The Future’s Definitely Not What It Was: Bordeaux 2018
BY NEAL MARTIN |
Left Bank: Listrac & Moulis | Margaux | Pauillac | Pessac-Léognan and Graves | Saint-Estèphe | Saint-Julien | Satellites
Right Bank: Pomerol | Saint-Émilion | Sauternes | Satellites
The title of my 2018 en primeur report was “The Future’s Not What It Was,” a nod to personal circumstances and to the way climate change is reshaping the future. Who knew that within a few weeks, a global pandemic would make that title so apposite? And yet, despite the radical change in human lives and the unpredictability of the weather, Mother Nature keeps pushing the pedals of the season cycle. Year after year, like clockwork, vines bud, flower and produce fruit that turns into wine and ultimately lands on my desk for review. This is the first major report where I look back at a vintage born in pre-pandemic times. It’s like peering through a steamed-up window onto the past. So let’s rewind to 2018 BC (before COVID) and reexamine the growing season, when face masks were only worn by wrestlers, bubbles were what made kids laugh, “Zoom” was a guilty pleasure by Fat Larry’s Band and social distancing is what you did when your mother-in-law came round.
The Growing Season
The result of global warming is not simply an increase in average temperatures. It manifests binary growing seasons that, in 2018, witnessed deluges in the first half of the year, followed by continuous sunshine and barely a raindrop in the second. This pattern is being replicated in 2021, the Dordogne having burst its banks after more rain fell through the winter than the region has seen since the 1960s.
In 2018, the persistent rain in the first half of the year led to intense mildew pressure that particularly affected organically farmed and especially biodynamic vineyards; just ask Thomas Duroux at Palmer. The vines were then compensated with a hot, dry summer all the way through to harvest. You might presume that there was nothing to worry about since vineyards had sufficient water reserves to see them through the dry spell until harvest. But it’s not quite that simple. Vines dislike extremes, especially the jolt from very wet to very dry. They have no time to adapt to the new environment. Imagine if you were ordered to drink all the water you wanted from Monday to Thursday, but could not drink anything from Friday to Sunday. Wouldn’t you prefer to drink a little each day?
With plenty of nitrogen in the soils, the vines developed large canopies and, to use Lafleur’s winemaker Omri Ram’s vernacular, could easily become “sugar machines.” This risked divergence between sugar and phenolic ripeness levels and often presented vineyard managers with a dilemma: pick early and avoid high alcohol or pick later and accept it. How chefs de culture tended their vineyards in this warm, dry period, when they decided to pick, and how they treated the concentrated, sugar-rich fruit in the winery all determined individual success or failure in 2018.
Umbrellas up visiting Coutet during primeur that year. Photo copyright Johan Berglund.
How the Wines Were Tasted
With my fortnight tasting in Bordeaux canceled at the last moment, my key was barely in the front door when samples began washing up on my doorstep, no doubt expedited by concerns over impending Brexit. Like last spring, the steady deluge resulted in the largest in-bottle Bordeaux report that I have ever authored, encompassing over 1,000 wines, many of them tasted multiple times. In addition, I was able to decant and assess some of the bottles over 24 and sometimes 48 hours, revealing aspects of wines that would have been impossible to see in a fleeting Bordeaux visit. Though I eschew Zoom conversations that are little more than sales pitches, I have included those that add insight to my review.
General Overview of 2018 Bordeaux
The expanded number of wines in this report afforded me a more representative picture of how Bordeaux performed in 2018. Vintages judged solely by the performance of top estates will inevitably skew average scores upward and color one’s overall impression. True quality is determined by consistency down through the ranks of the hierarchy, which underpins the reputations of, say, 2005 or 2016. Top estates blessed with the deepest pockets have become almost insulated from the ups and downs of growing seasons. A truer litmus test is the performances of châteaux exposed to the caprice of Mother Nature and whose wines are molded by its challenges.
So how about the vintage in question?
