The red wines in 2019  Whether you’re in Pauillac or Pomerol, Saint-Estèphe or Saint-Emilion, 2019 is a vintage big in colour, concentration and tannins.The wines are packed with fragrance and flavour, with a welcome level of freshness that producers had not anticipated in the weeks leading up to harvest.   Left Bank   “I would say that 2019 is great for all varieties,” says Philippe Bascaules, Managing Director of First Growth Ch. Margaux. “Merlot is in the style of 2018 – concentrated and very ripe; Cabernet Sauvignon is in the style of…2019! Fresh, elegant, and very well-balanced between opulence and vivacity.” But if he had to make comparisons, he sees a combination of characteristics of the lauded 2009 and 2010 vintages: “2009 for the texture, concentration and silkiness; 2010 for the freshness.”   It’s a similar story a little further up the Médoc in the appellation of Saint-Julien. “Tasting the wine at this stage reminds us of the 2009 vintage with its sunny characteristics and that creamy unctuosity but the drop in temperatures from the beginning of harvest time gives this vintage a freshness in the expression of these aromas,” says Sara Lecompte-Cuvelier of Ch. Léoville Poyferré.   The blending components of a Bordeaux wine go beyond the grape varieties and picking dates. It’s also important to take into account the soils. On the Left Bank, the cooler, clay-rich soils provided grapes with greater freshness while the gravel-dominant sites provided richer, riper fruit. In Saint-Estèphe, the teams at Chx Montrose, Calon Ségur and Phélan Ségur, credit the appellation’s higher proportions of clay for negotiating the prolonged dry spells and bringing balance to these ripe wines.   Right Bank   On the Merlot-dominant Right Bank, you can expect plenty of colour, abundant tannins and generous fruit. However, the good pH levels have maintained a greater sense of freshness than the sumptuous 2018s, providing balance.  In Saint-Emilion, producers on the limestone plateau and clay-limestone hillsides, home to its most revered vineyards, fared better than those on the free-draining sandy plain during the long dry periods. Expect a little more freshness than in 2018 – site and picking date dependent – but with plenty of dense, rich fruit.    Maylis Marcenat, whose family estate Clos de Sarpe sits on clay-limestone, says: “2019 is going to be a very good vintage for us, a classic Bordeaux vintage but with greater smoothness,” she says. “It has slightly less alcohol than 2018 and greater balance. The tannin texture reminds me of 2016 but it has a freshness of its own. It’s a vintage that reminds me of 2001 and I am sure of its aging capacity.”   In neighbouring Pomerol, the appellation delivers on its classic rich, dark fruit and trademark chocolatey tannins. Omri Ram, Ch. Lafleur’s winemaker, believes that 2019 however is fresher than 2015 and not as massive. While the two vintages have similar concentration of tannins and a high level of solids, 2019 is much more communicative than the 2015 was at this early stage. “2015 is a difficult vintage to taste young but the 2019, although sharing similar characteristics, is more open but has the same seriousness, the same depth, creaminess and balance,” he says.  The dry white wines  in 2019  ”It is great in white and red. This is the strength of this vintage. The white wines show a great richness: [they are] fresh, balanced and suave,” says Olivier Bernard, the head of Domaine de Chevalier, a Graves estate renowned for both its whites and reds.   In the University of Bordeaux’s annual vintage report, Professor Laurence Gény-Denis and his team said: “Despite an exceptionally hot summer that was sometimes incompatible with the greatest dry white vintages, the absence of early and excessive water stress produced perfectly balanced, aromatic grapes with good acidity and not overly high sugar levels. Their composition is ideal for producing wines with outstanding ageing potential.”   It was a relatively early kick-off for the dry white harvest to avoid stressing the vines, which means a very small reduction in average alcohols versus 2018 at around 13.7%.The team at Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte explained that the Sauvignon Blanc, which makes up 90% of its lauded white blend, has an element of fatness – but not at the expense of freshness. While the average pH of Bordeaux white in 2019 is marginally higher than in recent vintages, it remains low at a pretty zesty 3.2.  The sweet white wines in 2019  For sweet wines, things were a little more challenging. Dry, warm weather delayed the onset of noble rot but rainfall in late September allowed perfectly ripe grapes to develop botrytis cinerea and berry concentration rapidly increased. The majority of the grapes were harvested in several days, just before heavy rains in mid-October.   Eric Kohler of Domaines Barons de Rothschild, which owns Ch. Rieussec in Sauternes, adds: “September’s rains were very beneficial – as they were in 2017 and a first window opened on 8th October to pick perfect botrytised grapes for the Grand Vin – with a special mention to some lovely Muscadelle. It then became more challenging due to development of sour rot/acid. The team worked like gold diggers to really sort the best possible grapes until 21st October.”  Comparing 2019 to other vintages  Comparing vintages is like comparing children. Every vintage, like every child, has its own DNA but that doesn’t stop us looking for similarities and differences, providing an anchor in a sea of claret.   The scientists at Bordeaux University do the hard graft, compiling data from around the region to give us in-depth analysis of the region and its vital statistics. Put your lab jacket on, here comes the science.   The data shows that Cabernet Sauvignon berries were the smallest since 2010. Packed with tannin and colour, these small berries have created wines that are deeply coloured and rich in tannin. The tannins are also ripe and the fruit is rich with high sugar levels at harvest equating to some fairly weighty alcohol levels on a par with 2018 and 2010. Acidity is critical to maintain balance and compares with 2016 while pH in the Cabernet Sauvignon – critical to stability and another indicator of freshness – is lower than 2018 and sits in the ballpark of 2015 and 2016.   Based on the wines coming out of their stable from Pomerol to Pauillac, Eric Kohler, technical director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild’s Bordeaux estates, which includes Lafite-Rothschild, Duhart-Milon and Nénin, says: “Our gutfeel is that just as there will always be a discussion between 2009 and 2010, that we will have the same between 2018 and 2019; 2018 being closer to 2009, and 2019 being closer to 2010.”   When it comes to Merlot, once again the dry, sunny weather has led to small berry sizes; tannin levels are sandwiched between the impressive 2018 and 2015/2010s. The ripeness levels are comparable to 2010 and 2016, but the total acidity is a touch lower than these two vintages.   Jean-Baptiste Bourotte of Pomerol’s Clos du Clocher, whose 2019 is comprised of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, says, “The question is if the alcohol is fairly high – for Bordeaux, because other regions have long been used to these levels – can we still find the balance and elegance that makes classic Bordeaux? On the earlier plots, the liveliness has been maintained with a pH of 3.6 and the tannins are ripe and abundant, which means there’s no perception of high alcohol in the mouth and you’ll find that the 2019s are balanced in a true-to-type Pomerol way.”  

