The 2017 Bordeaux vintage will be remembered for the damaging late spring frost, however it will not be the sole factor that determines potential. Why did some châteaux produce outstanding wines when others were less successful? Why were some reduced to bystanders? Tasting multiple times from barrel, gaining insight into the samples directly from winemakers and scraping away the euphemism and hyperbole that is part and parcel of en primeur, I ask in my 20th campaign whether 2017 ranks amongst the true greats, where buyers might look and where caution is advised.
