I'm making a bold statement: 2019 is the greatest Bordeaux vintage ever, surpassing even the epic 2016 vintage....

[JimHow]

So I'm sipping on a 2019 Chateau La Lagune right now on a Friday night after a long week in court....
Now I'm not even sure whether I'm going to give this 2019 the nod over the 2020 La Lagune, it could go either way.
They are both great wines.
I haven't tasted a ton of 2019s, but I've tasted enough by now to start to form some opinions.
From what I can tell, the 2019 Bordeaux vintage is nothing short of SPECTACULAR.
Now I know, what was it, the tasters at the Farr(?) tasting, who last year said that 2019 was "the best vintage ever."
And I think most of us were like, hmm, ok, "best ever"?
The 2019s I have tasted have been "light on their feet," which to me is always one of the highest compliments you can give to a Bordeaux.
To me it personifies that dance, that balance between structure and elegance.
I'm just seeing that here in this 2019 La Lagune, which is richly purple colored, aromatic, ever so Haut Medoc in every way.
I guess the fly in the ointment is the 14.5% alcohol, which may be what proves us all wrong in the end, but like the Farr(?) tasters, I'm just not seeing how it intrudes in any way, at least at this point.
It's a tough call. 2016, 2019, for me it could go either way.
2019 seems to offer just a bit more flair than the stoic 2016s.
But yet, the stoic nature of the 2016 vintage is what so appeals to me.
if there are two words that describe 2016 Bordeaux to me it is SUBSTANCE and DEPTH.
If there are two words that describe 2019 Bordeaux to me it is SUBSTANCE and PERSONALITY.
The pricing on the 2019s, released post Covid, seems very favorable. Get as much 2019 into your cellar as you can, I say.
It's a tough call.... 2016, 2019, they are both epic vintages in my book.

[Nicklasss]

Good question Jim.

Surely 2 great vintages. Which one will get the edge? Let's see in 25 years...

I'm not totally charmed by the 2019 yet, but they are 3 years younger... i had not deception yet, with 2016... but small sample up to now.

[Comte Flaneur]

The only thing I am confident on is that these recent infusion (rather than extraction) vintages like 2016, 19 and 20 will easily surpass the vintages that we obsess on here, vintages like 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1996 etc, lovely as they are - but also the maximum Parker extracted vintages like 2005 and 2010. But they are still all about potential for now.

[DavidG]

I agree with your characterizations Jim and put my money on 2016 and 2019, having bought more of those two vintages than any in the past decade. I just hope I’m around long enough to see them blossom. That’s a comment about my age and preference to drink Bordeaux at 20-30+ years, not about the wines.

The 2019s in particular were a bargain. COVID and the Trump tariffs depressed futures prices, enticing me to make my first futures purchases since the early 2000s.

Ian, what is an “infusion” vintage?

[Nicklasss]

Ian, what is an “infusion” vintage?

Probably a British expression for gentle extraction like in tea... but longer infusion than tea to have some concentration.

I prefer an "infusion" vintage than a "transfusion" vintage : bleed the grape a maximum to make more wine?

[Comte Flaneur]

My analogy would be ‘dangling the teabag’ rather than ‘wringing the tea towel’

[marcs]

What about 2020? Not as much of a bargain on release as the 2019 but critics seemed to like it just as much.

[JimHow]

I certainly enjoyed that 2020 La Lagune, it was an eye opener.
A no brainer purchase for me at $44 at Saratoga Wine Exchange.

[PghMike]

Such a perfect time for me to get into Bordeaux. Piled on about 12 cases worth of futures across quite a few labels. Mostly 3 or 6 bottles. The reduced prices and all the cashback tricks really made for some absurd pricing. Only regret is that I didn't dive into the first growths.

Will have to try a few more soon and report.