The 2019 vintage in Bordeaux is special. Although, with the Covid-19 outbreak, we were unable to make it out to the region, we interviewed producers and tasted wine samples in the UK. Here’s everything you need to know about the year 

Everything you need to know about the 2019 vintage in Bordeaux – a year that produced exceptional wines

Full report on the 2019 vintage in Bordeaux

Bordeaux 2019 vintage report

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

For many, the past 12 months meant working in isolation and big plans were shelved. At Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), it was an extremely proactive year of change. These changes have resulted in the strongest line up of wines from the Lafite stable we can remember. Ch. Duhart-Milon has seen a massive step up in quality with their 2020, and Lafite has reached new levels of ethereal finesse – while their Pomerol property, L’Evangile, has found fantastic freshness and clarity without losing any of its Pomerol opulence. They are a unique line-up of wines, each brimming with personality. As the demands for precision viticulture becomes more established in today’s top-flight Bordeaux, the leading First Growth estates know they must be at the forefront of these changes if they are to maintain their preeminent stature. Ch. Lafite Rothschild and its fellow Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) estates of L’Evangile, Duhart-Milon and Rieussec are no different. In this dynamic period for Bordeaux such changes and improvements have taken many forms. Perhaps the most visibly apparent development at DBR Lafite is the new winemaking facility for Ch. Duhart-Milon right in the centre of Pauillac’s town centre. It fortunately came into operation just in time for the 2020 vintage.  DBR Lafite’s International Director Jean-Sébastien Philippe believes the exceptional state-of-the-art facility has brought “a new level of precision to the wine”. The introduction of temperature-controlled, smaller vats allows for plot-by-plot fermentation, picking the grapes only at optimum ripeness, rather than lumped all together in one vat. On tasting, it has clearly made a huge impact on the wine, with better ripeness to the tannins. It has really captured the finesse so typical of its bigger sibling Lafite. The clarity of fruit is fantastic and is a big step up for the estate. Perhaps less visible but no less significant is the new team dynamic now operating at the properties, where a heightened level of collaboration has been instilled to better circumnavigate decisions made in the vineyard. Philippe is quick to point out that 2020 was what the French call “un millésime de vignerons”, in that the success or failure of the 2020 vintage lay firmly at the feet of those working in the vineyard. It was a growing season where many difficult decisions had to be made.  The 2020 vintage is in fact Lafite’s first full vintage working organically (and L’Evangile’s third) – no mean feat considering the outburst of mildew that threatened the vineyards in the wet spring. Never has collaboration and specialist know-how been more essential.  “We needed to question ourselves a lot,” admits Philippe, “and no one is right alone... It was a vintage where the vigneron was forced to question themselves every day. It was a vintage of contrast and team spirit. We had to think collectively across the team,” he adds.  It is the first year that the two flagship properties of L’Evangile and Lafite have had two separate dedicated Technical Directors with Eric Kohler remaining in charge of Lafite and Duhart-Milon, while Olivier Trégoat was able to focus on L’Evangile and Rieussec. Beyond the permanent staff at each château, the team was able to make use of a shared research and development team headed up by Manuela Brando. It was Brando’s crucial role to co-ordinate data, empirical research, and lead improvements while working collaboratively with the different teams in the vineyard. Something she has been doing with the Lafite team since 2015. This additional level of research has enabled the teams to make some bold decisions, resulting in some truly impressive wines in 2020. Although Lafite is consistently lower in alcohol than most other Pauillac properties, for the wine to come in at just 12.8% alcohol in what was a dry, hot vintage is staggering. Beyond that, the wine is no less detailed or impactful for it, bringing a level of the ethereal into the Pauillac structure. It is an extraordinary wine – so light on its feet, yet deceptively structured with fantastic depth. There are few estates with the confidence to produce a Pauillac of such finesse, but it remains Lafite’s signature. At L’Evangile, their courage was displayed at harvest. Philippe is proud to admit they were the first property out picking in the vineyards of Pomerol – determined to capture the freshness of the vintage. They had picked 80% of the entire crop prior to the heatwave that hit the Right Bank between 12th and 14th September.  “With the natural richness and maturity of the grapes, we are always looking for freshness and balance,” says Philippe, “always trying to make wines that seem younger the older the wines get.” At L’Evangile, they took another brave step and reduced the cuvaison period from 28 days' maceration on skins down to 21-23 days. This was another way to increase freshness in the wine. They also reduced the new oak to 50% (previously it made up 80%). But the key for Philippe was “to be very precise at assemblage”. “It is important to have as many lots of wines as possible to taste when blending,” he says. “2020 is a vintage which required tough decisions – there was no room for compromise.”  L’Evangile is undoubtedly very special this year. Perhaps even better than 2019, which was already very good. The wine has great generosity, so typical of Pomerol, but is more elegant in 2020. What is so impressive about the wine is its sustain on the palate: it has incredible length, and the clarity of fruit just stays with you right to the finish. Changes are far from over at Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), as plenty of further experimentation continues behind the scenes. But what is abundantly clear with the 2020 wines is their investment and commitment to collaborative viticulture is setting a precedent amongst the elite of Bordeaux – and the wines have never been more precise. Browse all Lafite listings or read more Editorial 

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s Jean-Sébastien Philippe speaks to Gavin Smith about the benefits of collaboration amongst its châteaux – Lafite, L’Evangile, Rieussec and Duhart-Milon

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s Jean-Sébastien Philippe on the benefits of collaboration amongst  Lafite, L’Evangile, Rieussec and Duhart-Milon

