Review of 2021 vintage in Bordeaux

[greatbxfreak]

Here's my take on 2021 vintage with over 300 tasting notes. It's a very honest review, unbiased and not sponsored by anyone. It's very long but I hope the forum will enjoy reading it!

https://www.greatbordeauxwines.com/vint ... rom-barrel

[Musigny 151]

I think you nailed the pricing problem. Even at opening prices for 2019, it as a hard sell, but at these close to 2020 levels, there is absolutely no reason to buy. Interestingly, probably a vintage to my taste, but the economics make no sense for me or any other consumer. The negociants are being screwed (but they made a lot of money from the underpriced 2019s, right?)

Great notes, and a lot of work. Looks like there is general agreement that this is a second to third tier vintage. I think it’s ironic that yesterday I paid $250 for VCC 2005, a great vintage for them, for the same per bottle price that I paid for my only 2021 purchase, half bottles of VCC.

[greatbxfreak]

Thanks for a kind post Musigny 151!

I can't imagine how happy English tasters are for the low alcohol in 2021!

I've seen many TNs from millions of wine critics and I will especially praise Jeff Leve's The Wine Cellar Insider for a great job. I agree almost 100% with him.

I opted not to buy a single bottle of 2021, but will probably change my mind a buy max. 6 bottles in all, including Trotanoy, Beausejour Duffau, Carmes Haut Brion, Calon Segur and Ch. Margaux. I'm started my 76th year of age and with over 700 bottles in my wine cellar, it's not necessary anymore to buy a lot of bottles.

[JimHow]

Gee whiz, “reminiscent of 2014,” “a return to the winemaking if the 80s and 90s,” that sounds pretty good to me!

[DavidG]

Great report Izak. Enjoyable read.

Comparisons to 2001, 2002, and 2014? Sounds like 2021 could be a Jim How kind of vintage! Except for the prices…

[Dionysus]

Really enjoyed reading your take on 2021 Izak, a great body of work.
I was expecting more critical TNs and scores for some reason, but the analysis is very fair and balanced.

Definitely a vintage I think I would enjoy, and will buy at some point in the future, just not now. Calon and LCHB are the two jumping out early doors.
And possibly LLC as well, although I note not one you tasted.

[greatbxfreak]

Conor,

Thanks for your feedback.

I think I've been pretty critical.

I received a couple of days ago a rather strange message from a winemaker on Right Bank complaining that I only wrote two lines about the wine.

I don't normally write 20-30 lines of a poem when it is primeur, but it all depends if I got talked to the owner/technical director or just tasted the wine in question alone.

Some chateau owners in Bx seem to forget that my website isn't sponsored by anyone and that I pay for my flights and stays at the hotel(s).

Calon Segur 2021 is a fabulous wine.

[Claudius2]

Izak
Thanks for the comprehensive information.
Seems like 2021 is a good vintage though not a great one.
My 2019 en primeur purchases arrive Friday which is problematic as I have to sort out the two storage units which Is a pain with spinal problems. Good enough reason to not budge with 2021.
Cheers
Mark

[Comte Flaneur]

I haven’t bought any and I don’t think I will in this campaign.

Although I agree with Jim there is so much to like about this vintage from the descriptors - classical, low alcohol etc - it is a vintage that will inevitably suffer from what came before it - in this case a triumvirate of outstanding/trophy vintages - and the nominal rigidity of pricing, i.e., the inability of the Bordelais to cut and set prices at a market clearing level. So this will inevitably, like 2011 and 2017, be a ‘Cinderella’ vintage; but the silver lining may be that some of these wines might be discounted in the future, which weakens even further the case for buying now.

QED
CFdB

[Claudius2]

Ian
Some of the retailers here have been plugging discounted 2017s with comments such as “2017 has turned out better than expected.. “ or “a standout from this under-appreciated vintage..”. Yeah whatever. Prices are still too high relative to 2019 or other good recent vintages. Somehow this is pretty common in not just Bordeaux but many regions. Expect price increases every vintage irrespective of relative quality and quantity.

Not sure if this happens in the UK but both here and in Australia retailers are forced to sell every vintage on the basis that they may not get much of an allocation when the next vintage is in demand.

I suppose 2017s may turn up on UK and other European wine lists - maybe as luncheon clarets?

Cheers
Mark

[Ianjaig]

Has anyone pulled the trigger on any 2021s? I've received quite a few emails in the last few days from retailers trying to entice me to buy up as the EP campaign comes to a close. Not sure if they have reduced the pricing but they did look a bit more attractive than earlier? But I'm still hesitant to buy much from this campaign...

[Claudius2]

Izak
Many thanks for the notes.
I think that your general comments on the vintage concur with most reasoned reports.
The retailers and importers here have in some cases given 2021 a complete miss, having bought up big for most of the last several vintages.
I can buy 2019 and 2020 for reasonable prices here thus I cannot see any real point of buying 2021.

Despite a few challenges the producers seem to have made wines that you often liked. Few of the wines received low scores and negative comments. I am pretty sure that modern technology in an asset now and not a hindrance. I say that as some still see wine as some product that it made in the vineyard or by some magical powers in the terroir.

I did say I'm not buying any more en primeur stock though I liked the 2020's so much I busted and bought several wines from both banks.
I think that 2014 to 2020 produced several outstanding vintages and only one marginal lesser vintage which wasn't really that bad after all (2017). It is rare that I've seen some many good to great vintages clustered together like that.

Any idea what 2023 will be like??

cheers
Mark

[Claudius2]

Izak
Many thanks for the notes.
I think that your general comments on the vintage concur with most reasoned reports.
The retailers and importers here have in some cases given 2021 a complete miss, having bought up big for most of the last several vintages.
I can buy 2019 and 2020 for reasonable prices here thus I cannot see any real point of buying 2021.

Despite a few challenges the producers seem to have made wines that you often liked. Few of the wines received low scores and negative comments. I am pretty sure that modern technology in an asset now and not a hindrance. I say that as some still see wine as some product that it made in the vineyard or by some magical powers in the terroir.

I did say I'm not buying any more en primeur stock though I liked the 2020's so much I busted and bought several wines from both banks.
I think that 2014 to 2020 produced several outstanding vintages and only one marginal lesser vintage which wasn't really that bad after all (2017). It is rare that I've seen some many good to great vintages clustered together like that.

Any idea what 2023 will be like??

cheers
Mark