Grape & Grain | Bordeaux’s 2016 vintages will delight lovers of great Burgundy
Consistency at every price point – the newly released vintages show excellent structure, high levels of juiciness and ripeness that isn’t overdone. Here are our picks to look out for
Extra staff were drafted in across tasting rooms in Bordeaux in early April, as close to 5,500 buyers, tasters and journalists descended for the big unveiling of the 2016 vintage. Numbers were 20 per cent up on the year before, with the highest numbers of overseas tasters (at least in terms of registrations before the week began) coming from mainland China.
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They have been rewarded with a vintage that has seen successes across the board in the red wines. In many ways, this is a Bordeaux vintage for lovers of great Burgundy. It has depth and intensity but also a floral, fragrant edge. It is also a vintage where individual terroir had a big impact because the growing season was, to say the least, unusual.
First came the wet early season (62 per cent more rain than usual) and then the exceptionally dry summer (62 per cent less rain than normal, and 16 per cent more sun). Put that together with a relaxed picking season where the sun kept on shining and you have clear differences in the wines according to soil types, age of vines and chateau character.
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So, what facts can we take away? These are not massive fruit bombs or architectural beasts; rather, they are carefully structured, extremely juicy and ripe without being overdone. The 2015 vintage had more upfront glamour and sexiness in many cases, particularly on the Right Bank and Margaux, so think about your own preference in style, not just what you are told by merchants and journalists. But where 2016 wins is in consistency; the more I tasted the more impressed I was by the sheer quality on offer at different price levels.
Saint-Estèphe
A big success in 2016 because the higher levels of limestone and clay in the soils in the northern Médoc withstood the drought better than some gravels. “At the start of harvest we thought it was a good vintage,” says Basile Tesseron at Lafon-Rochet. “By the end, we knew it was historic.”
Wines to watch: Lafon-Rochet, Calon Ségur, Cos d’Estournel, Ormes de Pez. Great cru Bourgeois year for the appellation, also, so it’s worth stocking up on the value wines.