Domaines Barons de Rothschild year of innovation

Domaines Barons de Rothschild: a year of innovation

The 2021 vintage in Bordeaux is not another 2018, 2019 or 2020. Indeed, this is a year that is seemingly without precedent. It was a year first and foremost of the wine-grower. Forget the idea that the best wines are made with minimal intervention, naturally conjured from fine terroir and effortlessly evolving in the cellar: that’s an illusion at the best of times. To succeed in 2021, producers had to put in serious graft. They needed to be out amongst the vines day in, day out. And then they needed to follow that through in the winery. Several had already written off the year after hearing about the frost and mildew that plagued the growing season (about which you can read much more in our detailed report). In our view, that’s a mistake. It’s not the vintage of the century, and anyone would be foolish to pretend it is – but there are some brilliant wines, especially for those who are partial to more elegant styles, lower alcohol levels and freshness. It’s important to caveat that when we discuss a vintage en primeur, we are talking about the very crème de la crème of Bordeaux – the finest estates who have not only the region’s best-sited vineyards, but the necessary resources – the manpower, money and equipment – to be able to succeed. Our 10 days in the region revealed the full complexities of the year, one where it is nigh-on impossible to generalise. As Omri Ram at Ch. Lafleur told us, “There are hundreds and thousands of 2021s.” The key was being able to analyse what was happening in the vineyards – and then be able to act on it. Quickly. For Ram, with 24 people working 21 hectares, that was fortunately possible. At Ch. Lafite Rothschild, Technical Director Eric Kohler told us that the cost of production in 2021 was an almost incredible 45% higher than normal. Christian Moueix estimates his team spent 30% more hours in the vineyard than normal. At Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou, they hired an additional 35 people to manage mildew amongst the vines in June and July (surplus to the normal 40), while at both Ch. Rauzan-Ségla and Les Carmes Haut-Brion they had enormous teams for the harvest – 150 each, harvesting and sorting at Rauzan-Ségla, and doing three or four passes through each plot at Carmes. At Smith Haut-Lafitte, they bought five additional tractors to ensure they could spray the entire property in one day. “All the challenges we could dream of happened,” said Jean-Basile Roland of Ch. Rauzan-Ségla. Because of these challenges, it’s a vintage that producers are justifiably proud of – for it was a hard-won battle, and Covid-19 was still a consideration. Yields across the region varied significantly. In total, the region produced 14% less than in 2020, but some estates reported a full crop. At others, they had the lowest yields since 1991 – largely due to mildew, although frost was a factor as well. Inevitably, estates working organically and biodynamically had more of a battle when it came to mildew so were more significantly impacted. Both elements had less of an impact than might be expected, however, as producers have learnt – and invested – after the severe frosts of 2017 and mildew of 2018. As already highlighted, this was a year of the grower; where the human hand was everything. There were key decisions to be made at every stage of the season and these influenced the style of wine produced. Again, from what we tasted there wasn’t a right or wrong decision to be made – but it’s important to emphasise the various elements that have defined the wines this year. First up was picking. In general, harvest dates were much later than we’ve seen in recent years – producers having to wait for ripeness to arrive in the year’s cooler conditions. Merlot started coming in at the end of September, and most finished picking their Cabernet by 18th October. The key decision was around the first weekend in October, when heavy rain was forecast, yet most Cabernet wasn’t yet ripe. Some rushed to pick their fruit, while others took the risk and waited. Those who held their nerve were rewarded; the storms were replaced by sunny days for key ripening. While recent years have seen producers waiting for phenolic ripeness, with sugar levels soaring in warm conditions, 2021 saw something different. At some estates, phenolic maturity arrived first, with the sugar never quite following; at others the phenolic, flavour and sugar ripeness all seemed to arrive at once. For the former, chaptalisation was necessary. This practice – the addition of sugar prior to fermentation to increase alcohol levels – was once the norm in marginal climates like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire and many more. Opinions on the topic are rife, with some winemakers extremely anti; from what we tasted, where well-judged and expertly managed, you can’t tell. There were a handful of wines with warming alcohol that doesn’t feel fully integrated, but where done well, chaptalisation has rounded the wine out – fleshing out the body with half a degree of alcohol or so. It’s also important to emphasise that chaptalisation is something we simply haven’t spoken about previously – at Ch. Margaux, Aurélien Valence highlighted that they even chaptalised a few parcels in 2019 and 2020, while some estates haven’t done so for decades. Some châteaux opted for reverse osmosis as an alternative way to concentrate the wines, generally on lower-tier wines. Given the year’s challenging conditions, producers didn’t face a crop of flawlessly clean fruit. It was a cool and damp year and sorting was essential. Optical sorters are now the norm at many addresses, but this year saw the addition of density baths at several estates (Chx Léoville and Langoa Barton, Angélus and Smith Haut-Lafitte, to name a few, following in the footsteps of the likes of Ausone). Indeed, just at Smith Haut-Lafitte, there were six stages of sorting across the vineyard and winery to ensure that they kept only the finest fruit. One point of discussion at almost every estate was how producers managed extraction. With the year’s wet conditions, berries were generally plump and dilution was a risk. The cooler weather also meant that tannins weren’t necessarily as ripe, although in terms of “IPT” (the Indice de Polyphénols Totaux – the level of tannins, a number that has started appearing on technical sheets and critic reports increasingly in recent vintages) 2021 had the same numbers as 2018, ’19 or ’20.  