowering was in 2020, particularly for Grenache, setting up for good yields overall. Although the summer saw hot daytime temperatures, cool nights helped retain a noticeable freshness and balance to the wines in 2020, compared to the richer, more tannic wines of 2019, noted Perrin. There was no pressure to rush the harvest with any impending disruptions to the weather, and no serious rainfall arrived until long after everything had been picked. The higher yields and clement weather meant Usseglio could afford to wait, allowing for concentration to build up and pick at optimum ripeness. In the Northern Rhône, there hasn’t really been a below-average vintage since 2014. Recent years have, however, seen a new normal when it comes to daytime temperatures and resulting alcohol levels (which regularly hit 14-14.5%). According to Chapoutier, though, the vines have adapted and, even with more sun intensity and higher temperatures, are consistently producing balanced wines with great acidity. While in numbers 2020 might compete with the heatwave of 2003, the resulting wines are very different thanks to the way the vines have adapted over the last 20 years. Nicolas Champagneux agrees and believes the acidities of his Côte-Rôtie are getting higher along with the alcohol, balancing the wine. In the Southern Rhône, 2020’s alcohol levels are very similar to previous warm years but the wines, according to Usseglio, “have a better freshness”. He thinks this is thanks to the winter water reserves, helping maintain a sufficient flow of nutrients to the vines to see them through the summer. Usseglio’s vines didn’t shut down at all – something he thinks is at least in part due to his biodynamic farming. It is this practice, he believes, that has contributed to “high mineral salt concentrations, and hence more freshness and mineral structure in the wines”. Both the whites and reds we have tried from the Northern and Southern Rhône are hard to fault. The whites from Chapoutier were exceptional. While Beaucastel’s Marc Perrin has a slight preference for the reds in the Southern Rhône, the whites we tasted were very elegant, pure, highly concentrated and beautifully balanced. The reds have fantastic richness, resolved tannins and freshness too. For Nicolas Champagneux, 2020 is “a typical sun-blessed year” for the Northern Rhône, comparing it to 2018. “This vintage offers a nice combination of fruit purity and terroir expression with rather solid structure and good acidities,” he says. He thinks the vintage will be “long-lived, while offering enjoyable wines in their relative youth” . For Perrin, the red wines’ balance, intensity and concentration remind him of 1990 and 2010. The wines are quite approachable, yet also have the potential for long ageing. For Usseglio, 2020 is a “terroir-driven vintage, offering elegant, vibrant wines”. For him 2020 has “a splendid fruit purity” and “good concentration”, but is fresher, with better aromatics than recent warm vintages. “I find the wines very enjoyable. I have to say maybe a hybrid between the silky, lush fruit of the 2016 and the mineral core of the 2010.” That’s a combination that will no doubt get any fine wine collector excited. This is a vintage not to miss. The vintage in summary Outstanding vintage Compared to some of the best vintages in the last 20 years – 2016, 2010, 2006, 1990 Balanced, concentrated and fresh reds Ideal growing season saw few issues in the vineyard Early-season rainfall kept the vines hydrated through the hot and dry summer Cool night-time temperatures extended the ripening season, retaining plenty of acidity/ freshness in the grapes Ambient weather throughout harvest allowed winemakers to pick at optimum ripeness Healthy yields saw good volume and good quality grapes in both the Northern and Southern Rhône Read more Editorial

Speaking with some of the region’s top vignerons in both the Northern and Southern Rhône about 2020, it is smiles all round. Not since the outstanding 2016s has there been such universal praise for a vintage. 

Not since the outstanding 2016s has there been such universal praise for a wine vintage in the Rhone Valley. Producers compare 2020 to 2006, 2010, 2016 & 1990