Firstly, the overall style of 2018 is that it is concentrated, ripe, and finishes powerfully, with firm tannins and markedly high alcohol levels. The 2018 vintage is bold and brassy. It is not an elegant vintage compared to others and does not possess the subtleties of 2016 and possibly 2019. In essence, the 2018s pack a punch. There are similarities to the 2009 vintage, but with finer tannins and in many places even higher alcohol levels. Indeed, I had forgotten just how high the alcohol levels are on the Right Bank, a majority measuring in excess of 14.5% and numerous examples stating 15.0% on the label but tasting even higher. Basically, the 2018 is going to be ideal for anyone wishing to get drunk or drown their sorrows. Of course I’m being facetious; it is more than that.
The 2018 vintage exaggerates the differences between the haves and the have-nots. Those with great terroirs and those getting by with what they have; those practicing meticulous vineyard husbandry and those who cut corners; those prepared to pick at the optimal moment and those who play safe and pick at the earliest opportunity; those with modern wineries and those with only rudimentary tools at their disposal. These factors wedged a gap in quality, none more than quality of terroir. The dryness of the growing season amplified the differences from one terroir to another and winemakers’ decisions pried them further apart, when doubtless their intention was the opposite. While top châteaux could essentially take the 2018 growing season in their stride, to the point where they had to resist intervention and doing too much, other estates felt compelled to buff up a good wine into a great wine through winemaking techniques. The skill and experience of the winemaker came into play, and this enabled some small châteaux to conjure splendid wines that represent outstanding values, while others made a pig’s ear of it.
In 2018, you do not have to step too far away from the best terroirs to find that quality dropped off faster than you might have hoped. This is not something I relish writing at a time when many estates worry about their future; however, it is the truth.
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The 2018 Bordeaux vintage produced some incredible wines, but is it truly a legendary year? In the largest in-bottle report that I have ever published with over 1,000 wines reviewed, I answer that question and explain the reasons underlying its successes and shortcomings.
Show all the wines (sorted by score)
Producers in this Article
- Adaugusta
- Alcée
- Alverne
- Ampélia
- Andron
- Angélus
- Angludet
- Arnauld
- Ausone
- Badette
- Balac
- Balestard La Tonnelle
- Barbe Blanche
- Barde-Haut
- Barrabaque
- Barrail Marzelle Figeac
- Barrail Saint-André
- Barreyres
- Bastor-Lamontagne
- Batailley
- Beaulieu
- Beaumont
- Beauregard
- Beau Rivage de By
- Beauséjour
- Beau-Séjour Bécot
- Beau-Site
- Beauvillage
- Béchereau
- Bel Air Gloria
- Bélair-Monange
- Belgrave
- Bélingard
- Belle Coline
- Bellefont-Belcier
- Bellegrave
- Bellegrave du Poujeau
- Bellerive
- Belles Graves
- Belle-Vue
- Bellevue de Tayac
- Bellevue (Saint-Émilion)
- Berliquet
- Bernadotte
- Bernard Magrez