The difference, however, was that there isn’t the same stuffing to balance it – so it was essential that tannins were handled gently. Cold soaks were used at several addresses to extract colour and flavour, but not tannin; many opted for gentler and shorter maceration periods. Saignée – the act of bleeding off juice to concentrate what remains – was commonplace, and higher portions of press wine feature in several blends. Several producers noted that in particular the seeds or pips weren’t ripe this year, so it was important to avoid extracting tannins from them; it’s one reason for the significant portion (45%) of whole-bunch fermentation for the Grand Vin at Les Carmes Haut-Brion. The blends this year are in some instances atypical. On the Left Bank, the Merlot struggled with coulure (uneven fruit-set), meaning some wines have record-high proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend (a record 98% at Ducru-Beaucaillou, 96% at Lafite, 90% at Calon-Ségur, for example). Cabernet Franc seemed to thrive on both sides of the Gironde, and represents higher-than-normal percentages on the Right Bank (30% at L’Evangile, 60% at Angélus). You may also find a little more Petit Verdot in blends than normal – used to add both colour and spicy richness to the wines (for example, representing 6% at Pontet-Canet). Given the generally lighter style of the wines, élevage will be key. While of course this is not set yet, many producers have opted for lower levels of new oak and plan to leave the wines in barrel for slightly less time. As Noëmie Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet highlighted, this is to preserve the wines’ delicate tannins and aromas. At Ch. Rauzan-Ségla, Jean-Basile Roland noted that it was particularly important this year to use hot water and steam to extract the harshest tannins from barrels before they were filled. And so what of the style of the actual wines? Well, as you can tell, it is not easy to generalise. This is not a Left or Right Bank year, in our view, although we found a little more consistency amongst estates on the Right (and especially warmer Pomerol). Despite the fact that Merlot struggled a little on the Left, it doesn’t seem to have been such an issue on the Right Bank – it’s neither a Cabernet or Merlot vintage. Several producers were quick to declare it a “terroir” vintage – and certainly it seems that limestone and clay soils were an advantage – but terroir was not the only element at play. It really is a year that needs to be judged individually, per estate and wine. We noted in particular that some second wines have suffered from the selection required to achieve greatness in the Grand Vin. The best embraced the natural style of the vintage – working with the year’s elegance rather than battling it. There is an old-school charm to the finest wines, yet with a very modern fruit profile. “Modern classic” was a term that came up time and again, although we’re loathe to repeat it. At Vieux Château Certan, where Guillaume Thienpont has undoubtedly made one of the wines of the year, he described the wine as “two-thirds perfume, one-third flavour”, while Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Cheval Blanc – another overperformer this year – considers it “academic” rather than “classic”, built on dual pillars of tannin and acidity.  The best wines have fresh acidity, delicate and often floral aromatics, with crunchy fruit – often more at the red end of the spectrum. Alcohols tend to sit between 12 and 13% (a little higher on the Right Bank) and the tannins are not negligible, often providing a chalky grip, and they are surprisingly approachable now. They won’t be wines to cellar for the serious long-term, but will be one of those vintages to consistently overperform – surprising blind tasters with their charm as they evolve in bottle. Given all this, it’s no surprise that producers struggled to find a comparative vintage. Faced with such tricky conditions just a decade ago, producers wouldn’t have been able to make the wines they did today. The 1990s were consistently used as a reference point in style, but more recently 2001, 2008 or possibly 2014 offer the best comparison in terms of style – if not climatic conditions. The wines are more concentrated than 2017, and as is very clear, drastically different to 2018, ’19 or ’20. The vast majority of what we offer en primeur is red, and that is where the focus of our report lies, but this was an exceptional vintage for whites. Several estates feel they’ve made the best wines in their history – and certainly from our tastings that is true. At Ch. Margaux, Aurélien Valence said they thought 2017 was their best Pavillon Blanc, but 2021 exceeds it. The cool conditions that made the year challenging for reds was perfect for the white grapes, which benefitted from the long, slow growing season – offering aromatic ripeness, yet vibrant acidity. They really are superb. Crops in Sauternes were decimated by frost unfortunately (Ch. Suduiraut has just 500 cases of its Grand Vin to offer the world), but what little we tasted was similarly outstanding. Buy what you can of these increasingly rare and special wines, made at almost illogical expense. Bordeaux 2021: the vintage in summary A complicated year, but with some brilliant wines In places, frost and mildew means yields are down by as much as 50% Producers needed the resources to handle everything nature threw at them For reds, quality is not homogenous, but the best are vibrant and crunchy, with lower alcohols, chalky tannins and pretty aromatics Very hard to compare to other vintages, but 2001, 2008 and 2014 are the closest in style An exceptional vintage for dry whites, and tiny volumes of excellent sweet whites Explore all 2021 listings or read more Editorial 