Rhône 2020 vintage report

Rhône 2020: the stars align

When the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce ranked Bordeaux’s leading estates by price for the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1855, I doubt they anticipated we’d still be using it over 150 years later. Napoleon III had asked the team to put together an exhibition for the world fair, and the Chamber of Commerce neatly passed the buck to the region’s courtiers or brokers, asking them to create a list of the region’s best wines, broken into five tiers. They did so in just two weeks, basing the list almost exclusively on price.  The original classification ranked 58 properties, from First to Fifth Growth, or Premier to Cinquième Cru Classé (with Cru Classé literally translating as “classed/classified growth”). At the very top of this quality pyramid was Ch. Lafite, deemed the “premier des premiers” of the time. The properties were almost exclusively in the Médoc, with Ch. Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan the one exception.  It is often said that there has only been one change since the 1855 classification’s creation, however that’s not quite true. Ch. Cantemerle was added in 1856 (having been left out of the original ranking by accident). Ch. Pichon split in two, the Léoville estate into three and Batailley was also divided – but two properties also merged (Pouget and Pouget Lassale), while Dubignon was absorbed entirely by other addresses. Interestingly, Ch. Gloria consists exclusively of vineyards that were classified originally, although the château wasn’t classified in 1855.   The most significant change, and the one most often mentioned, was in 1973 when Ch. Mouton Rothschild was upgraded to First Growth status. The property had only just been acquired by the Rothschild family in the 1850s, so was intially ranked as a Second Growth but Baron Philippe de Rothschild made it is life mission to get it officially recognised as one of the Left Bank’s five leading addresses. For years the property’s labels had read “Premier ne puis, second ne daigne, Mouton suis” (“First I cannot be, second I do not deign to be, Mouton I am”), which was changed to “Premier je suis, second je fus, Mouton ne change” (“First I am, second I was, Mouton doesn’t change”) after the Baron’s bid was successful, and the estate’s premiership was legally recognised.  There are 61 estates in today’s classification, with five First Growths, 14 Second Growths, 14 Third Growths, 10 Fourth Growths and 18 Fifth Growths. Unlike in Saint-Emilion’s classification, a property is free to buy and sell vineyards, with their expansion or contraction not impacting their classed growth status.  Although the classification has never been reviewed, it remains largely (and surprisingly) accurate – the premium price associated with higher status and quality seemingly providing sufficient incentive for producers, and the market effectively deciding on a property’s status.  Today there is also an unofficial group known as the “super seconds” – estates that are thought to produce wines that are as good as those of the First Growths. This includes Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse, Lynch-Bages, Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Cos d’Estournel, Montrose, Palmer, Pontet-Canet and La Mission Haut-Brion.  