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

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

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

Your guide to Bordeaux’s subregions   

THE LEFT BANK Overall looking at the regional numbers, yields were less impacted on the Left Bank – with Margaux, Saint-Julien and Pauillac producing fractionally more than in 2020, although significantly less wine (-38%) was made in Pessac-Léognan. When you dive into individual estates, the numbers are much more varied – with many down by as much as 50% in each commune. In the Médoc in 2021, Cabernet Sauvignon reigned supreme – with Merlot suffering from coulure (poor fruit-set) and being more susceptible to mildew. As a result, some of the blends are atypically Cabernet-dominant. From our tastings, quality seemed more varied on the Left Bank, especially when it came to second wines – however there are still some exceptional wines. Saint-Estèphe This northern commune escaped the impact of April’s frosts, as it always does – so mildew was the main threat to yields. In general, however, producers fared well, often producing a little more than in 2020. Properties with gravel over clay subsoils – such as Tronquoy-Lalande – thrived, as the free-draining soils that were problematic in 2020’s dry conditions helped provide water stress in 2021, something that aided ripening. At Calon-Ségur, they removed leaves from the vines on both sides, opening up the canopy in the spring to expose the fruit to what little sun there was – something that helped significantly. The key here, as throughout Bordeaux, was to be in the vineyards battling the mildew. At Tronquoy-Lalande, they found that everything ripened at once and they had all their fruit in by 6th October. Cos d’Estournel was just a day behind, and the wine is a modest 12% alcohol, interestingly with lower acidity than the 2020. They employed lower fermentation temperatures to preserve the wine’s aromatics. At Calon-Ségur it was the latest harvest since 2012, starting on 28th September with the Merlot and finishing on 13th October – their decision to wait until after the forecast rain for their Cabernet paying off. The wines here don’t show the austerity sometimes found in Saint-Estèphe, offering pretty and charming expressions of the appellation, but more tannic grip than elsewhere in 2021. Highlights: Calon-Ségur, Cos d’Estournel, Montrose, Marquis de Calon, Phélan-Ségur Pauillac Gravel and Cabernet Sauvignon: the two reasons that Pauillac seems to be more consistent than some other appellations in 2021. The free-draining soils meant vines here saw a little more water stress in the little of the season that was dry, and a natural predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon was helpful – provided you could ripen it. Blends contain high (and sometimes record-making) percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon – 98% at Pichon Comtesse, 96% at Lafite-Rothschild, 88% at Pichon Baron and so on. Yields varied significantly here, with a full crop at Batailley (which produced one of their best vintages), but at Pichon Baron yields were a lowly 22hl/ha – over a third down on the already small 2020 – and 23hl/ha at Ch. Latour (similar to 2018). The battle against mildew was tougher for estates working organically (like Lafite) or biodynamically. At Ch. Pontet-Canet, Justine Tesseron explained how this was the year they could put into action everything they’d learnt in 2018, when they lost two thirds of their crop to mildew, partly because they farm biodynamically. The 2021 vintage was the first with their own “tisanerie” – to produce their own biodynamic treatments on site – allowing them to reduce the time it took to spray the entire vineyard from 16 hours to 11, and allowing them to be much more reactive, meaning losses were just 15%. Frosts were a threat (indeed, it was the first year Pichon-Baron had ever used candles to protect their vines), but the best sites closer to the river generally escaped serious damage. Harvest dates ran from 22nd September through to the third week of October, with the Batailley one of the last teams out on 15th October. The best wines show an old school elegance and pinpoint precision that we expect of Pauillac, the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon shining through. Even wines like Ch. Latour are surprisingly approachable now, with the tannins firm but not monolithic. Highlights: Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Comtesse, Lynch Bages, Batailley, Pontet Canet Saint-Julien There are some lovely wines in Saint-Julien this year. The commune’s proximity to the river meant there was little frost damage, but mildew was a problem for some estates – at Léoville-Poyferré the yields were the lowest since 1991 at 24hl/ha, although Beychevelle had a full 50hl/ha. At Ducru-Beaucaillou – where the wine has an astounding 98% Cabernet Sauvignon – yields were only 20hl/ha, with a significant portion declassified to ensure quality met their standards. At Léoville Las Cases, the acidity was a little lower than normal and they’ve reduced the level of new oak and toasting to balance the naturally less concentrated style of wine. For the Bartons, it