BORDEAUX 2021
Despite fears at the time of a potential disaster of a year, the 2021 Bordeaux vintage has ultimately yielded a number of gorgeous wines that will delight Bordeaux drinkers who appreciate freshness and energy, not to mention the notably moderate alcohol levels
The year that had everything: black frost, hail, abundant rainfall, mildew, uneven fruit set, a cool summer, botrytis, the need for increased labour, protracted harvests and subsequent difficult decisions about blends, oak treatment and length of ageing (some opted for longer, some shorter, with varying percentages of new oak). Yes, 2021 was far from easy, and while growers were happy if they ultimately harvested healthy grapes, or any at all, the agonising production decisions have only recently ended.
The 2021 vintage can loosely be summarised as a happy surprise for those who have made enjoyable wines. During the en primeur tastings in spring 2022, the wines could be characterised as fresh and lively with a return to a more classic Bordeaux construction following several sunny, heat-filled years. The challenging weather conditions meant many wines had less plush fruit and more acidity on show, slightly leaner body with more evident estate and terroir characteristics. It certainly wasn’t, and isn’t, a vintage full of exoticism, exuberance, plushness or substance, but one that has subtle charm, energy, finesse, balance and ultimate drinking pleasure.
HIGHS AND LOWS
After retasting more than 600 wines so far, my verdict remains roughly the same. There are some stunning wines in 2021, many entirely refuting the notion of a weak or overly light vintage. The best show ample strength if not overt weight, with broad and solid structures, well-integrated tannins, vibrancy and freshness. They strike the balance of juiciness, elegance and total drinkability with restrained alcohols and seem to adequately combine old-school cool classicism (think pre-2000s) with modern-day precision and detail.
However, while Bordeaux is arguably at its apex of winemaking – able, as one winemaker put it, to ‘make a great wine in any vintage these days’ – there are no 100-point wines, or even 99s or 98s, though there are some that get close to the latter – I hesitated slightly when assessing them against their estates’ previous and subsequent vintage rendition