Our team spent 10 days in Bordeaux tasting the 2021 vintage – a year that is far from simple. Frost and mildew made for challenging conditions, but the wines shouldn’t be written off. This was a year where tasting was essential and it’s impossible to talk in generalisations. Here, we dig into why

Your one-stop guide to a complicated Bordeaux en primeur vintage that is hard to compare to other vintages, but 2001, 2008 and 2014 are the closest in style

Bordeaux 2021: the human hand

Three of the five First Growths are situated in Pauillac. What is it that makes this appellation so special? As Chateau Lafite neighbours Saint-Estèphe does it share an affinity with both appellations?

We can only be very biased when making comments on the Pauillac appellation, having two Chateaux in the appellation (Chateau Lafite & Chateau Duhart Milon). We are Pauillac
lovers and defenders! It is deeply rooted. The capacity to combine density, complexity
and elegance is unique. The capacity to age the wines is remarkable, such is the potential to seduce wine lovers with captivating aromas. One phrase, not from us, that we feel symbolises Pauillac’s wine is “an iron fist in a velvet glove”. When it comes to Saint-Estèphe, we are also very biased as we have four hectares planted next door to Cos d’Estournel and Lafon-Rochet. Those four hectares produce remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon which goes into the Lafite Grand Vin nearly every year. It is part of the original estate of Chateau Lafite, which is one of the reasons why we have a specific authorisation to include it in our final blend. Ripeness, structure, capacity to seduce are really what makes our Saint-Estèphe grapes so special. In the past you have talked about how well the terroir of Lafite manages with warm vintages – why do you think that is?

