Each November, the wine world looks to Burgundy for the Hospices de Beaune auction. We dive into the history of this philanthropic institution, the domaine and the wines it produces

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This week saw the latest iteration of Saint-Emilion’s controversial classification unveiled. The classification has been caught up in legal battles, with many of the region’s leading properties deciding to abandon the system altogether. In fact, three of the four top estates previously classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé A – Ch. Ausone, Ch. Cheval Blanc and Ch. Angélus – all jumped ship, with La Gaffelière (a Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate) also leaving.  The 2022 classification has been much anticipated and it’s brilliant news for Ch. Figeac – who were the only estate promoted to the top rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé A, joining Ch. Pavie. This estate has long been one of the top performers in the appellation, with recent vintages consistently impressing consumers and critics alike. They’ve long been tipped for promotion, and it’s great to see the quality of their wines officially recognised.  Several estates were promoted to Grand Cru Classé, with a new total of 71 estates earning the honour, including FINE+RARE favourite Ch. Tour Saint Christophe. Other promoted estates include: Ch. Badette, Ch. Boutisse, Ch. Corbin Michotte, Ch. Croix de Labrie, Ch. Guadet, Ch.l a Confession, Ch.la Croizille, Ch. Mangot, Ch. Montlabert, Ch. Montlisse, Ch. Rol Valentin, Ch.Tour Baladoz, Clos Badon Thunevin, Clos Dubreuil, Clos Saint-Julien and Lassegue  Find the full list of the Premier Grand Cru Classé estates as classified in 2022 below.  The new 2022 Saint-Emilion classification  Premier Grand Cru Classé A  Ch. Pavie Ch. Figeac Premier Grand Cru Classé B  Ch. Beau-Séjour Bécot Ch. Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse Ch. Bélair-Monange Ch. Canon Ch. Canon-la-Gaffelière Ch. Larcis Ducasse Ch. Pavie Macquin Ch. Troplong Mondot Ch. TrotteVieille Ch. Valandraud Clos Fourtet La Mondotte Read more about the Saint-Emilion classification or browse all Bordeaux listings 

After a long wait and much controversy, the new 2022 Saint-Emilion classification has been unveiled


The new order for the Right Bank appellation is revealed: with one estate promoted to the top rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé A