- Bernateau
- Bernon Bécot
- Bertineau Saint-Vincent
- Beychevelle
- Beynat
- Bibian
- Biston-Brillette
- Blaignan
- Bois Mondot
- Bolaire
- Bonalgue
- Bonnet
- Bouqueyran
- Bourdieu
- Bourgneuf
- Bournac
- Bouscaut
- Boutillon
- Branaire-Ducru
- Branas Grand Poujeaux
- Brane-Cantenac
- Briand
- Brillette
- Brondelle
- Broustet
- Brown
- Cadet-Bon
- Calicem
- Calon Ségur
- Cambon La Pelouse
- Campillot
- Canon
- Canon-Chaigneau
- Canon La Gaffelière
- Canon Montségur
- Cantegril
- Cantelys
- Cantemerle
- Cantenac Brown
- Capbern
- Cap de Faugères
- Cap de Moulin
- Capdet
- Cap Léon Veyrin
- Cap St. George
- Carbonnieux
- Carcanieux
- Caroline
- Caronne Ste Gemme
- Carteau Côtes Daugay
- Castel La Rose
- Castéra
- Certan de May
- Chantegrive
- Chantemerle
- Charmail
- Charmant
- Chasse-Spleen
- Château Beauséjour JDL
- Château Margaux
- Chauvin
- Chemin Royal
- Cheval Blanc
- Cissac
- Citran
- Clarisse
- Clarke
- Clément-Pichon
- Clément Saint-Jean
- Clerc-Milon
- Clinet
- Clos 56
- Clos Badon
- Clos Bertineau
- Clos Cantenac
- Clos de Boüard
- Clos de la Cure
- Clos de la Vieille Église
- Clos de l'Oratoire
- Clos des Abbesses
- Clos de Sarpe
- Clos des Jacobins
- Clos des Lunes
- Clos des Prince
- Clos Dubreuil
- Clos du Clocher
- Clos du Marquis
- Clos du Roy
- Clos Floridène
- Clos Fourtet
- Clos Haut-Peyraguey
- Clos Junet
- Clos La Madeleine
- Clos L'Eglise
- Clos Manou
- Clos Margalaine
- Clos Marsalette
- Clos René
- Clos Romanile
- Clos Saint-Julien
- Clos Saint-Martin
- Clos Vieux Taillefer
- Confidence de Margaux
- Corbin
- Corbin Michotte
- Corconnac
- Cos d'Estournel
- Cos Labory
- Côte de Baleau
- Côte Montpezat
- Coudert
- Coufran
- Couhins-Lurton
- Courlat
- Coutelin-Merville
- Coutet
- Couvent des Jacobins
- Crabitey
- Croix de Beaucaillou
- Croix de Haut-Bernat
- Croix de Labrie
- Croix des Rouzes
- Croix du Trale
- Croix-Mouton
- Croizet-Bages
- d'Agassac
- d'Aiguilhe
- d'Aiguilhe Querre
- Dalem
- Dame de Boüard
- d'Arce
- d'Arcins
- d'Arcole
- d'Argan
- d'Armailhac
- d'Arsac
- Dassault
- d'Aurilhac
- Dauzac
- de Bel-Air
- de Bensse
- de Birot
- de Brague
- de Braude
- de Camensac
- de Carles
- de Cartujac
- de Cassana
- de Cérons
- de Chambrun
- de Côme
- de Fargues
- de Ferrand
- de Fieuzal
- de Fonbel
- de France
- de Francs
- de Gironville
- de La Cour d'Argent
- de La Croix
- de la Huste
- de La Ligne
- de Lamarque
- de l'Anglais
- De la Pierre Levée
- de La Rivière
- de Laussac
- de Lussac
- De Malengin
- de Malleret
- De Marsan
- de Millery
- de Montaigne
- de Myrat
- de Panigon
- de Pez
- de Portets
- de Pressac
- de Rochemorin
- De Roquebrune
- de Saint-Pey
- de Sales
- d'Escurac
- des Laurets
- Desmirail
- Destieux
- des Tourelles
- de Tabuteau
- de Taste
- de Tourteyron
- de Valois
- de Viaud
- de Villegeorge
- Devise d’Ardilley
- Deyrem Valentin
- d'Hanteillan
- d'Issan
- Doisy-Daëne
- Doisy-Védrines
- Domaine Comte de Malte Roquefort
- Domaine de Cambes
- Domaine de Chevalier
- Domaine de Compostelle
- Domaine de Gachet
- Domaine de L'A
- Domaine de la Grave
- Domaine de la Solitude
- Domaine de L'Eglise
- Domaine de Saint Amand
- Domaine des Gourdins
- Domaine Les Sadons
- Dorleac
- Doyac
- du Bernat
- Dubois-Grimon