The Lafite terroir is extraordinary, it is such a privilege for us to work on this very particular piece of land. The density and depth of gravel, the capacity to restrain water, the quality
of the vegetative material, the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon… all those elements combined are certainly part of the answer. Cabernet Sauvignon is a fascinating grape in that regard, the resistance and capacity of never becoming too extreme is very fortunate. But Lafite is not only one terroir. People think about the hill of Lafite of course, but we have Anseillan which is a very interesting territory to explore, we have Bel Air on the South West not far from Duhart-Milon which is a bit more arid, we have the Plateau des Carruades –  a playground for Grands Vins for a century, and we also have the Caillava in the Saint-Estèphe appellation which makes us a bit unique in that regards. Our fortune is to be able to play
with this diversity in the final blend, always challenging ourselves every year. Tell us more about the five defining terroirs of Chateau Lafite: Plateau de Lafite: Located just outside the Chateau from our cellar up to the hill of Lafite down south on one side, and up to the villages of Milon and Loubeyres going west on another side. This plateau, from the quaternary period is a mix of very deep Clayey gravel on top of the hill, sandy-gravel closer to the Chateau on the western part, and some parcels planted on aeolian sandy soil. All is mainly planted with old Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the backbone of Lafite Grand Vin nearly every year. It gives fruit elegance, texture, and exceptional density. The magical playground for us. Plateau des Carruades:  The iconic and historic terroir des Carruades nestled between the south of Duhart-Milon and Mouton, is one of the most extraordinary pieces of deep clayey gravel soil from the
quaternary period. This plateau is planted with great Cabernet Sauvignon but also with the best Merlot of Lafite. It is today a terroir of experimentation for us where we conduct most of our biodynamical analysis. As for the Plateau de Lafite, it is a core component of our Grand Vin blend nearly every year bringing structure. Le Caillava: Le Caillava is unique and is one of the reasons why we believe Lafite has something special. Le Caillava is located in Saint-Estèphe between Cos d’Estournel and Lafon-Rochet. A wonderful terroir of deep clayey-gravel soil from the Quaternary period. Planted in 1927, Cabernet Sauvignon on this terroir gives spicy, ripe and structured grapes entering every year in the final blend of Lafite Grand Vin. Bel Air, Passe-Temps, Berret:  Our most southern and arid terroir is located south of Duhart-Milon vineyards, next door to our cooperage. Most of the terroir is gravel soil from the quaternary period, with some
blocks mixed with more sandy soil. Grapes from those two terroirs are very expressive, generous, and sometimes more hard than other plateau, but always useful in blends. Our plot of Cabernet Franc is also planted in this part. 
Anseillan:  Located on the eastern side of the estate, the closest to the riverside, on the other side of the road from Pauillac to Saint-Estèphe. Some terroir of clayey gravel soil on top of Anseillan
surrounding the village. On the lower part of Anseillan down the road and up north closer to the Saint-Estèphe border the terroir is alluvial-clay-limestone from the tertiary period. It is relatively evenly planted in Cab Sauv and Merlot, and with our parcel of Petit Verdot. It is a new terroir of exploration for Carruades that looks very promising. An even more precise “laser-cut approach” towards parcel management enabling us to pick lovely grapes bringing us joy and confidence for the future of this terroir that we better master. 
Making a wine for such a historical estate, do you feel the pressure to maintain the status quo? Making wine and working in such a historical estate is a privilege, first of all. And because it is such a privilege, we have a moral duty of not maintaining status quo and always challenging ourselves. What can we do better? How is Bordeaux evolving? What is
driving wine lovers’ appetites today?...  Great companies and chateaux are led with an entrepreneurial spirit. We work for the long term, to prepare the estates for the next generation, the decisions we take when it comes to
investment or vineyard management are really long-term. This is strongly rooted in values of Lafite and the Rothschild family. 
How do you balance this with your own desires as a winemaker to make an impression on the wine? It’s a very good question! It was a little bit difficult at the beginning for a young agronomist/oenologist arriving at Lafite. At this age, you always think that you will be able to start the revolution and change everything and have a huge effect on the wine. But, rapidly, you understand that Lafite is not yours and belongs to the family of course, but also to the World, to the great clients, and to the history. Thus, when that is understood, your action is only focused on increasing the quality step by step, but with respect to all those who are waiting for Lafite. 