While we tend to consider only the red wines of the northern Gironde in reference to the 1855 classification, the sweet whites of Sauternes and Barsac were also ranked. The wines were only put into two classes, with 21 estates included. Nine estates were deemed worthy of First Growth status, 11 as Second Growths, with Ch. d’Yquem earning its own special category as “Premier Cru Supérieur”.  As with the red classification, the number of estates has grown as they have divided over the years (such as the Doisy estates), with one disappearing entirely (Pexoto – its vineyards are now part of Ch. Rabaud-Promis). There have otherwise been no changes.  The sweet wine classification is of little consequence today, however the estates collectively represent 45% of the surface area of Sauternes and Barsac, and produce 30% of the area’s wines today.  Beyond the 1855 classification, the Left Bank also has its Crus Bourgeois and Crus Artisan, as well as the 1959 Graves classification (read more about these here). The Right Bank still only has the Saint-Emilion classification – one that has caused enough controversy to put Pomerol off doing anything similar. None, however, have come close to having the influence of the 1855 classification – a remarkable ranking that has defined Bordeaux for generations, and was arguably instrumental in its success as a fine wine region.  Find a full break-down of the classifications below, read more about Bordeaux or browse all Bordeaux listings The 1855 classification Premiers Crus Classés or First Growths Ch. Lafite-Rothschild  Ch. Latour  Ch. Margaux  Ch. Mouton Rothschild (upgraded in 1973)  Ch. Haut-Brion Deuxièmes Crus Classés or Second Growths  Ch. Rauzan-Ségla  Ch. Rauzan-Gassies  Ch. Léoville Las Cases  Ch. Léoville-Poyferré  Ch. Léoville Barton  Ch. Durfort-Vivens  Ch. Gruaud Larose  Ch. Lascombes  Ch. Brane-Cantenac  Ch. Pichon Baron  Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande  Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou  Cos d’Estournel  Ch. Montrose Troisièmes Crus Classés or Third Growths Ch. Kirwan  Ch. d’Issan  Ch. Lagrange  Ch. Langoa Barton  Ch. Giscours  Ch. Malescot Saint-Exupéry  Ch. Boyd-Cantenac  Ch. Cantenac Brown  Ch. Palmer  Ch. la Lagune  Ch. Desmirail  Calon Ségur  Ch. Ferrière  Ch. Marquis d’Alesme  Quatrièmes Crus Classés or Fourth Growths Ch. Saint-Pierre  Ch. Talbot  Ch. Branaire-Ducru  Ch. Duhart-Milon  Ch. Pouget  Ch. la Tour Carnet  Ch. Lafon-Rochet  Ch. Beychevelle  Ch. Prieuré-Lichine  Ch. Marquis de Terme  Cinquièmes Crus Classés or Fifth Growths Ch. Pontet-Canet  Ch. Batailley  Ch. Haut-Batailley  Ch. Grand-Puy-Lacoste  Ch. Grand-Puy Ducasse  Ch. Lynch-Bages  Ch. Lynch-Moussas  Ch. Dauzac  Ch. d’Armailhac  Ch. du Tertre  Ch. Haut-Bages Libéral  Ch. Pédesclaux  Ch. Belgrave  Ch. de Camensac  Ch. Cos Labory  Ch. Clerc Milon  Ch. Croizet-Bages  Ch. Cantemerle The unofficial Super Seconds Cos d’Estournel  Ducru-Beaucaillou  La Mission Haut-Brion.  Léoville Barton  Léoville Las Cases  Lynch-Bages  Montrose  Palmer  Pichon Baron  Pichon Comtesse  Pontet-Canet  The 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification Premier Cru Supérieur Ch. d’Yquem Premier Cru Ch. la Tour Blanche  Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey  Clos Haut-Peyraguey  Ch. de Rayne Vigneau  Ch. Suduiraut  Ch. Coutet  Ch. Climens  Ch. Guiraud  Ch. Rieussec  Ch. Rabaud-Promis  Ch. Sigalas Rabaud  Deuxièmes Crus Ch. de Myrat  Ch. Doisy Daëne  Ch. Doisy-Dubroca  Ch. Doisy-Védrines  Ch. d’Arche  Ch. Filhot  Ch. Broustet  Ch. Nairac  Ch. Caillou  Ch. Suau  Ch. de Malle  Ch. Romer du Hayot  Ch. Romer  Ch. Lamothe   Ch. Lamothe-Guignard 