- du Cartillon
- Ducluzeau
- du Cros
- Ducru-Beaucaillou
- du Gazin
- du Glana
- du Moulin Rouge
- du Paradis
- Du Payre
- du Périer
- du Petit Puch
- Durand-Laplagne
- du Retout
- du Taillan
- du Tertre
- Dutruch Grand Poujeaux
- Enclos de Viaud
- Enclos Tourmaline
- Escot
- Faizeau
- Faurie de Souchard
- Fayat
- Ferran
- Ferrande
- Feytit-Clinet
- Figeac
- Filhot
- Finegrave
- Fleur Cardinale
- Fleur Haut Gaussens
- Fombrauge
- Fonbadet
- Fonplégade
- Fonréaud
- Fonroque
- Fontenil
- Fontesteau
- Fontis
- Fougas "Maldoror"
- Fourcas-Borie
- Fourcas Dupré
- Fourcas Hosten
- Franc Bigaroux
- Franc La Rose
- Franc Lartigue
- Franc-Maillet
- Franc-Mayne
- Franc Pipeau
- Francs Magnus
- Gabriel Lauzat
- Gazin
- Gémeillan
- George 7
- Gigault
- Girolate
- Giscours
- Gloria
- Goudichaud
- Gouprie
- Gracia
- Grand Corbin
- Grand Corbin Despagne
- Grand Corbin Manuel
- Grand Destieu
- Grand Français
- Grand Mayne
- Grand Ormeau
- Grand-Pontet
- Grand Puy Castéra
- Grand-Puy Ducasse
- Grand-Puy-Lacoste
- Grand Tayac
- Grand Village (Lafleur)
- Granges d’Or
- Grangey
- Grangey Le Cerisier
- Greysac
- Grivière
- Gruaud Larose
- Guibot
- Guinaudeau Vignerons
- Guionne
- Guitignan
- Haura
- Haut-Bacalan
- Haut-Bages-Monpelou
- Haut-Bailly
- Haut Barrail
- Haut-Beauséjour
- Haut-Bellevue
- Haut-Bergeron
- Haut-Bergey
- Haut Bertinerie
- Haut Beyzac
- Haut-Breton Larigaudière
- Haut-Brion
- Haut-Brisson
- Haut-Cadet
- Haut-Chaigneau
- Haut-Lagrange
- Haut-Logat
- Haut-Madrac
- Haut-Maillet
- Haut-Marbuzet
- Haut-Maurac
- Haut-Sarpe
- Haut-Simard
- Haut-Surget
- Haut Veyrac
- Hervé-Laroque
- Hosanna
- Hubert de Boüard
- JCP Maltus
- JCP Maltus - Laforge
- JCP Maltus - Le Carré
- JCP Maltus - Le Dôme
- JCP Maltus - Les Astéries
- JCP Maltus - Pontet Labrie
- JCP Maltus - Teyssier
- JCP Maltus - Vieux Château Mazerat
- Jean de Gué
- Jeandeman
- Jean Faure
- Jean Voisin
- Joanin Bécot
- Jura Plaisance
- Kirwan
- Labadie
- La Bastienne
- Labat
- Labégorce
- La Bertrande
- La Bessane
- Laborde
- La Brande
- La Branne
- La Bridane
- La Cabanne
- La Cardonne
- La Chandellière
- La Chénade
- La Clare
- La Clémence
- La Clotte
- Lacombe Noaillac
- La Commanderie
- La Confession
- La Conseillante
- La Courolle
- La Couronne
- La Couspaude
- La Création
- La Croix de Casse
- La Croix de Gay
- La Croix de Pez
- La Croix de Roche
- La Croix St. Georges
- La Croizille
- La Dauphine
- Ladignac
- La Dominique
- La Fagnouse
- Lafaurie-Peyraguey
- Lafite Monteil
- Lafite-Rothschild
- Lafitte
- Lafitte-Carcasset
- Lafleur
- La Fleur
- La Fleur Chantecaille
- La Fleur d'Arthus
- La Fleur de Boüard
- Lafleur-Gazin
- La Fleur la Mothe
- La Fleur-Pétrus
- La Fleur Saint Georges
- La Fon du Berger
- Lafon-Rochet
- La Fortune
- La France Delhomme
- La Freynelle
- La Gaffelière
- La Galiane
- La Garde
- La Garricq
- La Gorce
- La Grande Clotte
- Lagrange (Pomerol)
- La Grangère
- Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
- La Grave
- La Grave Figeac
- La Haye
- Lajarre
- La Lagune
- Lalaudey
- La Lauzette
- La Louvière
- Lamarche Canon
- La Marzelle
- L’Ambroisie
- La Mission Haut-Brion
- La Mondotte
- Lamothe-Bergeron
- Lamothe-Cissac
- Lamothe-Vincent
- La Mouline
- Landat
