Q&A

Is 2014 a good year for Bordeaux wine?

Is 2014 a good year for Bordeaux wine?

The 2014 vintage is the year Bordeaux came back to the market. After three less than stellar vintages (2011, 2012 and 2013), this vintage has produced many excellent wines, some verging on superb, with quality that reaches deep into the unclassified estates. The wines are open, delicious and juicy.

Was 2014 a good year for Pauillac?

Having the deepest gravel in the Medoc with some chalk and clay, Pauillac also has the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and so was a strong contender for the best commune in 2014 – especially as the autumn heatwave meant Medoc Cabernet ripened later, giving an advantage over Merlot.

Is 2014 a good year for Margaux?

There is an approachability in most wines that I admire, while the natural depth of 2014 fruit will keep some improving past 2030, but for the most part these will bes best from 5 to 15 years of age. Margaux will have been glad to see the back of 2013 to welcome late in the season such good grapes in 2014.

What is a good year for Bordeaux?

In the white corner – by which one generally means Sauternes – the best vintages years are 2015, 2014, 2011 and 2009. The 2011 in particular has immense aging potential. The remaining vintage years of the 21st century have all otherwise been reasonable quality, although the 2013, 2010 and 2005 stand out above the rest.

How long can you keep a Bordeaux wine?

If you want to turn a profit by investing in Bordeaux, it’s wise to purchase pre-arrivals and keep the wines in storage for a minimum of ten years before you resell them. Bordeaux wines usually reach their peak value approximately 20 to 30 years after release, depending on the quality of the vintage.

Is 2015 a good year for Bordeaux?

The 2015 vintage is the second excellent year in a row following the quietly successful 2014—and it’s positioned just ahead of the potentially classic 2016 and promising 2017. Growing conditions in 2015 were ideal for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Bordeaux’s leading red grapes.

Was 2014 or 2015 a better year for wine?

2014 was and is seen as a good vintage of generally fresh, moderately concentrated red wines and vivacious dry whites. 2015, on the other hand, was announced with a great deal of fanfare as a uniformly outstanding year across the region, an assessment now being amplified by breathtaking scores for some 2015s.

Is 2020 a good year for Bordeaux?

2020 white Bordeaux wine performed quite well this year. The wines are ripe, sweet, crisp, juicy and fresh. While the crop was small for Sauternes and Barsac producers, (some estates reported yields 50% less than normal) and Botrytis did not develop until quite late in the growing season, the quality is quite good.

Was 2000 a good year for Bordeaux?

The 2000 Bordeaux vintage was brilliant. The winter was mild but a warm, wet spring created a fleeting problem with mildew. However, from July onwards, a spectacular summer dominated with hardly any rain until mid-September when the heavens opened, although it was likely welcome in some areas.

Does Bordeaux get better with age?

Bordeaux wine is one of the best aging wines displaying a slow, gentle rise in maturity and complexity, followed by a period of peak drinkability. High-quality Bordeaux should be aged for at least 10 years but normally reach their peak in the 15-20 year range.

Q&A

Is 2014 a good year for Bordeaux wine?

Is 2014 a good year for Bordeaux wine?

The 2014 vintage is the year Bordeaux came back to the market. After three less than stellar vintages (2011, 2012 and 2013), this vintage has produced many excellent wines, some verging on superb, with quality that reaches deep into the unclassified estates. The wines are open, delicious and juicy.

Was 2014 a good year for French wine?

Much to the delight (and surprise) of many tasters, Bordeaux has produced very good wine in 2014. It is certainly the best since 2010 and much of the talk at the en primeurs has been about where it ranks and which vintages it most resembles.

Was 2014 a good year for Pauillac?

Having the deepest gravel in the Medoc with some chalk and clay, Pauillac also has the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and so was a strong contender for the best commune in 2014 – especially as the autumn heatwave meant Medoc Cabernet ripened later, giving an advantage over Merlot.