The 1855 classification of Bordeaux’s top châteaux remains as important today as when it was first created in the 19th century. Here’s everything you need to know about the famous ranking

Everything you need to know about the 1855 classification in Bordeaux – the historic ranking of the Left Bank’s top wine estates

Your guide to Bordeaux’s 1855 classification

Your guide to the 1855 classification

For good or for bad, the 2021 was a vigneron’s vintage, a year that required every bit of nous to circumnavigate the many issues that plagued the growing season. With an early budbreak and one of the latest harvests on record, it was a long and exhausting vintage for everyone involved. This was by no means a vintage that made itself – and its success was determined by the actions of man not nature. Whereas normally there tends to be quite a bit of variation between the sub-regions of Bordeaux throughout the growing season, in 2021 things were decisively challenging everywhere. All were initially threatened by frost, followed by mildew pressure, excessive rainfall in June, cool summer temperatures and a general lack of sunshine throughout the spring and summer months – only to be rescued in the final sunny weeks leading up to harvest. Some unlucky enough (mainly around Sauternes) also suffered hail damage prior to harvest. Despite the homogenously bad weather, the varying soils and varieties throughout the region all reacted quite heterogeneously, meaning some suffered more than others. Such were the manhours required in the vineyard in 2021, production and quality were going to be badly affected. Bear in mind this was all still at a time when Covid-19 was still a pressure point for employment, as noted by a number of wineries we visited. The mild and very wet winter brought an early and uneven budbreak, as early as 10th March in Pessac-Léognan and 15th March in Saint-Emilion – which was a full two weeks ahead of normal. This was followed by unseasonably warm weather, Ch. Figeac in Saint Emilion registered 25˚C, resulting in the vines’ quick acceleration of growth. With the vines already so advanced, the threat of spring frosts was all too apparent. Right on cue, temperatures plunged at night.  The 6th, 7th and 8th April saw black frosts cause significant damage across the region. Those worst affected in the classified sites were in Sauternes and Pessac-Léognan – with some châteaux in Sauternes witnessing their entire crop wiped out. The threat of frost was a prolonged agony for many, lasting right up until the 5th May, with temperatures recorded as low as -5˚C. For the Moueix estates in Pomerol, the combination of wind turbines and smudge candles could raise the temperature in the vineyard up by 2˚C – enough to protect the grapes. Other properties without such resources weren’t so lucky. Ch. Margaux's white wine vineyard is famously susceptible to frost. After installing a sprinkler system throughout the whole 8.5 hectares, the system malfunctioned, not working on 1.5 hectares where they lost everything (fortunately the remaining seven escaped harm). The frost damage was far from democratic, with estates within the same appellation seeing widely different levels of damage. As always, the châteaux on the Left Bank closest to the Gironde such as Ch. Léoville Las Cases and Latour came away largely untouched by the frost. Further north in Saint-Éstephe, châteaux such as Calon-Ségur and Montrose were also unaffected – not just due to their close proximity to the river. The cooler clay-rich soils of the appellation mean budburst is always delayed, and with the vines not as advanced, damage was limited. The risk of frost threatened Saint-Emilion for 10 days straight and led to a huge amount of work in the vineyards protecting the vines. The vineyards on the lower plains were worst affected, Croix Canon for instance, while Ch. Canon and neighbouring Ch. Berliquet up on the limestone plateau were spared, due to the vineyards’ fortunate south/south-west exposition – the brow of the hill protecting the vines from the freezing northeasterly winds. Vines basking in the sun at Ch. Latour If there was one moment of calm throughout the 2021 growing season, it came at flowering. Clement, dry weather engendered successful flowering, though rains arrived at fruit-set, leading to coulure for the Merlot. A huge deluge fell in June – as much as three times the month’s average rainfall. The damp, cloudy conditions saw the widespread outbreak of mildew that remained throughout June, July and into August. Bordeaux’s proximity to the Atlantic and the naturally high levels of humidity this brings have always made it susceptible to mildew, but for many vignerons we spoke to, this was the worst outbreak they had ever seen. The poor climatic conditions saw coulure and millerandage (the development of fewer and differently sized berries) badly affecting the Merlot on the Left Bank. This is why you’ll see such high proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blends this year – with Cabernet being much less susceptible to both conditions. Despite the blanket attack of mildew, its effects varied from property to property. Ch. Margaux believed the mildew outbreak was the worst they had ever seen, yet for them, it never reached the grapes, only the canopy – allowing them to