The new 2022 Saint-Emilion classification

The 2022 Saint-Emilion classification

JAMES SUCKLING James Suckling was the first out with his report, published on 19th April, before most people have made it out to taste the new vintage. He’s not shying away from calling this a truly great vintage, saying “it sets a new benchmark for Bordeaux”. It’s the 40th vintage he has tasted en primeur, and he feels it proves the region’s ability to face the challenges of climate change, with its uniquely hot and dry conditions. He notes that while the reds are the undoubted star, it is also a great vintage for Sauternes – with botrytis development in mid-October that produced exceptional wines.  While the growing season urges parallels with 2003, the wines are totally different. The 2022s “can be flamboyant, fruity and tannic, yet they have a freshness and form that give them energy and vitality”, he writes. While he found a few wines that were over the top, he generally felt there was consistent quality across the spectrum, from more modest estates to the grandest châteaux, with the wines “exceptional”. He gives nine potential 100-point scores, versus only one last year (for Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes – an address he also praises this year).  Suckling’s highlights: Cheval Blanc, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Lafite-Rothschild, Le Pin, Léoville Las Cases, Pontet-Canet, Trotanoy, Pavillon Blanc du Ch. Margaux, Angélus, Canon Read James Suckling’s full report  WILLIAM KELLEY – WINE ADVOCATE  Publishing his report on the Friday of Primeurs week, William Kelley defines 2022 as “an amplifier” – highlighting differences between sites and how producers work both in the vineyard and winery. “Bordeaux has produced some monumental wines in 2022, but unlike many of the great vintages of the 20th century, the year was not a rising tide that raised all boats,” he says. The best wines offer “remarkable concentration, energy and harmony” but there are some that are “jammy, astringent and rustic”. He highlights that those with higher organic matter in their soils and who managed their canopies well were rewarded. He argues that vines adapted to the long, dry season, and the experience of recent warm vintages ensured that 2022 was not another 2003 – despite its extreme, hot, dry conditions. He warns that the frequently high pHs are a risk for the final hurdle – with an increased chance of volatile acidity and Brettanomyces, suggesting that although few samples showed these faults during the en primeur tastings, “it is certain that some producers will trip before the finish line this year”. Nevertheless, he is clearly impressed by the best wines – with eight potential 100-point scores in the mix. In a first, the work was divided between Kelley and Yohan Castaing, a relatively new member to the Wine Advocate team – so there are notes from both. The highlights noted below are 12 specifically recommended. Kelley’s highlights: Berliquet, Bourgneuf, Branaire-Ducru, Clos Manou, Dame de Montrose, De Retout, Domaine de l’A, Grand Village, Haut Marbuzet, Langoa Barton, Larrivet Haut-Brion, Mangot Read Kelley’s full report, notes and scores on the Wine Advocate GEORGIE HINDLE – DECANTER  Despite the year’s extreme conditions, Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent Georgie Hindle writes that “a surprisingly large number of vineyards and their growers prevailed against the odds to create a wealth of exceptional wines in 2022”. She feels there are “both serious highs and lows”, but “some estates produced their best-ever bottles” – with “supple textures, excellent definition, long finishes and a sheer brightness and energy that has produced some of the most compelling wines I’ve ever tasted at this early stage”. She also emphasises how, despite being similarly hot, the year is not another 2003. For Hindle, the Margaux appellation was a highlight, as were the wines from the Haut-Médoc, as well as the top end of Saint-Emilion. She has pulled out a list of “coup de coeur" wines – those that were heart-stoppingly good, and it is those that feature as her highlights below. Hindle’s highlights: Beauséjour Duffau Lagarrosse, Canon, Cheval Blanc, Clos Fourtet, Figeac, Larcis-Ducasse, Laroque, Troplong Mondot, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafitte, Brane-Cantenac, Giscours, Branaire-Ducru, Gruaud-Larose, Léoville-Las Cases, Pichon Comtesse, Montrose, Phélan Ségur, La Conseillante, La Fleur-Pétrus, Vieux Château Certan, Clos du Clocher, Pétrus Read Hindle’s full report, notes and scores on Decanter ANTONIO GALLONI – VINOUS  The first of the two Vinous reports comes from Antonio Galloni, who declares the best wines of the vintage to be “magnificent, viscerally thrilling wines” – “some of the most memorable young wines [he has] ever tasted” – although does temper this enthusiasm by saying that some selection is warranted. Running through the growing season, he highlights how “patience and technology” were critical – with larger numbers of smaller vats, allowing producers to harvest only what was perfectly ripe. The greatest surprise, of course, is the wines – not rich and opulent as for 2009 or 2018, but wines that “combine flavour intensity, energy and finesse in a way that I can only describe as magical”. He repeats the refrain that the wines bode well for Bordeaux’s fate in the face of climate change, and is clearly enchanted by the best wines. He flags that some of the wines are “a bit fragile” and that “élevage will make or break them”, not feeling it’s totally consistent below the top tier. He does, however, pull out a handful of over-performers, which we’ve listed as his highlights below. For him, the advancements in viticulture and winemaking are what define 2022 – wines of “notable depth and freshness without excess weight”, but exactly why they turned out the way they did remains something of a mystery. Galloni’s highlights: Alter Ego de Palmer, Beau-Séjour Bécot, Brane-Cantenac, Clos Puy Arnaud, Clos Saint-Julien, Figeac, Les Forts de Latour, Giscours, La Conseillante, La Gaffelière, Lafon-Rochet, Larcis-Ducasse, Léoville Las Cases, Le Pin Beausoleil, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Malartic Lagravière, Moulin Saint-Georges, Puyblanquet, Quinault l’Enclos Read Galloni’s full report, notes and scores on Vinous JEB DUNNUCK  Jen Dunnuck is clear that the best 2022s are set to be “legendary”, with “brilliant wines from throughout the region”, but highlights that “there are dramatically different styles in the vintage” – emphasising that this is different to quality, which is “incredibly high”. The vintage is united by its “theme of ripeness and power”, yet yields, winemaking and terroir have all resulted in the aforementioned diversity. He finds the wines of the northern Médoc to be “powerful, concentrated, majestic wines showing remarkable purity and vibrance” and is fast to defend both the pH and alcohol levels, with the former sitting at or below the level of the 2020s and the alcohols “well within the normal ranges of 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and very few 2022s show excessive alcohol”. He points to wines from the Right Bank’s limestone and deeper clay soils as “highlights of the vintage” – having retained “an incredible sense of freshness and purity while showing the inherent ripeness and power of the vintage”, although he finds Pomerol “slightly more erratic”. In his view, the satellite appellations have produced a “number of terrific wines” – with Castillon producing many “that rival the best from Saint-Emilion”. He compares the year to a blend of 2020 and 2018, or a mix of 2005 and 2010, with a little 2009 here and there. They are, he feels, “ripe, concentrated, sumptuous wines that have a real ‘wow’ factor”. Dunnuck’s highlights: Montrose, Mouton Rothschild, Haut-Bailly, La Conseillante, Larcis-Ducasse, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Cos d’Estournel, Léoville Las Cases, Vieux Château Certan, Pétrus, Pichon Comtesse, Léoville Poyferré Read Dunnuck’s full report, notes and scores JANE ANSON – INSIDE BORDEAUX  Anson offered early coverage of the growing conditions and yields – ahead of tasting the wines – but her final reports don’t delve much into the detail of the year on its own, instead focusing on tasting notes and the methodology of her scoring. She is one of few critics to mainly offer firm scores rather than bands (apart from when there’s a chance of 100 points, which she doesn’t like to offer to unfinished wines), something she argues is most useful for those deciding on whether or not to buy. As her scores highlight (with five potential 100-pointers on the Right Bank, and two on the Left, but none for dry or sweet whites), she feels it’s a stronger year for reds than whites. She highlights the high levels of tannin and colour, as well as alcohols – noting that because of the latter she has erred on the side of caution with her drinking windows. She found the second wines stronger in the northern Médoc generally, and notes how producers used very different approaches to the vintage. On the Right Bank, she emphasises the advantage of being on Saint-Emilion’s limestone plateau, and that Pomerol offers “muscular swaggering style” this year. She pulls out a selection of wines as value buys, which we’ve listed as her highlights below. Anson’s highlights: Laroque, Saintayme, Peymouton, Bel-Air, Haut-Simard, Feytit-Clinet, Le Rey les Rocheuses, Laurence, Petit Bocq, Roquetaillade la Grange, Cantelys, Ferrande, Angludet, Mejean, De Pez, Fonbadet, Haut-Bages Libéral, Domaine les Sadons, Finegrave, La Fleur Lauga, Larrivaux, Bel Air Gloria, Cap Leon Veyrin, G d’Estournel, G de Guiraud, Charmes-Godard, Clos Floridène, L’Exuberance Blanc Read Anson’s full report, notes and scores LISA PERROTTI-BROWN MW – THE WINE INDEPENDENT  With some major releases arriving earlier than anticipated, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW initially published a “teaser” article on the year, with notes and scores for wines that had been released or were set to be in the coming days, including more detail on Cheval Blanc, Angélus, the Barton stable and Beychevelle. In her notes on early releases, Perrotti-Brown writes that 2022 was “a faith-affirming vintage for Bordeaux growers” – proving that the region could handle climate change. She highlights the surprising consistency from the year, as well as “a luminosity… that defies what we thought we knew about Bordeaux varieties”. With “its myriad of earthy, nuanced, soft-spoken, shimmery expressions”, it’s “a vintage that Bordeaux fans and serious collectors will want to seek out”. In her full report, released a week later, Perrotti-Brown declares 2022 “a classic, great Bordeaux vintage”. Echoing our findings, she notes that there are no rules in this vintage – picking dates varied significantly, and yet drastically different approaches resulted in excellent wines. She believes that a minority of wines (less than 10% of what she tasted) were acidified which is not in itself problematic, but where it has been done poorly, it shows. She also argues that the record-high percentages of press wine leads to a ruggedness to the tannin structure of some wines. Despite these two quibbles, she was “surprised by how consistent [she] found the wines from top to bottom”, in terms of quality – but she feels, like Galloni, that the heterogeneity of the vintage comes through in the style of the wines. Overall, however, she finds the wines fuller-bodied, high in tannin and quite high in alcohol, but with no dried-fruit character, instead showing impressive bright, red fruit and florals – even if the acidity is relatively low. Stand-out appellations are tricky, but she points to Saint-Emilion’s limestone plateau and areas off it, as well as parts of Castillon, Fronsac and Entre-Deux-Mers with similar bedrock. She writes: “There are many beautiful wines from the Right Bank and Pessac-Leognan, but the top wines of the Médoc are astonishingly great in 2022. If you love Cabernet Sauvignon, you may want to pay special attention to this vintage because the results, in some cases, are mind-blowing.” Perrotti-Brown highlights that the vintage allowed “properties on the peripheries of ‘great terroir’” to thrive this year – and she pulls out a list of estates falling in this category that are likely to offer good value in 2022, which we’ve featured as her highlights below. Perrotti-Brown’s highlights: Branas Grand Poujeaux, Cantemerle, Cantenac Brown, Capbern, Clos Cantenac, Clos de Sarpe, Clos du Clocher, Clos Lunelles, Cos Labory, Couhins-Lurton, D’Arce, De Carles, Haut Carles, De Pez, Fonroque, Fontenil, Fourcas Hosten, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Gros Caillou, Le Promenoir, Haut-Bages Monpelou, Haut-Simard, Jean Faure, Kirwan, La Mouline, La Mouline Totem, La Rose Perrière, La Vieille Cure, Lafon-Rochet, Lassegue, Latour-Martillac, Les Trois Croix, L’If, Malescasse, Marjosse, Maucaillou, Mauvesin Barton, Montlandrie, Meyney, Pavillon Rouge, Phélan-Ségur, Poesia, Potensac, Siran, Tour Bayard, Tour Bayard l’Angelot, Tour Saint-Christophe, Vermont, Cuvée Prestige Read Perrotti-Brown’s full report, notes and scores on The Wine Independent NEAL MARTIN – VINOUS After the requisite satirical introduction, Martin launches into his report emphasising his frustration at estates’ insistence that he tastes at the château itself, rather than at larger tastings – something he feels is under the belief that it will lead to higher scores. He argues that the anticipated vintage is subject to some fairly typical hyperbole. Although he emphasises that the vines seemed “in verdant rude health” prior to harvest, he’s not convinced that the heat and drought had no impact – as some producers, he suggest, argue. He references the increased use of press wine on the Left Bank, something he attributes to the influence of superstar consultant Eric Boissenot. As to the wines themselves, he seems reluctant to offer glowing praise, but writes that, “The crème de la crème is blessed with kaleidoscopic aromatics, intense fruit, finely-sculpted tannins, structure, elegance and length. Above all, contrary to what the growing season implied, they are suffused with freshness.” These are wines that “dazzle”. He feels however that – and contrary to others – that “terroir is not the be-all and end-all” but instead “a guiding hand” which results in “a partial flattening of the hierarchical pyramid”. Although he sings the praises of the best wines in 2022, he caveats this by saying some wines are “sweet ‘n’ sour”. This he attributes to “human error” and picking dates in particular, with the phenolic and sugar ripeness not always matching up. He feels that it was a season that demanded producers’ “A game”. He found Left and Right Bank are fairly equal in the year, but Saint-Julien was a particular standout. He finds the wines “unabashedly floral”, perfumed and black- rather than red-fruited. He highlights the powdered texture of the tannins in the vintage, as well as the unexpected freshness in the best wines. Most importantly, he emphasises that these are wines for long-term ageing. It’s a far from simple vintage, but, as he concludes, “If you could keep a leash on all that potential energy, greatness was in the offing.” Martin’s highlights: Brane-Cantenac, De Fargues, Haut-Bages Libéral, L’Eglise-Clinet, La Conseillante, Léoville Barton, Phélan-Ségur, Pichon Baron, Ségla, Sénéjac, Vieux Château Certan Read Martin's full report, notes and scores on Vinous Find out more about the vintage and browse all the latest Bordeaux 2022 releases