Which year was the best vintage in Bordeaux?

In the white corner – by which one generally means Sauternes – the best vintages years are 2015, 2014, 2011 and 2009. The 2011 in particular has immense aging potential. The remaining vintage years of the 21st century have all otherwise been reasonable quality, although the 2013, 2010 and 2005 stand out above the rest.

Is 2014 a good year for Margaux?

There is an approachability in most wines that I admire, while the natural depth of 2014 fruit will keep some improving past 2030, but for the most part these will bes best from 5 to 15 years of age. Margaux will have been glad to see the back of 2013 to welcome late in the season such good grapes in 2014.

Is 2014 a good vintage?

The 2014 vintage was good overall, but there were some problems. In Europe, much of the summer was marked by dank and humid conditions, ideal for the fruit fly drosophila suzukii. Bordeaux was extremely good but is perhaps overshadowed by other show-stopper vintages, and Sauternes enjoyed an excellent year.

Was 2014 a good year for champagne?

2014 Vintage: Champagne The 2014 vintage for Champagne was tricky in places but there was some success. A warm, dry spring meant the growing season got off to a quick, healthy start. Both budburst and flowering were successful, and the absence of any severe frost gave producers cause for optimism.

Is 2020 a good Bordeaux vintage?

The 2020 vintage was clearly very warm. The first part of the year, which induced the early flowering, was significantly warmer than 2018 or 2019, but the heart of the summer was very marginally cooler. Taken as a whole, 2020 was as warm as the baking 2018, but not as intensely hot during the summer.

When should I drink my Bordeaux?

Unlike younger wines, older wines at or near their peak need minimal, if any, aeration. They are typically ready to drink immediately (so-called ‘pop and pour’ or ‘PnP’). In fact, as oxygenation and oxidation occurs, the mature wine will eventually become less enjoyable.

Will 2020 be a good Bordeaux vintage?

2020 white Bordeaux wine performed quite well this year. The wines are ripe, sweet, crisp, juicy and fresh. While the crop was small for Sauternes and Barsac producers, (some estates reported yields 50% less than normal) and Botrytis did not develop until quite late in the growing season, the quality is quite good.

What are the best years for vintage Champagne?

The latter half of the decade saw some very good results in Champagne, with the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 are scoring solidly in the 90s with Robert Parker – the 1996 is perhaps the most legendary of this period, with a dry summer with long bursts of sunshine producing a vintage of outstanding quality.

What is the best Dom Pérignon vintage year?

What is a good year for Dom Pérignon? There are no ‘bad’ years for Dom Pérignon as the brand doesn’t release bottles on off-years but some of the brand’s finest vintages include 1990, 1995 and 1996, while its best modern vintages are 2002, 2004 and 2008.

Where is it in the vintage ratings for Bordeaux?

Bordeaux 2014: Where is it in the vintage ratings? Much to the delight (and surprise) of many tasters, Bordeaux has produced very good wine in 2014. It is certainly the best since 2010 and much of the talk at the en primeurs has been about where it ranks and which vintages it most resembles.

Is the 2012 medocs Bordeaux a good vintage?

But there was a slight greenness and hollow middle to many of the Médocs reds and while 2012 is no doubt better than the rainy 2002, the hard 2004s, the edgy 2007s, even probably the underrated 2008s, it is – with few exceptions – not a vintage for the long term.

Where does Steven Spurrier report on Bordeaux 2012?

Read the full Bordeaux 2012 reports by Steven Spurrier, Jeannie Cho Lee MW & James Lawther MW exclusively in the June edition of Decanter magazine. This appellation starts at St-Seurin-de-Cadourne, north of St-Estèphe and runs to the tip of the Gironde estuary.

How big is the terroir of Bordeaux in 2012?

Given the climatic complications in 2012 and St-Emilion’s (5,400ha) vast and varied terroir, quality is inevitably varied this year. The surprise, though, is that there are some very good wines to be found.