protect the fruit from damage. Perhaps their largely Cabernet Sauvignon plots made it easier to protect; Merlot certainly wasn’t so lucky. Further north in Saint-Julien, Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou chose to leave the grass cover throughout the growing season to soak up the humidity and reduce the rain splash which spreads the mildew to the vines. Many sprays later and the yields were still significantly impacted; their Grand Vin is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon (the highest proportion ever) and production is the lowest on record, cropping at 20hl/ha. Ch. Pontet-Canet in Pauillac was devastated by mildew in 2018, losing two thirds of their crop. Despite the bigger outbreak in 2021, production was down only 15% – clearly having learnt how to better cope with the issue. The estate’s Justine Tesseron emphasised that you had to react fast to protect the grapes – you had to get out into the vineyards immediately after each rain episode to stop the spread. It was the year their newly built “tisanerie” came to the rescue, making them much more efficient in preparing their biodynamic sprays and reducing the overall impact. Many estates including Ch. Cos d’Estournel and Calon-Ségur carried out early de-leafing to reduce the impact of the disease. It was a huge risk. If the climate switched to more intense sunshine, the crop would have suffered significant sunburn. But the intensity of the sun, fortunately for them, was never that strong. With such high levels of rainfall in the summer months, the vignerons faced their next issue – a slow and uneven véraison. That moment where the energy of the vine switches from producing its canopy to ripening the grape is set off by a period of hydric stress – something which was not forthcoming in 2021. An event that typically takes place over two weeks was spread over four. The high rainfall also meant bigger berries and dilution was a concern, particularly as they edged towards harvest, worried the skins could burst and rot would set in. Fortunately, things finally started to dry up in August and, while temperatures remained mild, the grapes pushed through véraison. The September weather finally brought some hope for the vintage and, according to many vignerons, was their saviour. Sunny days and cool nights were ideal for grapes to concentrate, retaining freshness, while producing the beguiling aromatics that are so distinct in the 2021 wines. There was a little more rain in mid-September, most notably in the Médoc, which brought concern over rot, but any significant damage was held off by a dry and sunny October. Smudge pots or "bougies" between the vines, on hand to offer protection against frost The northern appellation of Saint-Estèphe was noticeably drier than appellations to its south, with hydric stress starting in July and “perfect weather” followed in August according to Ch. Montrose’s Lorraine Watrin. She compared the growing season to 2014, which was particularly successful in the appellation. By the end of September, throughout the regions, most of the Merlot was picked. Of course, the Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes, capable of growing in much cooler, wetter conditions, were much less affected by all of Mother Nature’s shenanigans. For the estates that avoided the frost, the whites reached good volumes and the fresh temperatures of the growing season proved ideal for the varieties. The whites were largely picked in the first two weeks of September and the top examples proved exceptional. For the reds, Mother Nature had one more card to play. Weather forecasts for the first weekend in October predicted heavy storms and more rainfall. With the large berries close to ripeness, a heavy storm could decimate the later-ripening Cabernets and would prove catastrophic for many on both the Left and Right Bank who rely on large proportions of Cabernet in their wines. With little choice, most ran the risk, and held out picking until the storms passed. Thankfully Mother Nature’s trump card was never played. Amazingly, the forecasters got it wrong, and the storms never came. Finally, the Cabernet was picked under sunny skies. Many châteaux such as Calon-Ségur held out as long as possible and were harvesting right up until 13th October – their latest harvest since 2012. What is extraordinary about the 2021 vintage is the complete inverse effects of the previous three years. Three vintages of relative drought, plagued with concerns over rising sugar/ alcohol levels, vines blocked from maturation due to hydric stress, and a genuine concern that the wines would lack full phenolic maturity, due to the compacted ripening season. Every one of these concerns was turned on its head in 2021, producing wines that are the opposite of the 2018, 2019 and 2020s. This unique season has put technology advances in Bordeaux to the test – from weather stations, UV boosting to state-of-the-art machinery – and at its best, they’ve defied the odds. A couple of decades ago, a growing season like 2021 would have produced very little wine at all, but today the Bordelais have proven that man can – at least for now – manage almost everything Mother Nature throws at them. And, most importantly, still produce wines of striking finesse and aromatic charm. Read more Editorial 