- Lanessan
- Langoa-Barton
- Laniote Saint-Émilion
- La Papeterie
- La Patache
- La Perrière
- La Picherie
- Laplagnotte-Bellevue
- La Pointe
- La Prade
- La Rame
- L’Archange
- Larcis Ducasse
- La Renaissance
- La Révérence
- L'Argenteyre
- La Ribaud
- Larmande
- Laroque
- La Roque de By
- La Rose Garnier
- Larose Perganson
- La Rose Perrière
- Larose Trintaudon
- Laroze
- Larrivaux
- Larrivet Haut-Brion
- Lascombes
- La Sergue
- La Serre
- Lassègue
- La Tonnelle
- Latour à Pomerol
- La Tour Blanche
- La Tour Carnet
- La Tour de Bessan
- La Tour de By
- La Tour de Mons
- La Tour du Pin Figeac
- La Tour Figeac
- Latour Jacquet
- Latour-Martillac
- Laujac
- Laurence
- La Valière
- La Vieille Cure
- La Violette
- La Voûte
- Layauga-Duboscq
- Le Bon Pasteur
- Le Boscq
- Le Bourdieu
- Le Caillou
- Le Chatelet
- Le Chemin
- Le Clos du Breil
- Le Coteau
- Le Crock
- Lécuyer
- L’Eden
- Le Doyenné
- Le Gay
- L'Eglise-Clinet
- Le Monteil d'Arsac
- Le Moulin
- L’Envie
- Le O de Saïkouk
- Léoville Barton
- Léoville Las Cases
- Léoville-Poyferré
- Le Pape
- Le Pey
- Le Pin
- Le Prieuré
- Le Rey
- L’Ermitage
- Leroy-Beauval
- Les Anguilleys
- Les Carmes Haut-Brion
- Les Champs Libres
- Les Charmes-Godard
- Les Combes
- Les Cruzelles
- Les Grandes Murailles
- Les Grands Chênes
- Les Gravières
- Les Gravilles
- Les Hauts-Conseillants
- Les Lattes
- Les Moines
- Lesparre
- Lespault-Martillac
- Lestage
- Lestage-Darquier
- Lestage Simon
- Les Tresquots
- Les Trois Croix
- Les Trois Manoirs
- Lestruelle
- Le Temple
- Le Thil Comte Clary
- L'Évangile
- Leydet-Valentin
- L'Hermitage Lescours
- L'If
- Lilian Ladouys
- Linot
- Liot
- Liouner
- Liversan
- Loirac
- L’Or des Terres
- Loudenne
- Lousteauneuf
- Lynch-Bages
- Lynch-Moussas
- Lynsolence
- Madran
- Magnol
- Magrez-Fombrauge
- Maillet
- Maine-Chaigneau
- Maison Blanche
- Maison Wessman
- Malartic-Lagravière
- Malescasse
- Malescot St. Exupéry
- Mangot
- Marjosse
- Marojallia
- Marquis d'Alesme
- Marquis de Mons
- Marquis de Terme
- Martin
- Martinet
- Maucaillou
- Maucamps
- Maurac
- Mauvesin Barton
- Mauvinon
- Mayne du Cros
- Mayne Lalande
- Mazeyres
- Méaume
- Méric
- Messile-Aubert
- Meyney
- Meyre
- Milens
- Monbousquet
- Monbrison
- Moncèdre
- Moncets
- Mondou
- Mongiron
- Mongravey
- Monlot
- Monregard La Croix
- Montaiguillon
- Montlandrie
- Montlisse
- Mont-Pérat
- Montrose
- Montviel
- Moulin à Vent
- Moulin de Blanchon
- Moulin de Canhaut
- Moulin de l’Abbaye
- Moulin du Cadet
- Moulin-Galhaud
- Moulin Haut-Laroque
- Moulin Riche
- Moulin Saint-Georges
- Mouton-Rothschild
- Muret
- Myon de l’Enclos
- Naujan Despagne
- Nénin
- Noaillac
- Nouret
- Olivier
- Ormes de Pez
- Pabus
- Palais Cardinal
- Palatin
- Palmer
- Paloumey
- Pape Clément
- Pas de L'Ane
- Patache d'Aux
- Patris Querre
- Pauillac par Pascale Peyronie
- Paveil de Luze
- Pavie
- Pavie-Macquin
- Péby Faugères
- Pédesclaux
- Penin
- Petit Bocq
- Petit Gravet Aîné
- Petit-Village
- Petrus
- Pey de Pont
- Pey La Tour
- Peymouton
- Peyrabon
- Peyrat-Fourthon
- Peyredon Lagravette
- Phélan Ségur
- Pibran
- Pichon Baron
- Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
- Pierhem
- Pierre 1er (formerly La Croix Figeac)
- Pierre de Montignac