was their first vintage with a new vat cellar – meaning they could vinify in smaller parcels, a great advantage in a year where selection was everything. The best wines are supple with a depth of richness – perhaps thanks to the Gironde’s proximity – as well as freshness and a bite of crunchy fruit. Highlights: Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, Langoa Barton, Gruaud Larose Margaux In the Médoc, Margaux seemed the most varied. Frost was a particular threat here, making for sleepless nights in April as four bouts hit the vineyards, and sites further inland saw the most damage. It was, however, the sunny weather from mid-August that turned things round. At Palmer yields are down by around 30%, but at Brane-Cantenac yields were a generous 41hl/ha; Henri Lurton emphasised that he feels it’s a vintage where the best terroirs showed their colours. He was surprised by the sheer number of tannins, which were on a par with warmer years, despite the cooler conditions. At Marquis d’Alesme, Delphine Kolasa noted how happy she was the wines weren’t being sent around the world as samples (a necessity of the global pandemic for 2019 and 2020) – feeling the more delicate style is more fragile, and even more nascent than usual given the late harvest. She thinks of it as a fresh and fruity year dominated by violet aromatics – with careful extraction essential to make sure the wine’s delicacy wasn’t over-ridden. Ch. Rauzan-Ségla produced a stunning wine – putting in the necessary work to do so, with a team of 150 to harvest and sort the fruit, which came in at just 11-12% potential alcohol. Aurélien Valence at Ch. Margaux explained it was the worst mildew pressure the team had ever seen and working organically meant they were often in the vineyard at weekends to spray, but they have made the smallest ever volume of Margaux du Ch. Margaux (the third wine) as a result. The best wines offer dainty floral charm, vibrant red fruit, chalky tannins and well-judged oak. Highlights: Margaux, Palmer, Rauzan-Ségla, Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Brown Graves + Pessac-Léognan Frosts threatened Graves and parts of Pessac-Léognan, although vineyards in the suburban sprawl escaped damage. Haut-Bailly brought in just 19hl/ha due to frost, and yields for Smith Haut-Lafitte were only 20hl/ha; although at Carmes Haut-Brion yields were totally normal, and Haut-Brion saw a healthy 48hl/ha. Despite the more generous yields, the Clarence Dillon team emphasised that selection was key to success; although they reported no issues with coulure in the Merlot, there’s 20% less of the Ch. Haut-Brion Grand Vin than normal as a result. At Haut-Bailly, there will be 60% less of the Grand Vin to go around. While volumes varied, quality here was impressive – the wines tending to show more richness and riper tannins than their northern neighbours, with a plush yet refined, elegant profile. Guillaume Pouthier at Carmes Haut-Brion emphasised that clay and limestone were advantageous, leading to water stress that was essential for quality – indeed he achieved 13.5% natural alcohol in the Grand Vin (a standout of the year) so had no need to chaptalise, and wasn’t alone in that regard. As elsewhere, Cabernet represents higher portions of the blend in some instances – with a record 80% at Domaine de Chevalier. (See below for discussion of the whites.) Highlights: Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Smith Haut-Lafitte THE RIGHT BANK On the Left Bank Merlot suffered from coulure, but that seemed to be less of an issue on the Right – so Merlot-driven wines shouldn’t be dismissed. We found Pomerol to be impressively consistent, while Saint-Emilion – unsurprisingly given its size – was more varied. In general, the wines of the Right Bank feel almost a little more Left in style – less exotic and polished than in blockbuster vintages, with a charm, elegance and freshness that is invigorating. Yields were down almost a third across both appellations, but again it varied from estate to estate. Pomerol There was no frost in Pomerol, so it was just the mildew that posed a threat to yields. At Ch. Belle-Brise, yields were reduced by 25% – taking them down to a mere 600 cases at this tiny estate. Jacques Thienpont at Le Pin fared particularly well, the warmth of their south-facing gravel slope a boon in the vintage. They picked over a particularly long period – from 25th September to 4th October to bring in each parcel of their two hectares at the perfect moment. At La Conseillante, Dr Bertrand Nicolas emphasised how selection was key – and waiting sufficiently long to pick the Cabernet Franc. For Noëmie and Constance Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet, it was a particularly swift harvest – lasting just three days, and healthy yields of between 45 and 57hl/ha. The Cabernet Franc in particular was “mesmerising”, in Noëmie’s words. At several estates, the harvest was among the latest this century. Omri Ram at Ch. Lafleur noted how the tannin and sugar ripeness arrived at the same time – thanks to the water stress of August which was key for phenolics. Similarly, Guillaume Thienpont at Vieux Château Certan said it was an easy year to decide when to pick – as