After weeks and months of tasting, the world’s leading wine critics are announcing their verdict on the latest Bordeaux vintage. Here you’ll find a round-up of what they’re all saying, with a summary of each report and the wines they rated most highly, updated and added as they’re released

Your crib-sheet to what the world’s leading wine critics are saying about Bordeaux 2022 en primeur – including Wine Advocate, Vinous, Decanter and more

Bordeaux 2022 – critics’ round-up

Bordeaux 2022: what the critics are saying

James Suckling First out of the gate is James Suckling, who is in complete agreement with what we have been told by the châteaux and tasted so far: this is another great vintage for both the Left and Right Bank, forming the third in a trilogy of great vintages for Bordeaux. He writes, “The Médoc reds are closer in character to the 2019 vintage with more linear and finer tannins and precise, pure cabernet fruit while the Right Bank, particularly Pomerol and St.Emilion, is more like 2018 with reds that have more flamboyant fruit and creamier, densely ripe tannins.” While he had heard reports of heterogeneity, 90% of what he has tasted “show an outstanding quality level from first growths to petit chateaux”. He feels that Merlot has excelled, however there are plenty of outstanding wines in the Médoc too – indeed several worthy of perfect scores. Suckling’s highlights: Haut-Brion, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, Hosanna, La Fleur-Pétrus, Smith Haut-Lafitte, Le Gay, L’Eglise-Clinet, Troplong-Mondot, Angélus, Ducru-Beaucaillou, L’Evangile, Trotte Vieille Read more of James Suckling’s thoughts on the vintage on his site Jane Anson – Decanter Jane Anson rates the 2020 vintage four out of five, similar in quality to 2018 but lower than the ’19 and ’16 vintages. While she believes the Right Bank is similar in style to 1989 or the 2018s, she feels the Left Bank has more in common with 1996, 2000 and 2006 due to the tannic profile caused by the dry summer months. “You will find plenty of racy, supple tannins that power forward and have a sense of energy, but also tannins that are a little dry and sometimes underripe if the drought led to blockages,” she says. Despite many similarities in terms of tannin concentration to 2010 and ’16, she feels overall the 2020 vintage is not as consistent as either of these years. For her, the biggest potential issue was this risk of unripe tannins, typically in the Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly affecting the Left Bank. While she notes that some properties’ second wines bear the brunt of this, she commends the exceptional efforts of La Croix Ducru-Beacaillou, Mondot and Blason de l’Evangile. She highlights, however, that 2020 continues a trend in the region, with the best wines performing “a sleight of hand from the vintage conditions” – something that she feels comes from “a confidence that I find in Bordeaux today, where there no longer seems to be the need to choose the biggest tannins for the main estate wine, and instead many choose to prioritise site expression.” All her potential 100-point wines (of which there are five) come from the Right Bank, bar Ch. Margaux which takes the title of wine of the vintage on the Left Bank, while Ch. Canon steals the top spot on the Right.  Anson’s highlights: Ausone, Bélair-Monange, Canon, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Larcis-Ducasse, Rocheyron, La Gaffelière, Pontet-Canet, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Montrose, Calon Ségur, Lafleur, L'Evangile, Trotanoy, La Croix de Beaucaillou, Fleur Cardinale, La Serre, Le Prieuré, Durfort-Vivens, Les Perrières de Lafleur, Clos Puy Arnaud, Phélan Ségur, Domaine de l’Aurage Read more of Jane Anson’s thoughts on the vintage on the Decanter site Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Harding MW + James Lawther MW – jancisrobinson.com  The team at jancisrobinson.com has tackled the vintage as a trio – with James Lawther MW tasting in the region, and Julia Harding MW and Jancis Robinson MW herself tasting in the UK. Collectively, they’ve tasted their way through the majority of major releases, publishing a range of articles around the vintage including tasting reports on the Left Bank, Right Bank and white wines of Bordeaux 2020. Perhaps most refreshing to hear is a positive article on the “revolution” that is taking place in Bordeaux when it comes to precision viticulture leading to
“delightfully fresh, expressive, 'new old' wines”. As for 2020, “There are admittedly some stunningly good 2020s, even if [it] is not as consistent a vintage as 2019,” Robinson says. Lawther highlights the surprising freshness of the wines, positioning it somewhere between ’18 and ’19. The lower alcohol levels on the Left Bank “delightfully combine the classicism of traditional Bordeaux with modern winemaking and vine-growing sophistication”. Similarly to Anson’s report, Robinson feels some of the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon wouldn’t have reached full maturity before the threat of early October storms forced
vignerons to pick by 30th September (something that didn’t impact the Right Bank with its earlier-ripening Merlot). She feels, however, the overall volume produced on the Left Bank allowed estates to be extremely selective, including only the finest lots in the Grand Vin. All in all, the team declares it a vintage that falls in favour of the Right Bank – with wines that have led Robinson herself to “[fall] back in love with” Saint-Emilion. On the Left, however, Robinson notes particular consistency in the wines of Graves/Pessac-Léognan,  jancisrobinson.com’s highlights: Lafleur, Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Cos d’Estournel, Haut-Brion, Mouton Rothschild, Pétrus, Angélus, Pichon Baron, Vieux Château Certan, Montrose, Ausone, La Lagune, Léoville Barton, Prieuré-Lichine, Rauzan-Gassies, du Tertre, Kirwan, Canon, Figeac, Pavie Read the team's full report on jancisrobinson.com Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – Wine Advocate For Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, 2020 is “an enigma – a vintage that has been more difficult to understand than 2018 or 2019, with far more potential and, in some cases, greater growing season complexities than even 2017 (the year of the devastating frosts).” Despite comparisons with 2018, the wines are, in her view, very different. She highlights the differences between Left and Right Banks this year – with “more weight and generosity” in the latter, and more varied quality on the Left, noting that some from the Médoc lacked mid-palate weight. The key she thinks was the impact of the August rains: welcome relief for some, too late for others, and too much (therefore diluting the fruit) for certain properties in the Médoc in particular.  Overall she feels the variability brings 2020 in line with 2017 in some ways, however thinks that, at its best, the vintage is up alongside 2018 and 2019: “For some areas and terroirs, this is absolutely the third outstanding vintage.”  She notes that it is a simplification too far to declare it a Merlot vintage, as there are excellent wines from both Cabernets too. Pomerol and Saint-Emilion impressed her, while Fronsac and the Côtes de Castillon offer some great-value wines. Like us, she notes some outstanding performances from Pessac-Léognan. In the Médoc, she emphasises the importance of terroirs
with sufficient gravel to drain the August rains, as well as the budget and manpower to do the necessary work to manage the year’s challenging conditions. On the Right Bank, she characterises the best wines as “beautifully pure and perfumed expressions of ripeness”. Pessac is for her “staunchly earthy/savory”, while she warns some are dilute, the Médoc’s finest are “a paradox – lighter bodied, elegant, perfumed head-turners”.  Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW’s highlights: Smith Haut Lafitte, Haut Bailly, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Clerc Milon, Mouton Rothschild, Pontet-Canet, Canon, Angélus, Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certan, Margaux, L’Eglise Clinet, Le Dôme, Le Tertre Roteboeuf, Pavie, L’Evangile, Rauzan-Ségla Read Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW's full report on Wine Advocate Neal Martin – Vinous   In his report for Vinous Neal Martin declares 2020 “an excellent vintage” and “the third in a trilogy of great vintages”. He feels it is “better than 2018 but doesn’t quite reach the peaks of 2019”.  While he describes 2018 as more hedonistic and 2019 elegant and purer, he believes the difference between 2019 and 2020 is marginal. “There are instances where 2020 will surpass 2018 and 2019,” he says, believing this will become clearer in bottle.  In his view, lower alcohols on the Left Bank have “allowed for greater expression of individual terroirs and more salinity in the wines”, but the finest examples are wines that also have great concentration. In contrast, the alcohol levels on the Right Bank are generally higher than in 2019 and the best wines of the vintage were those that managed to retain elegance. The 2020s’ slightly firmer tannins in general, Martin believes, will “merit long-term cellaring” compared to the 2019, which can be enjoyed earlier.    Martin highlights the cool nights in August and September as a key factor in determining the success of a Bordeaux vintage, helping the wines retain acidity – and 2020 had just this. These cool nights mean the wines have “excellent acidity levels that engender fresh wines with ample tension”.  As has been the case in the last three vintages, he has found greater consistency in the top hierarchy of wines, where the finer terroirs have kept the vines healthy through a challenging growing season. Despite this, he says there are “still a raft of excellent wines punching above their weight outside the famous appellations, representing outstanding value”.   Neal Martin’s highlights: Margaux, Trotanoy, La Mission Haut-Brion, Canon, Figeac, La Conseillante, L’Eglise Clinet, Lafite, La Gaffelière, Haut-Brion, Léoville Las Cases, Pichon Lalande, Mouton Rothschild, Vieux Château Certan, De Pez, Grand-Puy-Ducasse, La Bridane, Marojallia, La Voûte, Le Chemin, Latour-Martillac and Latour-Martillac Blanc  Read Neal Martin’s full report on Vinous  Jeb Dunnuck  Jeb Dunnuck is undeniably enthusiastic about 2020, declaring it “unquestionably a great vintage”.  For him, the wines more focused than 2018, but denser than 2019 – but feels it sits just behind these two and 2016 in the rankings. He notes that the early season rains have given the wines “a beautiful sense of purity”. As almost everyone has noted, it is this purity and freshness from such a warm vintage that is surprising.  He highlights the advantage of clay and limestone soils, as well as old vines. For him Pomerol is the star of the vintage (with “a bevy of legendary wines”), while Saint-Emilion and Pessac-Léognan also thrived. He found the Médoc less consistent (especially Margaux), with the best wines coming from further north in the region, where you’ll find “a swath of beautiful, elegant, ripe, classically styled wines”.   Jeb Dunnuck’s highlights: Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certan, La Fleur-Pétrus, Clinet, La Conseillante, Hosanna, Feytit-Clinet, L’Eglise Clinet, Clos L’Eglise, L’Evangile, Valandraud, Tertre Roteboeuf, Clos Fourtet, Larcis Ducasse, Belair Monange, Pavie Decesse, Canon, Troplong Mondot, Figeac, Pavie, La Mondotte, Pichon Comtesse, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Baron, Lynch-Bages, Calon Ségur, Cos d’Estournel, Capbern, Phelan Ségur, Lafon-Rochet, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Poyferré, Beychevelle, Léoville Barton. Margaux, Rauzan-Ségla, Brane-Cantenac, D’Issan, Giscours, Malescot Saint Exupéry, Labégorce, Marquis d’Alesme, Haut-Brion, Pape Clément, Smith Haut Lafitte, Haut-Bailly, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion and Domaine de Chevalier  Read the full report on jebdunnuck.com  Antonio Galloni – Vinous   Antonio Galloni is the last of the major critics to release his report on the Bordeaux 2020 vintage and was impressed by the “energy and vibrancy” of the year. While he believes 2020 is not as consistent as 2019 or even 2018, he does believe the best examples are “incredibly exciting” and “unquestionably dazzling” wines.   For Galloni, the most important signature of 2020 is “a balance of richness and energy” which he believes is “highly unusual”. From his interviews with winemakers, he surmises that the cold August/September nights, along with the high seed count in the berries are the reasons behind the freshness of the wines, making them “sizzle with brightness and mineral-drenched vibrancy”.   He identifies Pessac-Léognan as the most consistent appellation of the vintage, which benefitted most from summer rains. The Left Bank, more generally, he says is more about “linearity and persistence rather than volume”, providing the wines with a classic feel and notably lower alcohols. The châteaux situated on the limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion, he believes, produced some of the vintage’s most exciting wines, “defined by a soaring vertical energy”, in a notable positive shift away from an overreliance on opulence.  Antonio Galloni’s highlights: Haut-Brion, Margaux, Pavie, Angélus, Clos Fourtet, L’Eglise Client, La Mission Haut-Brion, Mouton-Rothschild, Pichon Baron, Trotanoy, Vieux Chateau Certain  Read Antonio Galloni’s full report on Vinous  Find out more about Bordeaux or read more Editorial