With the 2019 vintage what do you feel are the most important elements behind the vintage? 
The vintage started beautifully with a dry and mild winter. Fine weather continued in early spring with an early vegetative cycle. Cold came between March and May and we crossed our fingers/held our breath 6 times fearing that frost might hit us badly. Careful vigilance from the team was key, so was the use of candles. The first flowers appeared in Pauillac around 28th May. This flower was unfortunately capricious due to important rains arriving during the second part of flowering, leading to small amount of “coulure” and “millerandage”. Early summer was the warmest recorded since 2003, fortunately relatively short, and the vineyards showed beautiful resistance. Rain miraculously arrived on 26th July with 45mm in Pauillac  – ideal for “veraison” to start. August was then fine, with average temperatures and some rain. Early September was dry, enabling us to start the harvest on 19th September in Pauillac, 13th September at L’Evangile and 8th October in Rieussec. As always at Lafite we follow our philosophy and DNA of wine with freshness, tension and beautiful ageing capability. We have a viticulturist approach to winemaking, 80% of a great wine comes from the quality of the fruit and the investment we put in the vineyards. What have been some positive surprises of the vintage? This year we had lovely surprises from “outsider vineyards” producing pure and elegant wines that have been replacing some typical vineyards in the final blend – as always testing is key, such as the capacity to always question ourselves. This is particularly true for the Merlots planted on more gravely-clay terroirs showing beautiful tension this year. For Carruades (the second wine of Chateau Lafite), the very important work done over the last year of precision and exploration of our Anseillan terroir is really paying off. The Merlots of Anseillan and our Cabernet Franc are giving a lovely density and elegance to the pure Lafite DNA. Overall for Lafite, this is a vintage that we call “modern-classic”. In the pure Lafite style, very Cabernet led, very pure, very precise, with some ripeness. This is reflected in the final blends that is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot for Chateau Lafite Grand Vin, and 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc for Carruades. 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. What are the most important factors in regard to Chateau Lafite’s winemaking philosophy? 
When it comes to winemaking, we have a very traditional and, we could say, “hands-off” approach to preserve the quality of the fruit and reflect the vintage conditions. As an example, we always use a high proportion of press wine as we don’t go for “maceration pre-fermentaire à froid” or even “maceration post-fermentaire à chaud”. We don’t do “delestage”, we have always been very gentle on vinification at Lafite.  We don’t push on the dregs/marc - we are always very soft and traditional. This explains why we then have super high quality press wine that we can include in the final blend, this year up to 15% of the blend comes from the press wine! Normally this is closer to 10-12%. 
Have you made any changes at Lafite due to global warming? We are already very well equipped at Lafite in the context of global warning. The extraordinary terroir we mentioned previously, our strong Carbernet Sauvignon planting, the quality of vegetative materials are strong assets.  Nevertheless, we try to anticipate these changes. We have an internal research and development team running some tests with different plantings, with grass development (enherbement) in vineyards, with canopy management.  We are not sure that the future will be the introduction of new grape varietals, given the Cabernet Sauvignon is already a very resistant grape. The topic of density of plantation is more important, and we are working on a slow decreasing of it. The main change in Bordeaux is the succession of extraordinary vintages. In the past, once every 5 years we had a great vintage and every 10 years an exceptional vintage. Now nearly every year the vintage conditions are such that we can produce very good wines.  How we can sustain beautiful vintages year on year in the markets is one of the big questions for the future. But it is a great challenge to have – we prefer to have amazing wine every year, it will always be drunk at some point! It is our duty as owners and producers to create the moment for wine lovers to open our bottles. Something that Bordeaux Chateaux have not been particularly active on in the past. 
