Primeurs Vintage 2022 Part 2
”7m 4d ago
The arrivage tasting proved the great quality of the vintage 2020. The promises made in the glass during the en primeur tastings were kept in this tasting session. An excellent vintage with wonderful and convincing qualities.
”
10m 3d ago
2020 – the paradox vintage
2020 began with mild temperatures even breaking temperature record highs at the beginning of February. These conditions led to a premature budbreak. Budding developed unevenly, very much depending on the locations although the coo and humid weather in April had not a very significant impact on slowing down the growth of the vines. Finally all the vines came into bloom at the end of May without any significant coulure or millerandage. At the start of June, frequent rain intensified the pressure of mildew. From mid-June, the weather changed. The whole Bordelais saw a period of very dry weather for two months. However, the earlier accumulation of water reserves prevented water stress. Around July 18 a heat wave began to build up but the cool nighty prevented water stress on the wines again. The veraison started at the end of July and went on till the beginning of August. The heatwave in August accentuated water stress, but shorter rainy episodes avoided a complete block. The dry and sunny weather in September encouraged the grapes maturity and harvest started on September 10 with a rather mild weather. Towards the middle of September, rain prevented the fruits from wilting but as its frequency was quite concerning, the haves was pushed forward. "Le diabolique" is the title given to this vintage by Véronique Sanders. It is a very special French word, which is not correctly translated with “diabolic” in English. In France, the expression means to overcome the devil. And the vintners succeeded. 2020 is clearly a vintner’s vintage which asked a permanent reinvention of the wineries, struggling hard with this difficult vintage. However, the vintage surprises with excellent wines, exemplary freshness and elegance and very dense structure. In former times it was said that the vine has to suffer to make exquisite wines, in this vintage the people have suffered to make a great wine. The first part of notes for this tasting with over 800 wines you will find today. More notes will follow over the coming days.
”2y 6m ago
The 2018 vintage just arrived on the market and some estates have been sending the samples of the new release for an "Arrivage-Tasting". There were some excellent samples of a vintage, which was already very convincing during the en primeurs campaign and now performs as expected.
”2y 11m ago
Château Cos d’Estournel 2019 - 65% Cabernet Sauvignon + 35% Merlot, 14% alcohol, 55% new oak. Wow, this is real, real enjoyment for one's senses! I think 2019 here definitively breaks up with old-style Cos and continues with the gentler and more soil character-oriented style which started since 2014 vintage. Max. 27 degrees C during alcoholic fermentation. Excellent presence of cigar box, tobacco-leaf and scent of grilled bacon, so typical aromas for Cabernet Sauvignon here. Extremely refined and sophisticated on the nose and palate, multi-layered with stunning complexity, depth and length. Touch down!! 98-100p.
”3y 4m ago
Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte 2013 Graves Cru Classé Blanc/
This wine has a turbo-charged nose of fireplace smoke, passion fruit and beeswax. Round, supple and suavely textured with lightly glycerol on the palate, this is both a highly gulpable and strongly intellectual wine thanks to its compelling intensity. It drinks beautifully now, but there’s no need to rush.
3y 4m ago
On April 6, 2020 over 90 samples from Bordeaux were arriving. This huge selection was allowing a more deeper insight into the 2019's qualities. The tasting showed for Lalande de Pomerol overall ripe qualities with silky tannins. Fronsac was comparable to 2018 however with more freshness. The wines from Saint-Emilion displayed wines with very firm tannins. The Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur appellation where various in style.
”3y 7m ago
Château Haut Brion 2017 / 9900 cases made. 11600 in 2016 Ruby. Scented. Dark fruity, detailed, violets, some red fruits, blackberries, cassis, blueberries, floral, seductive nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, anise, spices, structured, juicy and an incredible length, 14,25 alcohol. very long indeed. 96-98p
”5y 7m ago
BORDEAUX VINTAGE 2016 / Tasting "en primeur" is a challenge every year. The wines tasted are showing a tendency only and it is still the beginning of a longer process of evolution and maturation in the barrels. There might be some changes during the next year and a half until the wines will be bottled, but already today the tendency is quite clear. For most of the red wines it will be an outstanding vintage, a vintage for Cabernet, old vines, limestone and clay soil. It was a challenging year for the vintners. An incredibly wet spring was worrying the winegrowers and at the beginning of June, the spirits were down. However warm and dry weather between June 3 and June 11 creating an close to ideal situation for the flowering and good weather conditions starting in mid June changed the nature of the vintage. The fine weather continued into July and August. The month of August was featuring hot weather and a remarkable amount of sunshine but the absence of rain let to water stress. Heavy rain in mid September set an end to water stress and when the sun returned on September 20 the vintage was saved as there was excellent weather till to the end of the harvest. The effects were various. the white wines are on a good quality level and display fruit and flavour but the acidity is lower than in previous vintages and the white wines show an opulent and rather soft style. The noble sweet wines are extremely pure and are more on the rich and powerful side than on the freshness. For the red wines originating from the right terroirs and old vines, the vintage an be called outstanding. Water stress was managed well on limestone and clay terroirs, Cabernet varieties did extremely well and old vines found water even during the stressful dry periods of summer. In some few red wines the tannins are slightly harsh, almost bitter, a result of water stress and/or intense extraction. In general the red wines are on an excellent level with an advantage for the left bank, mainly the Médoc area, and the classic great terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol.
”6y 7m ago
7y 7m ago
7y 9m ago
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