The Bordeaux châteaux – and the world’s wine lovers – are waiting for the critics to give their verdict on the 2020 vintage. We’ll be adding to this page as their reports are released – offering a summary of what each of these prestigious palates are saying about the vintage

Our round-up of what the world’s top tasters are saying about the Bordeaux 2020 en primeur vintage

What the critics are saying about Bordeaux 2020

Bordeaux 2020: what the critics are saying

We normally taste Ch. Berliquet at Canon during en primeur, and with a tightly packed schedule there’s never enough time to visit both properties. This year, however, an extended trip allowed us to visit once most of the trade had left the region. On the sunny Monday after the week of en primeur, we arrived at Canon as normal – but, instead of disappearing into a tasting room, hopped onto some of the property’s iconic bikes (which are genuinely used by staff to travel between the two estates), and pedalled across the vineyards to Berliquet – a property that the Chanel team has quietly been transforming.  Ch. Berliquet is one of the oldest estates in Saint-Emilion, with roots dating back to the 1760s. The first known owner was Jean de Sèze, a contemporary of Jacques Kanon (the founder of Ch. Canon). This single plot of vines on the slopes of Saint-Emilion’s limestone plateau has remained unchanged for over 150 years. Southwest of the town, nestled between Ch. Bélair-Monange and Ch. Angélus, it offers much more than meets the eye. The wines were vinified by a local co-operative as recently as the late 1970s and the property only achieved Grand Cru Classé status in 1986. When Chanel acquired the property in July 2017, you would be forgiven for thinking that fruit from Berliquet would go into its more illustrious neighbour, Ch. Canon (which Chanel has owned since 1996); but that wasn’t what they had in mind.   “At the beginning, we took our time with Berliquet. To start with, we had to focus on ourselves,” Axelle Araud, the estate’s Wine Development Director, told me at a recent vertical tasting. The team credits the estate’s progression in part to a better understanding of their surroundings. Not long after their acquisition, the team carried out an extensive soil study which revealed that the estate’s slopes are home to all three of Saint-Emilion’s hallmark soils in equal measure: the vineyard’s plateau is made of limestone, the hillside a mix of limestone and deep clays, while the banks of the Dordogne river are predominantly sand and clay. The unique diversity of the soil helped to underline the estate’s identity.  “Ch. Berliquet is the expression of a specific landscape,” Araud says. One key element of this landscape is a Mediterranean belt that runs across the property (found at Bélair-Monange too), with Mediterranean species of plants naturally growing here – with cypress, fig, pine trees, lavender and laurel all at home. The team has looked to nurture this natural biodiversity, planting over 1,000 hedges, shrubs and trees since 2017, as well as installing nesting boxes for birds (to help as natural pest control). The property is certified organic as of the 2024 vintage.  Alongside this, Nicolas Audebert has embarked upon significant restructuring of the vineyards. At the beginning of Chanel’s tenure, the vineyard was planted with as much as 80% Merlot; but, in early 2018, following their soil analysis, the technical team realised the significant role that Cabernet Franc could play on the property’s clay-rich soils, on the slopes below the limestone plateau. Since then, the vineyard has gradually been restructured, with plots of Merlot replaced with Cabernet Franc. Today, 2.5 hectares of the vineyard have been replanted, taking the proportion of Cabernet Franc up to 40%. The goal in the long term is to bring the blend up to 50% Cabernet Franc.  In 2021, they also decided to plant some Malbec – 0.34-hectare plot of this grape that was – prior to phylloxera – widely planted in the region. Nicolas Audebert and his team believe that addition of malbec will add to the diversity of the fruit, the results of this change will be evident from the 2024 vintage, with its first inclusion in the blend.  While much of the work has been in the vineyard, part of Berliquet’s recent progress can be linked to the winery. Although Berliquet benefits from having the same technical team as that of Canon and Croix Canon, one of the thinks that marks Berliquet out from its stablemates is their use of amphorae. The estate started with just two amphorae in 2019, and today have 12 – deemed a key part of the wine’s character, with 10% of the blend matured in these clay vessels instead of oak. Araud pointed out that the amphora have helped to preserve the brightness of the fruit – carrying through their work in the vineyard to the final wine.  The 2023 vintage also saw the inauguration of what Araud calls “the playground” – their new vat room, complete with 22 stainless steel tanks. “Now that we have all the building blocks in place in the vineyard, we can pay more attention to each and every plot, resulting in greater precision and refinement in the final blend,” she explains.  The 2024 vintage is the eighth under team Chanel and, over that time, the team has continuously questioned their practices, making small adjustments in the vineyard and winery – making gradual but constant progression. And that progression is evident in the wine today, which has shaken off any rusticity it might once have displayed. As Jean-Basile Roland, Commercial Director for Chanel’s three estates, described to us back in April, they’ve been sharpening the wine’s silhouette – a wine that he describes as “telluric” versus Canon’s “ethereal” style. However you describe it, the wine is clearly better than ever before and well worth watching, with more improvements undoubtedly in the pipeline. Browse all current Berliquet listings or read more Editorial

In 2017, Chanel added Ch. Berliquet to their suite of prestigious Bordeaux properties, joining nearby Ch. Canon and Margaux’s Ch. Rauzan-Ségla. Our Bordeaux Buyer Hector Howes reports on the evolution of the estate under its new expert owners – and why it’s one to watch

How the Chanel team is transforming Saint-Emilion estate Berliquet – acquired by the owners of Canon and Rauzan-Segla in 2017 – and why it’s one to watch