- Pilet
- Pindefleurs
- Pique Caillou
- Plagnac
- Plain-Point
- Plantey
- Plantier Rose
- Plince
- Plincette
- Poesia
- Poitevin
- Pontet Barrail
- Pontey
- Pontoise Cabarrus
- Porte Chic
- Potensac
- Pouget
- Poujeaux
- Preuillac
- Prieuré de Beyzac
- Prieuré-Lichine
- Prieuré Marquet
- Prieuré Sainte-Anne
- Puy Castéra
- Puygueraud
- Puy-Redon
- Queryron Pindefleurs
- Quinault L'Enclos
- Quintus
- Rahoul
- Ramafort
- Ramage La Batisse
- Rauzan Gassies
- Rauzan-Ségla
- Raymond-Lafon
- Rayne-Vigneau
- Réaut
- Reignac
- Renon
- Reverdi
- Reynon
- Reysson
- Ricaudet
- Richelieu
- Rieussec
- Ripeau
- Roc de Calon
- Roc de Cambes
- Rocher Gardat
- Rocheyron
- Rolland-Maillet
- Rol Valentin
- Roquegrave
- Roquevieille
- Rose Sainte-Croix
- Roudier
- Rouget
- Rouillac
- Rousseau de Sipian
- Roylland
- Saint Ahon
- Saint-Aubin
- Saintayme
- Saint Bonnet
- Saint-Christoly
- Saint-Christophe
- Sainte-Barbe
- Saint-Georges (Côte Pavie)
- Saint-Hilaire
- Saint-Marie Vieilles Vignes
- Saint-Nicolas
- Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien)
- Saint-Robert Poncet-Deville
- Sansonnet
- Saransot-Dupré
- Senilhac
- Séraphine
- Sergant
- Siaurac
- Sigalas-Rabaud
- Simard
- Siran
- Smith Haut Lafitte
- Sociando-Mallet
- Soutard
- Soutard-Cadet
- St. Georges
- St. Jean de Lavaud
- Suau
- Suduiraut
- Taillefer
- Talbot
- Tauzinat L'Hermitage
- Tayac
- Tertre-Rôteboeuf
- Tessendey
- Thénac
- Toulouse-Lautrec
- Tour Baladoz
- Tour Bayard
- Tour de Bessan
- Tour de Marbuzet
- Tour de Pez
- Tour des Termes
- Tour du Haut Moulin
- Tour du Roch-Milon
- Tour Maillet
- Tournefeuille
- Tour Prignac
- Tour Saint Christophe
- Tour Saint-Fort
- Tour Séran
- Tour Sieujean
- Tour St. Bonnet
- Tour St. Joseph
- Tourteau Chollet
- Tourteran
- Trapaud
- Trianon
- Trimoulet
- Tronquoy-Lalande
- Troplong Mondot
- Trotanoy
- Trotte Vieille
- Troussas
- Valandraud
- Vernous
- Veyry
- Vieille Dynastie
- Vieux Château Certan
- Vieux Château des Rochers
- Vieux Château Landon
- Vieux Château Palon
- Vieux Château Saint-André
- Vieux Landat
- Vieux Maillet
- Vieux Moulin
- Vieux Robin
- Villa Carmin
- Villambis
- Villars
- Villemaurine
- Virginie Thunevin
- Vray Croix de Gay
- Xans
- Yon-Figeac
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- Cellar Favorite: 1945 Troplong Mondot (Nov 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1924 Gruaud Larose (Oct 2024)
- The Misunderstood Margaux: Marquis de Terme 1947-2021 (Oct 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1985 Cheval Blanc (Sep 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1961 & 2012 Mouton-Rothschild (Aug 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1928-1998 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Aug 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1949 and 1959 Pape Clément (Aug 2024)
- Memories Elide: Vieux Château Certan 1923-2020 (Jul 2024)
- The Minnow: Sigalas Rabaud 1975-2019 (Jul 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1971 Latour & 1971 Les Forts de Latour (Jul 2024)
- Rockeries in Living Rooms: 1988 vs. 1989 Bordeaux (Jul 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1949 Pontet-Canet (Jun 2024)
- Desert Island Dinner: 1961 Pomerol in Excelsis (Jun 2024)