sugar, phenolic and flavour ripeness all came at once. At Ch. l’Evangile, it was a baptism of fire for Juliette Couderc as her first full vintage at the estate, and its first certified organic. The warmth of the appellation meant little issue with achieving ripeness, but sandier soils struggled. She noted that younger vines did surprisingly well, suffering from more hydric stress with short root systems and therefore producing more concentrated fruit. The 2021s in Pomerol aren’t powerful, plush wines with 14.5% alcohol; instead they have an alluring transparency, with floral charm and elegance (often at 13-13.5% alcohol), and higher than normal doses of Cabernet in some instances adding a flourish to the wines. Highlights: Lafleur, La Conseillante, Vieux Château Certan, L’Evangile, L’Eglise-Clinet, Clinet, L’Enclos Tourmaline, Belle-Brise, Certan de May, Feytit-Clinet Saint-Emilion Quality in Saint-Emilion varied this year – but it also produced some of the finest wines of the vintage. There’s a herbaceous freshness that isn’t green, crunchy fruit and an appealing presence to the tannic structure that isn’t obstructive – they are moderate, and all the more approachable for it. Despite the drama of the appellation around its classification system, the top wines – classified or not – are impressive. Ch. Laroque shone – continuing its ascendancy, while Clos de Sarpe achieved an impressive 14% natural alcohol in the vintage, holding out until 7th October to start picking. At Tertre Roteboeuf, François Mitjavile declared it a year that was “difficult to define”, but for him the wines show a subtlety, with the structure “tenderised” by the year’s rainy conditions. The Cheval Blanc team excelled – choosing to pick over a particularly long window, from 24th September to 14th October, while at Ausone – another success story this year – the Merlot came in on 30th September, and the Cabernet Franc between 4th and 6th October. Le Dôme felt it was key to wait out the phenolics, picking from 6th October (two weeks later than some of their neighbours) to achieve supple tannins. Frost didn’t have a significant impact here, but mildew did, especially on the crop of Merlot – at Angélus, for example, they lost 40%. Figeac reported a 10% loss, but due to a green harvest. For Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse – her first vintage at the helm of her family estate, Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse – the vintage was a question of extraction to manage the balance of the wines. As Mäylis Mercenat at Clos de Sarpe highlighted, the challenge was to extract weight not tannin – something she did with a combination of infusion and vinification intégrale. Highlights: Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Angélus, Figeac, Canon, Bélair-Monange, Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse, Laroque, Clos de Sarpe, Tour Saint-Christophe THE WHITES The dry whites are outstanding in 2021. Many estates reported it’s the best vintage they’ve ever made – and the wines taste like it. The cool conditions allowed the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon to develop aromatic complexity slowly, while preserving the acidity; as a result they offer incredible richness of flavour, vibrancy and no sign of greenness. Unfortunately yields were a challenge in some places, with frost taking out certain plots (such as Ch. Margaux – although fortunately not a plot that normally goes into Pavillon Blanc). At Cos d’Estournel – where the whites are thrilling – they noted they had the luxury to pick over an unusually long window, with multiple passes. The same was true at Domaine de Chevalier – with exceptional results. At Lafleur, Omri Ram highlighted that the wines were taking longer to come together than normal, but that the lack of water stress was key to their success – wines that he thinks will be the best white duo the property has ever produced. It was fascinating to see exactly the same blend across all three of the Clarence Dillon stable of whites – La Clarté de Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc and Haut-Brion proper – all 55% Semillon, 45% Sauvignon Blanc, and speaking of their site. They were hit significantly by frost – with 20% less Haut-Brion Blanc and 35% less Clarté. For the team here, the combination of acidity and ripeness is what sets the wines apart, even better than either 2014 or 2017. Botrytised sweet wines were made in tiny volumes, hit significantly by frost. The tiny volumes of fruit that survived benefitted from the long, cool growing season, however, and from the late development of botrytis in October. The tiny amount we tasted was exceptional, however very little will make it to market – with yields as low as 1 or 2hl/ha reported by some estates. At Ch. Suduiraut, for example, they made just 500 cases in total. Highlights: Haut-Brion Blanc, Pavillon Blanc du Ch. Margaux, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc, Cos d'Estournel Blanc, La Clarté de Haut-Brion, Aile d’Argent, Les Champs Libres, Le Petit Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc Browse all available releases, or read more about Bordeaux 2021, including our reports on the growing season and our vintage overview