Harnessing Ch. Berliquet’s potential

Berliquet: harnessing the property’s potential

It was a small yellow aphid that disregarded national borders, wiping out the livelihood of every grape grower in its way and there was no known cure nor effective prevention in its first devastating years. Even when a cure was discovered, growers were reluctant – and often financially unable – to use it.  As a result, phylloxera vastatrix  – vastratix meaning ravager – continued to nibble on the roots of vines across western Europe, sucking the lifeblood from the vines and leaving wounds for any passing infection. By 1900, 2.5 million hectares of France's vineyard had been uprooted, causing production to slump, encouraging dodgy dealers to make fake wine, and leading to mass protests.  The story of phylloxera in Europe started as a well-intentioned gift. In 1862, an American grape grower sent some cuttings of native vines to his friend in the Rhône Valley who planted them, unaware of the damage it would inflict on his compatriots. Within a year, local growers were lamenting their sick vines. Phylloxera had wanderlust, sparing no French region; nor did it respect the country's finest terroirs or illustrious châteaux.  However, a concerted national response to the potential ruin of the country's national beverage was not forthcoming. The French government was too busy putting on International Exhibitions in Paris (1867), opening the Suez Canal (1869) and waging war on Prussia (1870-71). In 1870, the government acknowledged there might be an issue, offering a 20,000 Franc reward for a cure. Remedies were offered including burying living toads in the vineyard, adding volcanic ash from Pompeii to the soil or inviting a marching band to play to the vines. Unsurprisingly, the vines continued to die. In 1880, a solution was finally accepted: graft European varieties to the roots of American vines. However, grafting noble French varieties - vitis vinifera - to the roots of these lowly American varieties seemed like sacrilege to many growers. It was thought they would affect the nobility of their precious wines. There was also the issue of cost: uprooting your vineyard, replanting and then having to wait between three and five years for a crop did not feed a family and the concept of state aid was still a long way off.  As a result, many tried to limp on for as long as possible, injecting carbon bisulphide, an expensive and toxic solvent used to vulcanise rubber, into the soil to stave off the inevitable.  The producers in the south of France were the first to be hit in the 1860s and they replanted with high-yielding hybrids. By the turn of the century, the Languedoc was producing more wine than ever before. However, the region's unscrupulous merchants made up for the initial shortfall at peak phylloxera by bulking out grape juice with sugar and water while others made wines from raisins. These practices continued despite the replanted vineyards returning to full production, causing a huge oversupply and depressing prices.  Urged on by a growing labour movement, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in 1907 to call for change. The Champagne Riots of 1911 The Champenois followed suit, rioting in the streets in 1911 and the root of their troubles also lay with phylloxera.  In 1892, the Marne was invaded by its first phylloxera aphid and, by 1910, 40% of the region had been affected. But this was no time for production to fall: Champagne sales were booming and to make up for the shortfall, dodgy merchants (and some of the seemingly reputable houses) brought in wines from the Loire and the south of France by the train-load. The wines were made sparkling in their cellars and the bottles emerged, as if by magic, as Champagne. Supply and demand economics suggested that the growers should have been earning more for their fruit as phylloxera affected supply and sales boomed, but fake Champagne kept prices low. Having borne the cost of replanting their vineyards, this was not how growers imagined they would be rewarded and protests ensued.  While most vineyards in Champagne and beyond are now planted on American rootstocks, there are some vines and vineyard owners that play wine roulette and grow vitis vinifera on their own roots. For example, three plots belonging to Bollinger were planted in 1960 in the traditional pre-phylloxera way. One has succumbed to the vine louse but the remaining two parcels are the source of Vieilles Vignes Françaises, a rare Pinot Noir-based Champagne that provides a taste of a bygone era.  We asked Denis Bunner, Bollinger’s Deputy Cellar Master, about the Aÿ-based Champagne House's rarest wine, Vieilles Vignes Françaises, which is produced on its own roots.  Why did Bollinger begin producing Vieilles Vignes Françaises in 1969?  An English journalist Cyril Ray proposed the initiative to Madame Bollinger following a visit in 1967 and this inspired Madame Bollinger to create a wine from the precious vines to commemorate her 70th birthday, which saw the first bottle produced in 1969. The wine was launched in 1974. Are the vines pre-phylloxera? If so, they must be more than a century old. No, the current plots in Aÿ were planted in the 1960s but it is impossible to give an age to the vines due to the perpetual renewal and the way the root system grow [the system is called provignage, which is like vine fostering when there is an empty space to fill. Take a cane from one vine, train it down into the soil and partially bury it with the end sticking out until it forms a separate vine. This is also done in the Nacional vineyard at Quinta do Noval]. There were three plots that weren't grafted but there are now only two. What happened? third plot succumb to phylloxera?  The third plot in Croix Rouge de Bouzy was attacked by phylloxera at the end of the 1990s – the vineyard didn't have protective walls around it. The last vintage was 2004 as we had to uproot it when it fell prey to the infestation. How many acres do the two remaining plots cover?  The Clos Saint-Jacques (Aÿ) covers just over half an acre while the Clos des Chaudes-Terres, which lies within the boundaries of Bollinger’s own lands, covers a little over a third of an acre. In total, they represent 0.36 hectares. Is there anything special about the soil of these two plots that means it resists phylloxera?  The soil is not remarkably different from that in the rest of Aÿ and as per the rest of Champagne it features chalk. Is this special cuvee made every year?  No. Only in declared vintages. What is the average production of Vieilles Vignes Françaises?  This varies by vintage, but falls within the range of 2,000 to 3,000 bottles. A total of 2,420 numbered bottles of the 2009 Vieilles Vignes Françaises vintage were produced. Read more Editorial

Following the release of Bollinger’s latest vintage of Vieilles Vignes Françaises, we talk to Denis Bunner, Bollinger’s Deputy Cellar Master about the Aÿ-based Champagne house's rarest wine, as well as delving into the archives to explore the history of the fatal vine louse.

Phylloxera and Bollinger’s Vieilles Vignes Françaises on the wine grown from vines planted on its own roots and thus vulnerable to attack by the louse.