How do you feel Bordeaux’s reputation has changed in the world of fine wine in the last 20 years? 20 years ago Bordeaux was by far the leading region in the world of fine wine, maybe followed by Napa and Piemont. Then Burgundy and Northern Rhone were under the spotlight. Today we have seen the rise of other regions like Tuscany… Cabernet Sauvignon was the acclaimed varietal also, now Pinot Noir is trendy - of course from Burgundy but also from Central Otago in New Zealand, and from Oregon State. The world is more open, wine lovers are maybe more curious, the loyalty to big names in the world of fine wine (as in other categories) is also weaker. This can explain why today younger generations may enter the world of fine wines through other regions, when in the past Bordeaux was the point of entry. What is also striking is how Bordeaux is modernising itself with more professionalism in many Chateaux, more willingness to travel and meet wine lovers, more open to welcome people at the property, a better understanding of the world of fine wine. With the quality of the wines produced, with more willingness to travel and understand consumers, with greater attention on crafting experiences and creating occasions for people to open bottles, there is no reason to doubt that Bordeaux will continue to shine and seduce the younger generations of wine lovers that today might not consider Bordeaux as a preferred choice. What is Bordeaux's greatest asset? We don’t see many regions in the world like Bordeaux that have the capacity to produce extraordinary wines year on year with significant volume to create a very capillary distribution. The investments that are made both in the vineyards and in the cellar are absolutely impressive in Bordeaux. Bordeaux is one of the greatest and most dynamic cities in France today, very well reachable from Paris, London, Amsterdam, Geneva…, with many things to do for a week or weekend in the region. Many Chateaux have invested in great hospitality experiences to provide customers with a memorable experience. Bordeaux has everything in its hands to really stand out and continue to seduce wine lovers from around the world, we just need to communicate it! 
What is Bordeaux’s biggest challenge? Its lack of capacity to communicate the assets discussed previously. There is no other region in France and in the world that is experiencing so much “bashing” over the last few years. Are all the criticisms unfair? Certainly not, but everything is exaggerated, and Bordeaux is not able to speak with one voice on some big topics, to have a consensus, to unite forces to make people realise how Bordeaux has changed, how modern and open to world things are now, on top of the extraordinary quality of the wines produced! How have you been affected by Coronavirus? We have been observing the evolution of this terrible pandemic for several weeks, and we have been taking immediate measures in line with the authorities. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our people in our Chateaux, in our Bordeaux and Paris offices, in our Domaine of Aussière, but also in our properties in China, Chile and Argentina. The second priority has been to maintain minimal staff in the properties for mandatory activities – we are right in the middle of harvest in South America, we were planning the bottling of Duhart-Milon 2018, we were finishing the blending of vintage 2019 in our
Bordeaux Chateaux… We hope strongly that this terrible situation will pass very soon for everyone. 
With En Primeur tastings postponed how will this affect the release of Chateau Lafite 2019? You know that we are very strong believers in the en-primeur system as it is a unique platform for Bordeaux wines enabling the Chateaux to have the best reach and international spread possible. However, as with every system it needs to be fine-tuned, recreating a
sense of magic to maintain desirability, and needs to provide a customer incentive to purchase en-primeurs. So yes, postponing the en-primeurs is not a decision taken easily, but given the circumstances it is a choice that had to be made. It is almost impossible to have a clear view of when this terrible crisis will end and thus when we would be able to reorganize the en-primeurs. One thing is for sure, as soon as the conditions are in place for people to travel safely, which we all hope to be in June/July, we will be delighted to meet them for tastings (either in Bordeaux or around the world) to share the wines of the 2019 vintage, and share our passion and dedication to produce some of the best wines in the world! Explore all current Ch. Lafite listings or browse more Editorial 

Chateau Lafite Rothschild Technical Director Eric Kohler and Commercial Director Jean-Sebastien Philippe of Domaines Barons de Rothschild on Bordeaux’s continued relevance in an ever-expanding and competitive global fine wine market

Interview with one of the most prestigious and world-renowned wine estates, Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Interview with Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Exclusive interview with Chateau Lafite Rothschild 

Koehler

United States

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