In 2021, it is incredibly hard to make any generalisations – this really is a vintage to be assessed by individual estate. Below we do our best to break down the year by commune; read all our coverage of the year – including our run-down of the growing conditions and vintage overview 

Your guide to Bordeaux 2021 en primeur broken down by region: Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Pessac-Leognan, Pomerol + Saint Emilion

Bordeaux 2021 en primeur guide by region

Bordeaux 2021: a commune-by-commune guide

It’s difficult to make broad statements about a year like 2023 in Bordeaux. Following on from our vintage overview, we delve further into the year, breaking it down by commune to offer insight on how each subregion fared in this singular vintage     

Bordeaux 2023: a breakdown of the vintage by region, with top picks from Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol 

Bordeaux 2023 – breaking the year down by commune

Bordeaux 2023: the vintage by commune

From January 2021, the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur appellations permit the use of several new varieties – Touriga Nacional, Marselan, Castets and Arinarnoa, as well as two white grapes, Alvarinho and Liliorila, the theory being they’ll help shield the region from the ever-growing threat of global warming. As the region heats up, or more importantly dries up, some of the Bordeaux mainstay varieties are suffering from rising alcohol levels, disease and water stress. The new varieties all possess properties that counter climate change – natural high acidities, resistance to mildew and later budburst to offset the risk of spring frosts. While the recent changes only affect wines under the more basic Bordeaux appellations, are they paving the way for a wider relaxation in the region’s rules? And does that mean the flavour profile and identity of Bordeaux’s top châteaux are about to change? For Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Ch. Cheval Blanc there is concern over the potential of the varietal blend (encépagement) changing. “We believe that the encépagement is part of the DNA and the identity of the estate,” says Clouet. “Planting some Touriga Nacional, Grenache, Syrah at Cheval Blanc… it seems ridiculous.” While plenty of winemakers up and down the Médoc are dismissive of the idea, the warming climate is not selective – and even the top terroirs are going to be affected. The 2020 vintage was the hottest on record when you look at the temperatures throughout the 12-month period. The summer was also one of the driest, with not a single drop of rain in some regions for over three months. Pomerol, according to Omri Ram of Ch. Lafleur, is into its fifth consecutive year of drought and these weather patterns are becoming the norm in the region. Clearly some terroirs are better prepared for climate change than others. The clay soils of Saint-Estèphe and the limestone bedrock of Saint-Emilion, for instance, survived 2020’s drought virtually unscathed. These water-retaining soils are adept at locking in moisture and slowly releasing it through the drier months. But the deep gravel soils of the Left Bank are putting vines in real danger during long periods of drought. Lorraine Watrin from Ch. Montrose outlined the huge difficulties faced at their other Saint-Estèphe estate Ch. Tronquoy-Lalande, where (unlike Montrose) the estate’s gravel soils go down a staggering 10 metres. The drainage is so good on these soils that when there is no rain, the vines really suffer. Montrose is more fortunate, having just 1.5 metres of gravel sitting on a bed of moisture-retaining clay. But ongoing droughts are going to pose real problems for deeper gravel vineyards in the future – and solutions need to be found. Despite the obvious threat of drought, speaking with top estates on the Left Bank, they remain fairly comfortable about their future, even though their best soils are on raised gravel beds. The reason why? Cabernet Sauvignon. As temperatures have increased and the level of rainfall has dropped, Cabernet Sauvignon has proved its mettle. The vine is incredibly resistant to disease and its long ripening cycle has seen the variety thrive in the longer, more intense summers. Nicolas Glumineau