Phylloxera and winemaking

Phylloxera: a vine pandemic

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

Overall, the 2024 crop was Bordeaux’s smallest since 1991 – with the region producing 332 million litres of wine. This is in part due to declining vineyard area, with the yield averaging 35hl/ha – slightly higher than that of the 2021, 2017 or 2013 vintages. Diving further into this, however, reveals a significant difference between the Left and Right Banks – with 34.4hl/ha in Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac, versus 30.8hl/ha on average in the Médoc and Graves. It's a year where it is hard to generalise, even within each commune, for neighbouring estates produced drastically different results in the vintage. As David Suire of Ch. Laroque explained, there were such varying approaches to the year’s challenges, something that is echoed in the wines produced. RIGHT BANK This year, once again, the Right Bank offered more consistency than the Left. Although it was still heterogenous, the smaller size of estates lent itself to success – making it easier to treat and harvest in the narrow windows of dry weather. Wherever you were, however, it was a challenging year: as Christian Moueix said, “You cannot replace the sun.” Beyond the more overcast weather, hail hit Fronsac, Canon-Fronsac and Lalande-de-Pomerol in June, with some estates losing their entire crop, although Pomerol and Saint-Emilion largely escaped.  Pomerol For Noëmie Durantou (Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet), 2024 was a tough opponent – but one she knew they could win against, and looking back at it, what a game it was: as her wines certainly indicate. For her, there were several key elements to the growing season: the cloud cover that reduced diurnal variation (she recalls warm, sleepless nights), the late véraison, foggy mornings that increased botrytis pressure in the run-up to harvest, and the year’s humidity level – 80% in Pomerol, versus a more normal 50-60%. The hail that struck Lalande-de-Pomerol in June strayed a little into Pomerol, but most estates escaped any serious impact – with just a touch felt at Lafleur at Feytit-Clinet, for example. Treating the vines posed an additional challenge for the team at Clinet, who have to take into account the timetable of the neighbouring school, working around the presence of children and/or parents, on top of inclement conditions. Harvest began in Pomerol slightly earlier than in neighbouring Saint-Emilion, kicking off from as early as 16th September, but most starting to bring their Merlot in from 20th of the month, and the Cabernet finished by 4th October (although some producers had everything in the winery by the end of September). Yields varied significantly – from the second-smallest harvest since 1991 at Belle-Brise to the second-largest crop in the last 25 years at Lafleur.  Jeremy Chasseuil (Feytit-Clinet) emphasised how, for him, leaving the wine on lees for two months was key – helping to build texture, releasing polysaccharides that lend weight to the wine’s mid-palate. While 2024 did not produce the most opulent styles of Pomerol, the best retain a plush texture and exoticism to the aromatics that complements the naturally high acidity of the year. Although quality isn’t entirely consistent here, there are many highlights. Our favourites in Pomerol: Belle-Brise, Eglise-Clinet, Guillot Clauzel, La Conseillante, Lafleur, Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan Saint-Emilion There was a notable difference between Pomerol and Saint-Emilion – with Saint-Emilion seeing significantly more rain in April to June, with 278mm versus 199mm in Pomerol. Despite that, the region’s limestone plateau came into its own – allowing the water to drain away from the vines, despite hitting record levels (at Ausone, the level in their well was the highest-ever). August, however, was significantly drier on the Right Bank – with around half the normal rainfall.  Harvest started a little later here. Although some started as early as 17th September (Cheval Blanc, Canon, for example), most waited until 27th, and with several estates holding off until early October. Despite the year’s challenges (“It was a war,” said Cheval Blanc’s Pierre-Olivier Clouet), the yield across the appellation worked out as fairly average – although varied between estates. At Angélus, it was Hubert de Boüard de Laforest’s 40th vintage, and the bottle bears a cut-through of a tree-trunk with 40 rings as a tribute. At Ch. Beauséjour, it was the first vintage to be made in Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse’s new winery, something for which she was particularly appreciative, allowing her to divide the vineyard into smaller parcels and work with greater precision. Saint-Emilion is so large that there is inevitably a broad range of wines this year. Although there are some that can be overly tart, austere or astringent, there are some very impressive, textured, layered wines that retain tension yet also offer plentiful fruit and weight. Cheval Blanc, for example, is a very serious wine that will need time – a real contrast to many of the 2024s that are set to be approachable early. It’s worth highlighting Ch. Laroque, an estate that we have been watching for a while, and where David Suire continues to make wines that offer extraordinary value. Our favourites in Saint-Emilion: Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Clos de Sarpe, Figeac, L’If, Laroque, Tertre Roteboeuf LEFT BANK Yields on the Left Bank were – other than for the whites – generally lower than on the Right. It varies significantly between estates, however, with yields varying from the smallest-ever to normal. While there are years when lesser sites in the Médoc and Haut-Médoc excel, 2024 largely wasn’t – this was a vintage where the quality of terroir, as well as the means to make stringent selection were key. We found quality here was even more heterogenous than across the Gironde, however there are still some brilliant wines to be found.  Saint-Estèphe Quality in Saint-Estèphe is mixed in 2024. The commune’s cooler, northern position was not necessarily an advantage this year, nor were the more clay-rich soils – which have been such an advantage in recent warm and dry vintages. Estates with vines on free-draining gravels fared best, however there are many variables to the quality equation this year. While not every estate thrived, there are some serious highs here, with Montrose vying for wine of the vintage – offering a level of density and complexity that really stood out in our tastings. It’s the second rendition of their Grand Vin to come exclusively from Terrace Four (T4), a decision that is clearly being rewarded, and we also got our first taste of the not-yet-released wine made from T3, called “Terrasse 3” – a wine that will be worth looking out for. The team at Montrose emphasised how the appellation saw less rain between 1st August and 8th September compared to those further south, receiving just 50mm in this critical period (versus 80mm for Margaux and 120mm for Pessac-Léognan), something they felt was key to their success. Calon-Ségur was one of several estates that chose to abandon organics this year, using conventional sprays between budburst and flowering, before reverting to their normal regimen, allowing them to achieve the same yield as 2023 at 45hl/ha (versus 29hl/ha at Cos d’Estournel, who continued on their path to organic certification). Technical Director Vincent Millet – who is at the helm of Calon’s entire portfolio of estates, including Ch. le Prieuré in Saint-Emilion and Vray Croix de Gay in Pomerol – noted how the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon was particularly tricky this year, making the Left Bank more challenging than the Right in the vintage. Our favourites in Saint-Estèphe: Montrose Pauillac Pauillac had the lowest yield of any of the Left Bank communes this year, with the average across the appellation 29.5hl/ha (versus a 20-year average of 45.7hl/ha). Between estates, figures varied wildly – from the miniscule 11hl/ha made at Ch. Latour (a level more typical in Sauternes) to 33hl/ha at Ch. Lafite Rothschild, for example, looking at two estates working organically. June was drier here than elsewhere, meaning the vines started to suffer from hydric stress earlier – with some properties even saying they saw the vines’ development stall in August, with the first rains at the end of the month a welcome reprieve. Harvest here stretched through the first 10 days of October, with botrytis significantly impacting yields. Pichon Baron estimated they lost around 10hl/ha to rot – just one of the sacrifices that made 2024 such a costly vintage to produce. The resulting wines tend to have higher portions of Cabernet Sauvignon, and vary in both style and quality. Generally, these are lighter-styled Pauillacs, not having the firmness or power that this appellation can often offer. Although some don’t have sufficient concentration or structure, the best have trademark Pauillac graphite, complemented by more delicate florals, crunchy fruit, a saline quality and fine tannins. The vintage also marks 100 years of Batailley under the Borie-Castéja family, earning a commemorative label for this benchmark Claret, as well as a special Marie-Jeanne format. Our favourites in Pauillac: Batailley, Lafite Rothschild, Pichon Comtesse, Pontet-Canet Saint-Julien At Chx Léoville and Langoa Barton, Damien Barton Sartorius compared 2024 to running a marathon – tiring, but satisfying, and leaving you ready to sign up for another. The average yield for the appellation was a little bit higher than that of Pauillac, with 32.5hl/ha – still almost 25% down on the 30-year average. As with further north, however, the average is only an average: Beychevelle cropped at 43hl/ha, while selection took the yield down to 23.6hl/ha at Ducru-Beaucaillou (with the team throwing away almost 10hl/ha), and figures varied significantly between estates. At Beychevelle, Philippe Blanc explained how after just 4mm rain between 1st and 28th August, the rain recommenced and never stopped. Their Merlot was more impacted by mildew and therefore the blend is higher in Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) – something echoed elsewhere. The poor flowering and resulting coulure meant looser bunches, explained Barton Sartorius, something which he felt really helped them avoid significant botrytis pressure at the end of the season.  