Man versus Mother Nature: The 2021 growing season in Bordeaux was in complete contrast to the previous three vintages. Gavin Smith runs through the key moments that shaped this unique year

Everything you need to know about the 2021 growing season in Bordeaux, how the best chateaux managed it – and how it impacted the style of the wines produced

Bordeaux 2021 en primeur - the growing season

 Bordeaux 2021: the growing season

The Bordeaux 2019 vintage reports and reviews are published from the leading critics, including Lisa Perrotti-Brown’s report for The Wine Advocate, two separate reports for Vinous from Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin and Part 1 of Jeb Dunnuck's report also published online. James Suckling and Jane Anson have also continued to release their notes in stages on their respective websites. They are unanimous in declaring the vintage either "outstanding" or "excellent" and wines have performed remarkably consistently across all price points. Despite the immense quality of the vintage, the campaign will be remembered in large part for the price reductions across the board and with plenty of wines now garnering high scores, we look at some noteworthy buys that are still available and some top value-picks from the vintage.

In keeping with what has turned out to be a topsy-turvy campaign, due to the constraints of the pandemic, practically all the wines from the Bordeaux 2019 En Primeur campaign had been released (and much of the top wines sold out) prior to these reports being published. Throughout this time however there have been enough reviews to confirm what the Bordelais and merchants have been saying since first tasting the wines in May – that 2019 is a great vintage and more so, a remarkably consistent one, offering a plethora of fantastic wines at every price point. 
The Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown’s flash reviews released just prior to some of the major releases and scored very favourably certainly provided some additional confidence in the vintage and in these wines in particular. It is clear though that there is general agreement that the vintage sits alongside 2016, 2018 and 2010 as one of the finest of the modern era. The consistency in quality of the vintage on the one hand might seem surprising considering the heat and drought of the growing season, particularly with the heat spikes at the height of summer.  You might have expected more vignerons to have been tripped up by this. Lisa Perrotti-Brown’s report highlights that this was not the case, finding little to no evidence of unresolved tannins in the wine (caused by the vines shutting down during the drought).  On the other hand perhaps the success of the vintage should not come as a surprise considering the levels of precision in viticulture and vinifiction that have been reached (particularly amongst the classified Growths), along with the fact that all European wine regions are getting better at managing the warming climate. Given the strength of the vintage, the usual suspects have performed to the very high standards we have become used to (even in less great vintages) – The First Growths and Super Seconds on the Left Bank have all garnered huge scores and high praise, as did the Pomerol giants that have been tasted. Petrus, Lafleur, Le Pin alongside the top Saint-Emilion wines of Chateau Ausone and Cheval Blanc are all noticeably absent in the critics' reviews, as the estates chose not to send samples outside of France.  
 Despite the immense quality of the vintage, the campaign will be remembered in large part for the price reductions across the board and given the consistency of these top Chateaux in recent years the likes of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone had no trouble selling out almost immediately even without reviews. Chateau Canon, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Rauzan Segla and Chateau Montrose also decided not to send out samples.  
Even without tasting some of these top estates, the critics have been confident in giving a general view of the vintage. Lisa Perrotti-Brown declared 2019 “an outstanding vintage”, a vintage of great consistency and noticeable freshness. She summed it up nicely stating: “The juxtaposition between alcohols (on the high side), crunchy fruit profiles, higher acids and lower pHs (for the most part) is what gives the best 2019s this real sense of energy in the mouth. 2019 is like a vortex of contrasts together creating a truly amazing sense of harmony on the palate.”  Antonio Galloni also captured the vintage well, comparing it to the 2009s and 2010s in terms of ripeness and fruit purity, but with a marked difference in style as winemaking has changed over the last ten years – “the 2019s share some attributes with 2009 and 2010, they are much more finessed wines built on persistence and length more than opulence. This is partly the vintage speaking, but also a question of style. Just ten years ago, we were still living in the era of hyper-extracted wines.” Neal Martin's review concluded that 2019 “is an excellent vintage” stating that there are instances where “the 2019 vintage does surpass everything I have tasted at this unfinished stage, and others where I feel the benchmark 2016s will ultimately be superior.” Somewhere close, but not quite as good as 2016 seems to be a fair overview from him. Judging on his scores he certainly prefers it to the 2018 vintage, awarding two potential perfect scores: Chateau Pichon Comtesse and Chateau La Mission Haut Brion.  That is two more than in 2018 plus this does not include the untasted favourites of Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Lafleur and Ausone. Galloni’s conclusion was similar, stating: “2019 is a superb vintage that falls just short of being truly epic”. James Suckling's position is somewhat reversed – being a huge fan of the 2018 vintage, he seems to prefer the more opulent intensity of that vintage. Considering the similarities in warmth, the wines in 2019 really are very different to 2018 with much finer tannins and more overall freshness and in that respect more medium-bodied. Despite that, Suckling has been hugely impressed with the vintage providing eight potential perfect scores compared to 14 in 2018 (it must be stated that a lot more wines were tasted in 2018). Jane Anson had the benefit of being based in Bordeaux and therefore got to taste many of the wines at the estates. Tasting close to a 1,000 wines she certainly has provided the most comprehensive insight into the vintage. Having had scores published for the very earliest releases has made hers a prominent voice in this year’s campaign.  