from Ch. Pichon Comtesse is a big fan of Cabernet Sauvignon and has continued to increase its role in his wines’ make-up over the last decade. “Even if the temperature increases, Cabernet Sauvignon will still be very adaptive to the Left Bank,” he says. In their 2020, the wine consisted of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with a further 7% Cabernet Franc, Merlot representing just 17% of the blend. Glumineau is not alone, in fact amongst all the producers I spoke to, there was little to no concern over Cabernet Sauvignon’s future and its dominance in their blends in the long term. Being such a large wine-growing region and with plenty of investment, Bordeaux is a hotbed for change, but Ducru-Beaucaillou's Bruno Borie thinks the addition of new varieties is premature. He reminds us that Bordeaux is one of the more moderate climates in Europe. It wasn’t that long ago his father was forced to plant more Merlot to avoid having to chaptalise the wines (add sugar to the must) because the Cabernet Sauvignon wasn’t ripe enough. “Without being arrogant and with all sincerity, we benefit from having Cabernet Sauvignon riper much more often than in the past,” he says. “Bordeaux is the northern limit for ripening the grape and here there is no need to replace it.”  Merlot’s future is perhaps a little less assured on the Left Bank, as Borie admits – but he believes the alternative to Merlot is likely to be already permitted varieties, rather than new ones. “Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc should keep us going another 50 to 70 years at least,” he says. Asked why not just switch to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Borie believes that however hot or dry it gets, the low-lying, clay riverbed vineyards would never ripen Cabernet. Despite concerns for Merlot’s future, grown in the right places the variety continues to thrive on the Left Bank. Just look at its success in 2020, a very hot vintage. Rainfall at just the right time helped retard alcohol levels in the Merlot. For those whose cooler Cabernet Sauvignon parcels didn’t fully mature, their Merlot replaced it and played a more significant role in the blend and saved the vintage. The grape is still fulfilling its role as the balancing variety in today’s Bordeaux blend. Despite Cabernet Sauvignon’s and Merlot’s impressive performances of late, plenty of experiments are going on, even at the very top estates. Ch. Lafite-Rothschild is already trialling massal selection of their own vines and new varieties including Touriga Nacional, Marselan and Malbec. For the moment it is too early for Lafite to draw any conclusions, but they’re keeping an open mind.  While the major estates aren’t switching up the blend yet, producers are looking at peripheral Bordeaux varieties as potential alternatives. On paper, Malbec seems a good option. Before phylloxera, Malbec was the most planted variety in Bordeaux, but never really made a comeback after the outbreak. But seeing Malbec’s success in the hotter, drier mountain valleys of Argentina, could it rise back to prominence with global warming? Nicolas Audebert – winemaker at Rauzan-Ségla and previously at Cheval des Andes in Mendoza – is not so sure. Malbec in French literally means ‘”bad beak” or “bad nose”, thanks to the negative reputation the variety had in Bordeaux, even when more dominant in the blend. “Prior to phylloxera, Malbec was used as a ‘filler‘ grape,” Audebert says, “used to balance out problems in the vineyard – namely providing more colour and ripeness to the wine.” Audebert compares it to Pinot Meunier in Champagne, whose role is similar. “Pinot Meunier is less sensitive to frost, so it is planted in the more frost-prevalent lower slopes, rather than the best terroirs. It never had the chance to reach the potential of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Malbec suffered the same issue.” Audebert has planted Malbec at Ch. Berliquet in Saint-Emilion. He believes Malbec on clay could be extremely interesting and is keen to see how it works in the blend. But Malbec has its problems: it’s very sensitive to coulure (flowers not developing into berries, therefore producing lower yields), as well as mildew. Of the Bordeaux