2013 Bordeaux: Walking the Tightrope

St Estephe    Pauillac    Margaux    St. Julien    Pessac-Leognan    Sauternes

Pomerol    St. Emilion    Left Bank Satellite Appellations    Right Bank Satellite Appellations

The 2013 vintage will be remembered as one of the most challenging Bordeaux has ever seen, but quality-minded properties found a way to make delicious wines with plenty of near-term appeal.

Much has been said and written about Bordeaux’s 2013 harvest. Unfortunately, we live in such a fast-paced, hype-driven world that vintages are immediately claimed to be either the ‘greatest ever’ or some variant of a disaster, which is a shame, as most harvests are, by definition, closer to average. That is exactly what 2013 is. An average vintage with a handful or two of outstanding wines that deserve serious attention. For an overview of the vintage, readers might enjoy this short video.

I spent two weeks in Bordeaux surveying the 2013s in numerous château visits and larger comparative tastings. As a wine critic, enjoy the challenge of vintages like 2013, because it is in these kinds of years that professional advice has its greatest value. The epic vintages are easy. All of the wines are terrific, some are just better than others. That is far from the case in 2013, a vintage in which careful analysis and multiple tastings are key. It was very much a similar story with the 2012 red Burgundies, the 2011 Napa Valley Cabernets and the 2009 Barolos. Ultimately, the great terroirs and best winemakers have a way of coming through, even in the most challenging of years. I take a look at some of the standouts in this short video.

Cabernet Sauvignon at Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan. Note the extreme rockiness of these soils.

The 2013 reds are mid-weight wines with modest depth. A handful of wines exhibit a bit more concentration, resonance and personality, but even the best are lighter in body than they are in most years. The fruit is bright and distinctly high-toned, with plenty of red cherry, cranberry and rhubarb nuances punctuated by lively acidity. At times, I thought I was tasting Burgundy, such was the translucence and transparency of some wines. In sum, the 2013s are fruity, medium in body and built for near-term pleasure.  

Within this context, there are a few wines that are exceptional. So much has changed in Bordeaux over the last 30 years; namely a much more focused approach to vineyard management and yields, more thorough sorting, increased cleanliness in cellars, smaller fermentation tanks that allow for a more parcel-driven approach to farming and winemaking, with the goal of focusing on smaller lots, and an increase in the number of second and third wines. All of that means that châteaus can and are much more selective with the fruit that makes its way into the Grand Vin.

To be sure, interest for this vintage appears to be quite low. I saw hotels and restaurants both with availability during the two weeks I spent in Bordeaux, a time I expected to see quite a bit more movement. The wineries I visited during en primeur week all had notably fewer visitors than they were set up for.

This is the first comprehensive Bordeaux article to appear in Vinous as we kick off our coverage of the region. Bordeaux has been one of my favorite appellations for years. I have long been attracted to Bordeaux for its timeless classicism and the ability of the best wines to age for decades. I wrote my first article on Bordeaux for my high school French class, which I am sad to say, was many years ago! I have been planning to add Bordeaux to my coverage for quite some time. This report, and those that will follow, are the result of that preparation.