Her top wine of the vintage is Chateau L’Eglise Clinet with Pomerol being her favoured appellation in 2019, although like others, it is the consistency across appellations that has really impressed her. Like Neal Martin and Antonio Galloni she still has 2019 coming in (just) behind 2016 in terms of quality.  With the reports now published and given the speed at which the wines have been released, we thought it would be helpful to identify some clear favourites that you may have missed and that are still available. An indicator of the consistency of the vintage is that Neal Martin has scored a staggering 45 wines between 94-97 points. Some of these are exceptional value and should not be missed.  Critics' Wine Highlights: Consistent High Scorers (that you may have missed) Chateau Clos Fourtet 2019, Saint-Emilion  Although not tasted by all of the major critics so far, it has received fantastic aggregate scores with both Neal Martin, Antonio Galloni and Jane Anson all awarding it a potential 97 points. This Premier Grand Cru Classe "B" estate is certainly producing some of the finest wines in Saint-Emilion today and is well worth your consideration in 2019.  Chateau Pape Clement 2019, Pessac Leognan  Due to the timing of this release it is not surprising that it got missed, but the wine has garnered fantastic scores across the board and remains certainly one of the top wines of Pessac Leognan in 2019. Neal Martin awarded it 96-98 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown 96-98+ points. It has one of the highest aggregate scores of the vintage. 
Top Value Buys Chateau Labegorce 2019, Margaux  A beautiful wine from Margaux that was released on one of the biggest days of the campaign and lost its opportunity in the limelight. But whilst this may have been missed on release the fantastic score to price ratio makes this one of the buys of the vintage. Garnering 93-95 points from Neal Martin and priced under £20 a bottle seems fantastic value.  Chateau Laroque 2019, Saint-Emilion  Seemingly a perennial favourite for Lisa Perrotti-Brown: 95-97 points for a wine that costs just £17.50 in bond is recommendation enough. If you missed our offer click here for last remaining cases. The recent success of the wine is undoubtedly down to hiring the highly respected winemaker David Suire (one of the men behind two of Saint-Emilion’s top performing estates - Chateau Larcis Ducasse and Chateau Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse). His talent and experience, combined with the blessing of some stunning vintages, has seen this Saint-Emilion estate regularly score in the high nineties since his arrival. 
 Chateau Lagrange 2019, Saint Julien The Chateau is owned by the highly successful Suntory Group (best known for its premium spirits including the Japanese whiskies Yamazaki and Nikka), who since taking over the property have been making steady long-term improvements to the wines thanks to an extensive replanting scheme which they implemented on taking over the property 30 years ago. With these vines now reaching maturity and bearing premium fruit, along with a significant increase in their Cabernet Sauvignon plantings, the wines today have never been better. Their 2019 was awarded 94-96 points by Neal Martin, 95 points by Jane Anson and is priced at just over £30 per bottle in bond. Chateau Tour-Saint-Christophe 2019, Saint-Emilion  Every year the estate seems to get better; the wine has never been so concentrated and balanced as in 2019. Thanks to their limestone and blue clay soils, the wine never feels heavy, despite the generosity of fruit. It also performs particularly well in drier vintages like 2019. Awarded 94-96 points from Neal Martin and 95-97 points from Jeb Dunnuck for a wine priced at just over £22 over fantastic value. INSERT LINK  
Top Second Wines Clos du Marquis 2019 (Second wine of Chateau Leoville Las Cases)  Always a favourite for drinkers who love their linear style typical of the Grand Vin of Chateau Leoville Las Cases. Scoring a huge 93-95 points from Neal Martin this year, looks like a great buy for the winemaking prowess at work here.  Croix du Beaucaillou 2019 (Second wine of Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou)  This wine has always been a favourite for many, as it consistently manages to retain a plush, concentrated purity of fruit you don't always find at this price point. It is particularly exceptional in 2019 and comes highly recommended. Garnering huge scores from the critics, with Neal Martin awarding it a potential 96 points, for a wine at just over £28 bottle in bond this is recommendation enough.  Bordeaux 2019 Releases to watch out for  Chateau Pichon Comtesse, Pauillac A winery on incredible form, it has produced a truly outstanding wine in 2019, receiving several potential 100-point scores from the critics. It is in fact just one of two wines from Neal Martin’s report to be awarded a potential 100 points, describing it as “unbelievably precise”. It certainly is one of the wines of the vintage and the energy and tension in the wine is mindblowing. This wine is certainly one of our picks of the vintage. 
 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac Leognan (Red & White) Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte continues to be one of Pessac-Leognan’s most consistent performers with the 2019 vintage following in a long line of exceptional wines, getting more and more refined with every vintage. Winemaker Fabien Teitgen has a great ability to dissect a vintage describing the 2019 as “the texture of 2009, but with more freshness in the aromas and more acidity, perhaps like 2015 for the aromas and 2017 for the acidity and the length… the Merlot is very dense and powerful and the Cabernet Sauvignon has a wonderful tannin structure producing a wine with very long length”. Tasting the 2019 it is easily one of the finest Pessac Leognan reds of the vintage, if not one of the finest on the Left Bank. 
 Chateau Troplong Mondot 2019, Saint Emilion  Whilst still to be released, the new style of wines at Chateau Troplong Mondot are certainly finding favour in 2019. Along with Chateau Canon they are the first to pick the grapes in Saint-Emilion, opting for ethereal freshness over opulence. The wine is magnificent in 2019. Neal Martin scores it 95-97, Lisa Perrotti-Brown 96-98 and Antonio Galloni 96-98. 

They are unanimous in declaring the vintage either "outstanding" or "excellent" and wines have performed remarkably consistently across all price points.  More than anything the campaign will be remembered for the price reductions across the board and with plenty of wines now garnering high scores, 

The Bordeaux 2019 vintage reports & reviews are published from the leading critics, unanimously declaring the vintage either "outstanding" or "excellent".

Bordeaux 2019 vintage reviews by the critics

The Critics are Out!

Clemens Strobl

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