varieties, it responded the least well to grafting – hence why it wasn’t replanted widely in Bordeaux after phylloxera. Audebert reminds us that Argentina didn’t have these problems: “Low humidity in Mendoza meant mildew was not a problem in spring and there was no grafting, as the region used flood irrigation to battle phylloxera.” Since these remain challenges for the variety in Bordeaux, he doesn’t see it becoming more dominant in the future. Many wineries up and down the Médoc are lowering the proportion of Merlot in their blends, opting instead for more Cabernet Franc. “Blending just 5% of Cabernet Franc in with Merlot can be an effective method of lowering the alcohol, as well as adding freshness,” says John Kolasa (ex Director of Ch. Canon ). “It is something Pétrus did with the 2019 vintage. Look at the success of Ch. Figeac in 2019 – a third Cabernet Franc, a third Merlot and a third Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a big increase of Cabernet Franc in the blend and is performing better in the warming climate.” There aren’t many wineries in Bordeaux not increasing the Cabernet Franc plantings in their vineyards, given its improved performance in a warming climate. Pichon Comtesse, L’Eglise Clinet and of course long-term believers Cheval Blanc and Lafleur are all confident of the variety’s future and its growing role in the Bordeaux blend, both on the Left and Right Bank. Petit Verdot is another late ripening variety that thrives in the hotter, drier conditions. Could this peripheral variety become a star performer in Bordeaux’s future? Unlike Cabernet Franc it has yet to become more prominent in blends, often because just a small amount can dominate the structure and flavour of the wine and overpowers the more nuanced characters of Cabernet. Nicolas Glumineau is unsure that the variety is a saving grace, however. “I have some difficulties with Petit Verdot, it is a very tricky grape to grow… it’s very fragile – to wind, to rain, to many things and finally you just can’t pick it absolutely ripe every year.” While the new appellation rules allow new varieties, is changing the blend really the best solution to the ongoing issues of global warming? Ch. Margaux’s Philippe Bascaules certainly doesn’t think so. For him, changing the grape varieties is far too extreme when there are other, more subtle changes that, he believes, would be much more effective. “Currently we are at 10,000 vines per hectare but we don’t have to be,” he says. “Changing the row orientation would also have good results. Good for changing the effect of sunburn on the grapes.” Ch Pontet Canet's Justine Tesseron is another advocate of making alterations in the vineyard, not changing varieties. She is happy with how the Cabernet performs on her gravel soils and feels that there’s simply no need to experiment with other grapes. For Tesseron, the way in which the vines are farmed is more important: “A biodynamic vineyard is better placed to cope with the extremes. We treat individual vines based on their individual needs – it is all about the small details.”  Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Cheval Blanc sees a change in varieties as a last resort. He and his team have long been thinking about how to tackle global warming. “We are sure that the answer is in the vineyard management,” he says. They are looking at rootstocks, the size of the canopy, the yield (“If we want to preserve freshness, it’s better to have a little more yield”), cover crops, ploughing or no-till farming and how polyculture can help. Clouet is another Bordeaux vigneron who sees the problems – but also plenty of potential answers. They experiment a lot at their other property, Ch. Quinault l’Enclos. “We try to always be very open minded,” he says. But he is clear also that “We should never forget who we are.”  Bordeaux is awash with a mix of cautious optimism, as well as open-minded experimentation. For the time being, it doesn’t look – at least amongst the more prestigious classified estates – like they will be adding new varieties to the blend any time soon. Until alternative approaches in viticultural and vinification fail, Bordeaux’s varietal DNA looks safe. Read more about Bordeaux or explore more Editorial

