Bordeaux 2010 Vintage Report - April 2011 `China's Year?`
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The 2010 vintage is remarkable; it has freshness, structure and fruit in abundance, alcohol too. Comparisons range from 1950, 1959, to 2005 “with more fruit”, with the odd allusion to 1928 & 1929.
The Chinese were certainly everywhere, Chinese drivers employing familiar Chinese driving techniques to make the best time from St Julien to St Estèphe. In the days before the Primeurs week, the pretty Asian girls at the reception desk at Cos were completely stumped by the word “bonjour” and “good afternoon” fared no better; by the end of the following week they would have had more language practice.
As one of our European “Asian” customers told us; “The Chinese will be here while there’s money to be made. If they find that there isn’t they'll quickly move on somewhere else.”
There is very little stock in bottle left in Bordeaux, as huge amounts have been sold recently. Confidence at the chateaux is high, due to the level of recent sales and to the evident quality of 2010. Those expecting many price reductions may well be disappointed, although by no means everyone in Bordeaux has been sharing in the sales bonanza.
Quantities are down but we have been working ever since the last Primeur campaign to sell older wines into new markets for our producers so we may find that this will have had a positive effect on our allocations of 2010.
Also evident throughout the tastings was the quality of the often overlooked 2008. Every bottle tasted with our suppliers had great vitality, presence, and drinkability and we have been buying more wherever possible. Having written this, we have learnt that a great wine guru has just downgraded the vintage. One of us has it wrong.
From our list of producers, 2010 does seem more successful than 2009, such is the beguiling freshness coupled with structure that are the characteristics of this vintage.
Rabaud Promis 2010 has a fruit and dazzling acidity which make it stand out from any of the thirty vintages we have known at this chateau.
Henri Lurton’s Brane Cantenac is one of the chateau’s great successes.
Vieux Certan has made a wine of astounding distinction, with vitality, freshness and structure.
Gruaud Larose 2010 could be said to be First Growth standard.
Léoville Poyferré is really voluptuous.
Grand Puy Lacoste has great style and breeding, seconded by a highly successful Haut Batailley which will be a certain contender for a “best buy” this vintage.
Montrose has a quality of tannin rarely seen.
Haut Brion is monumental. Margaux has a finesse of tannin that is probably unprecedented.
Haut Bailly has concentrated silky fruit; Domaine de Chevalier a tightly packed fine grained tannic structure rarely if ever seen before at this estate
Pavie Macquin has a minerality which would make a Languedoc Roussillon producer proud, and Berliquet has a silky finesse that promises great drinking pleasure.
It is always said that exceptional years are exceptional at all levels. Because of this, we will be offering a few outstanding wines this year that are not obvious Primeur buying candidates.
Labadie is remarkable, after its extremely successful 2009, which sold so well, as are Deyrem Valentin, Puygueraud and Bellegrave, and it is very encouraging to see the progress at Chateau Biac, where each year surpasses its predecessor, both Chateau Biac and Secret, the Cadillac produced at the property.
We cannot stress sufficiently the importance of customers wishing to take part in the campaign registering their interest by buying early on, as this will draw them to our attention, thus minimising the chances of them being overlooked once things have hotted up, should this indeed happen.
Mark Walford
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