The smaller size of Saint-Julien means it is a little more consistent than Pauillac, however, it’s not entirely uniform. The fruit tends to be a little sweeter, while still on the red rather than black spectrum, the wines offering bright acidity and the best fine tannins and good balance, with the oak seamlessly integrated.  Our favourites in Saint-Julien: Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Barton Margaux Although no appellation is consistent in 2024, Margaux produced some particularly impressive wines. Rainfall may have been higher here than further north, but the slightly warmer microclimate and shallow soils perhaps allowed the grapes to ripen earlier and more fully. There are still some light and tart wines, however the likes of Palmer, Margaux and Rauzan-Ségla produced wines that are among the best of the vintage. Ch. Margaux pointed to their early flowering as a significant advantage in the vintage – “a blessing”, in Aurélien Valance’s words. The 2024 vintage was meant to be the final year of organic conversion at Ch. Rauzan-Ségla, and as the mildew pressure hit, the team had a serious conversation about whether or not to persevere. With the owners’ endorsement, they decided that long-term it was the right decision to continue – knowing it would mean a sacrifice in yield (with a final crop of 30hl/ha), but it would also be their first organically certified wine. The Palmer team – long biodynamic – had to spray as many as 10 times by hand, unable to get their tractors into the vines. However you explain it, the results here speak for themselves – with wines that combine pretty, heady florals with sweet and supple fruit, as well as fine but persistent, powdered tannins: some serious wines that would deserve consideration in any vintage. This was also the one appellation where second wines – such as Alter Ego de Palmer and Pavillon Rouge – showed real quality. Our favourites in Margaux: Brane-Cantenac, Giscours, Palmer, Margaux, Rauzan-Ségla Graves + Pessac-Léognan Yields for the reds in Pessac-Léognan were – unusually for the year – average. The whites are discussed separately below, but the reds from Graves and Pessac-Léognan were as varied as elsewhere. There are, however, some charming wines, and some very impressive wines that defy the year’s reputation. This southerly region saw more rain in August, not benefitting perhaps from the hydric stress that was so key elsewhere – but the rain that month wasn’t excessive, just in line with the norm. At Smith Haut Lafitte, September saw more than three times the average rainfall (164mm versus 48mm), making the harvest far from easy. Although Carmes Haut-Brion picked 40hl/ha, they only vinified 24hl/ha – another example of the extreme selection that quality-focused estates put in place this year. Guillaume Pouthier – who always offers a unique perspective on a vintage – is doing something different with his ageing this year, reducing the temperature of the cellar from 16°C to 12°C over the two-year élevage, to preserve the fruit profile in the wine and encourage tartaric precipitation, thereby reducing the acidity level. Time will tell how this works, so it will be fascinating to retaste the wine in bottle. Domaine de Chevalier produced some particularly impressive wines this year, and although they have long worked organically and biodynamically, this year they made the difficult decision to use conventional treatments – something that has been rewarded, with both generous yields (48hl/ha) and very high quality. Our favourites in Graves + Pessac-Léognan: Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Domaine de Chevalier, La Mission Haut-Brion Dry whites Some people are raving about the dry whites in 2024 – and, while there are absolutely some brilliant whites, quality is far from uniform. The first Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested in Sauternes on 20th August, although most producers we spoke to picked from the very end of August/early September, with the last Semillon brought in on 23rd September. Yields were average to generous, with mildew much less of a problem – 30 hl/ha at Margaux, 32hl/ha at Smith Haut Lafitte, 38hl/ha for Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, 48hl/ha at Domaine de Chevalier, for example, while on the Right Bank the Lafleur stable brought in around 40hl/ha and the Nicolas Thienpont team cropped 43hl/ha and 47hl/ha respectively at Alcée and Charmes-Godard. The cooler conditions preserved a backbone of acidity in the wines, with accordingly low pHs – analytically speaking, the wines have the highest acidity since 2014. The aromatics are precise, dominated by green rather than stone-fruit, and certainly not at the more tropical end of the spectrum. If anything, some of the wines can feel a little green or lean. As Smith Haut Lafitte’s Technical Director Fabien Teitgen explained, the challenge was to get ripeness that would cloak the acid of the vintage, the flesh to complement its skeleton. Owner Florence Cathiard feels the result is “one of [their] best whites”. Similarly at Ch. Margaux, they did a little more bâtonnage to give weight to Pavillon Blanc – and it’s one of the stars of the year. In some, you can feel the growing season’s excess of water – the generous yields resulting in wines that don’t have sufficient concentration. Sauvignon Blanc seemed to fare better than Semillon, which was more susceptible to rot and was more challenging to get phenolically ripe – and many of our favourites were pure Sauvignon, or heavily driven by the variety. Comparisons were varied – although 2021 was common for its acid backbone and cooler conditions. At Lafleur, Omri Ram is convinced that 2024 Les Champs Libres is one of their best, sitting comfortably alongside the 2023 and 2021. At Ch. Margaux, Aurélien Valance looked to a surprising vintage – the warm 2018 season, but in which the wine has a similar saline imprint to that found in 2024. Our favourites: Charmes-Godard, De Fieuzal Blanc, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Haut-Brion Blanc, Les Champs Libres and Grand Village Blanc, Pavillon Blanc du Ch. Margaux Sauternes + Barsac It’s easy to assume that because rain and rot threatened the crop in 2024, it was perfect for the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac: but very specific conditions are required for noble rot to set in, and if they aren’t met, you get grey rot – with both caused by the same fungus, botrytis cinerea. The first pass in Sauternes tended to take place at the end of September, with alternating wet and dry conditions encouraging the development of noble rot from the start of October. But teams had to battle grey and sour rot too – and a high degree of selection was key. At La Tour Blanche, they made just 3hl/ha for their Grand Vin, a tiny yield that matches that of 2021. The grapes that made it into the tank offered high acidity levels, precise aromatics, but not the luscious concentration of the very best vintages. Based on our tastings, the resulting wines are good to very good, if not quite exceptional, but may have particular appeal to consumers who prefer a lighter style of sweet wine – with brighter acidity and slightly lower residual sugar levels. They are vibrant and pure, with plenty of concentration, if not as hedonistic as more lauded years – and will be approachable at an earlier stage in life. Our favourites: Doisy Védrines, Guiraud, La Tour Blanche, Suduiraut Explore Bordeaux 2024 – including our full vintage overview

Following on from our full vintage overview, and as the Bordeaux 2024 en primeur releases continue, we explore how each subregion performed in the year, as well as identifying our favourite wines in each

Bordeaux 2024: a breakdown of the vintage by region, with top picks from Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol

Bordeaux 2024 – breaking the year down by commune

Bordeaux 2024: the vintage by commune

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