Climate change poses a serious threat to wine-growers around the world. Bordeaux has just allowed the use of new grape varieties to help its producers cope with the increasingly hot, dry conditions – but what does this mean for the region’s identity? We talk to the top winemakers about the future

Cheval Blanc, Margaux, Lafleur, Lafite, Ducru-Beaucaillou and more on climate change in Bordeaux

Is climate change threatening the Bordeaux blend?

Bordeaux 2020 was a vigneron’s vintage, a year in which strategic choices were key to success. Here we delve into how each of the main appellations on both the Left and Right Banks fared in this remarkable year.

Delving into how each of the main Bordeaux appellations on both the Left and Right Banks fared in this remarkable 2020 vintage.

Commune-by-commune guide to Bordeaux 2020  

Bordeaux 2020: breaking it down

Château Tronquoy

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We're in the final stages of upgrading to our brand-new trading platform. As part of this transition, we're currently migrating all customer-owned inventory to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.

Our new and improved platform will be ready for you on Friday, April 4.

Thank you for your patience - we can't wait to show you what's next.

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About description for demonstration purposes

shows all the items you currently store with us. These items can be sold, delivered or transferred.

At {shortName}

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Your pre-order item will be deleted. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your delivery request will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to proceed?

represents all the wines that are in your possession and have been consumed.

This is the price you paid for this item.

Cost price

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The lowest price you're willing to sell at.

shows all the items that you have pre-ordered, including en primeur wines, and all the items on your watchlist.

Futures

You can set a sell price on items you're selling based on a % of current unit net value.

You can set a market price on items you're selling based on a % of current unit net value.

shows all the actions that you have taken on items in your Portfolio.

groups every action by type - Purchase, Sale, Delivery, and Inbound Transfer - so it's clear at a glance what happened to each item.

History

shows all the items that are currently in transit to or from {shortName}.

In transit

Local delivery is free for orders over HK$1,800 (to a single location). For orders below this value, delivery is HK$150 for up to four cases and HK$50 per case thereafter.

Shipping starts from €15 within Italy and €45 to Switzerland and the rest of Europe for up to 48 bottles (75cl). Costs vary by destination. Larger shipments can be quoted on request.

The date shown below is when your order will ship from our local warehouse. Your final delivery date, along with full tracking details, will be provided once our team has processed your request.

You can arrange collection from our Retail store on 22nd Floor, 8 Wyndham Street, Central Hong Kong.
Collection times are between 9:30am-13:00 and 14:00-18:00pm, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

You can arranged collection from our warehouse STI INTERNAZIONALE SPA, on Viale del Lavoro, 57, 37051 Bovolone, Verona.
Pick-up hours are between 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

This is the current estimated market value for this item.

Manually set prices will be overwritten. Already listed wines are not affected.

Updates all unlisted wines to current market price.

Set all at market

represents all the wines you currently have in your Portfolio that aren't stored with us. Press the

My cellar

Name

Net price

New portfolio available

New portfolio

You do not have any invoices at this time.

shows all the items from your Portfolio that are currently on the market.

On sale

shows all the items you currently have in your Portfolio. You can perform individual actions on them from this page.

Overview

shows any items that are currently awaiting user action.

Pending

This is the dynamic estimated value of the item with trading margin removed.

This is the amount of profit you will receive if your listing sells.

Pre-authorised payments enable automatic transactions on your behalf, ensuring seamless and hassle-free payments. This allows recurring charges, subscriptions, or scheduled payments to be processed without manual approval each time.

The number of cases you wish to place on sale

Your catalogue item will be archived. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your catalogue items will be archived. Are you sure you want to continue?

Before you request delivery, you can adjust the quantity for each item in your selection below.

* At time of sale a 15% trading fee will be deducted from the final sale price.

Total estimated value*'

The fixed custom price you wish to sell each item for.

Split into {caseSize} individual {bottleSize}cl bottles.

Title

shows all the items you currently store with us. These items can be sold.

Available for sale — items stored with {name} eligible to be listed on the marketplace.

Profile

This item is at Vinfolio, available for storage or shipping. For more information on shipping and handling visit vinfolio.com/shipping

This item is at FINE+RARE HOME Hong Kong, available for delivery or local pickup. Most Hong Kong deliveries can be made within 3 working days, an exact date will be available when arranging delivery. International deliveries have longer lead-times, please contact us for details.

Wines sold en primeur will be released from the producer after bottling, typically 18 months after the so-called campaign ends. Upon arrival your wine will be stored at Vinfolio in our temperature-controlled warehouse until you decide to take delivery.

We will source this item at the guaranteed price from our network of suppliers and arrange expedited shipment to FINE+RARE.
 The lead-time depends on many variables, but 2-4 weeks is typical for expedited sourcing.
 Once your order is confirmed, we'll keep you updated on its ETA.
 Every item is checked on arrival by our expert team, with photographs available on request (please note that charges may apply).

When a wine is on "pre-arrival", it means that we have a confirmed order on the bottles from our supplier and we are simply waiting for the winery or distributor to ship the wine to us. The delivery timeframe for pre-arrival wines varies significantly, depending on where the wine is coming from. We will notify you once they arrive at our warehouse and, at that point, you can decide to arrange shipping or list them for sale.

Château Tronquoy

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