2021 Bordeaux En Primeur

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Introduction

Tasting the new vintage in person for the first time since the pandemic was always going to be special but, in many ways, it exceeded my expectations. There’s no denying it was a particularly challenging growing season for the chateaux but despite everything mother nature threw at them, many have come out on top, with wines we will enjoy drinking.

My main takeaway from the tastings is that this is a vintage that appeals most to those of us who prefer their Bordeaux with lower alcohol levels (typically between 12.5 and 13.5 degrees) and refreshingly elegant fruit, rather than the full-throttle blockbuster style.

As ever, release prices will be a significant factor in whether individual wines are worth buying but at the lower end of the price spectrum, there is generally less fluctuation in any case. Drinkers looking for early gratification should find plenty to choose from.

The Growing Season

Following a wet and generally mild winter, April saw an early bud-break. This was to prove untimely, as the second week of April was visited by devastating frosts. These were responsible for significantly reducing potential yields from the outset.

May was cool and damp, impeding the vines progress a little but with the arrival of June and fairer weather, flowering took place in good conditions. As the month went on, there was considerable rainfall and localised damage, caused by hail. This heavy rain was instrumental in vines producing large berries, with high juice to solids ratios.

July was every bit as grey and damp, bringing notable risk of mildew. This was of particular concern to those vineyards that were already most affected by frost and/or hail. Organic vineyards had even less recourse in dealing with the potential for rot. All this served to further reduce already diminished yields.
Veraison was achieved by mid-August. By this time, the weather had improved considerably, and vines were finally able to make up for some lost time. Conditions continued to be dry and sunny, with good diurnal temperature ranges.

Merlot clearly came off worse than Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, both in terms of quality and yield. This is reflected in the proportions to be found in the blends, with increased Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank and increased Cabernet Franc on the Right.

Overall yields for Pessac-Leognan and the Right Bank fared significantly worse than the northern Medoc, whilst Sauternes / Barsac was barely able to produce anything. This is particularly tragic as what little sweet white was produced is excellent. Last and by no means least, the dry whites, particularly those favouring Sauvignon Blanc, are very fine this year.

The last vintage to see as many challenges as this was 2013; a vintage I find very little to recommend. 2021 has produced wines that rank far higher in quality, thanks to the lessons that have been learned and the restraint that has been practiced.
It would be a mistake to dismiss 2021.



"We may have lost the habit of tasting wines with moderate alcohol levels and classic pH en primeur, but anyone who enjoys the great benchmark Bordeaux wines of the 1980s and 1990s should seriously reflect on what the 2021s may have to offer in 10 to 15 years’ time. It’s a style of wine that could come from nowhere else. Indeed, I suspect that the best 2021s are destined to be described as “better than expected” for most of their lives—except that the writing is, in fact, already on the wall. And if the 2021s’ balance is reminiscent of a vintage from yesteryear, the best wines benefit from all the precision of modern winemaking, displaying beautifully refined, polished tannins".
- William Kelley, Wine Advocate