- A Century of…Fours (Jun 2024)
- The Bordeaux Soundtrack: Icons at Legacy Records (May 2024)
- Bordeaux at the Crossroads: 2023 En Primeur (April 2024)
- The Dalmatian Vintage: Bordeaux 2023 (Apr 2024)
- Past Becomes Now: Lafite-Rothschild 1874-1982 (Apr 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1993 Domaine de Chevalier (Apr 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1990 Latour à Pomerol (Apr 2024)
- An Exploration of Time: Gruaud Larose 1831-2018 (Mar 2024)
- Test of Endurance: Bordeaux 2014 Ten Years On (Mar 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1948 Coufran (Mar 2024)
- 2021 Bordeaux: L’Enfant Terrible (Feb 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1973 La Fleur-Pétrus (Feb 2024)
- 2+2=5: Bordeaux 2021 In Bottle (Feb 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2024 New Releases (Feb 2024)
- Come On Aline: Château Coutet 1943-2017 (Feb 2024)
- Survive Us All: Latour 1858-2018 (Feb 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 1981 & 1992 Le Pin (Jan 2024)
- Cellar Favorite: 2010 Château Canon (Jan 2024)
2023
- The Quiet One: 1962 Burgundy & Bordeaux (Dec 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1899, 1947 & 1970 Yquem (Dec 2023)
- Written in the Stars: Bordeaux 1865-2020 (Dec 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1890, 1990, 2005 & 2015 Branaire-Ducru (Nov 2023)
- Poetic License: Siran 1920-1929 (Oct 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1981 Petrus (Oct 2023)
- Margaux Focus 3: Château Margaux (Sep 2023)
- Margaux Focus 2: Château Palmer (Aug 2023)
- Margaux Focus 1: Château Durfort-Vivens (Aug 2023)
- A Century of Bordeaux: The Threes (Aug 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1865 Giscours (Aug 2023)
- Passing the Baton: Lynch-Bages 1945-2018 (Jul 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1989 Doisy-Védrines (Jul 2023)
- Going Back to My Roots: Putting Liber Pater In Context (Jun 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 2020 Château d’Yquem (Jun 2023)
- Moving On: Lafon-Rochet 1955-2017 (Jun 2023)
- You’re Unbelievable: Bordeaux 2022 (May 2023)
- 2022 Bordeaux En Primeur: Balance Imbalance (May 2023)
- Book Excerpt: The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide 1870-2020 (Apr 2023)
- Lower Your Sails (Or Breeches): Beychevelle 1929-2019 (Mar 2023)
- Not Classed, but Classy: Haut-Bergeron 1961-2019 (Mar 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2023 Releases (Mar 2023)
- Bordeaux 2019: The Southwold Tasting (Feb 2023)
- Bordeaux 2020: Saving the Best for Last (Feb 2023)
- Thrice Is Nice: Bordeaux 2020 in Bottle (Feb 2023)
- Cellar Favorite: 1986 Pape Clément (Feb 2023)
- Cleaning Out the Cupboard: Bordeaux 1943-2020 (Jan 2023)
2022
- Cellar Favorite: 1943 Petrus (Nov 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1928-2011 Lascombes (Oct 2022)
- Bending Rules: Les Carmes Haut-Brion 1955-2019 (Oct 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1964 La Tour Figeac (Oct 2022)
- Dive In: Cantenac Brown 1978-2018 (Oct 2022)
- Looking Back: 2007 Sauternes (Oct 2022)
- A Century of Bordeaux: The Twos (Sep 2022)
- Léoville-Poyferré 1936-2018 (Sep 2022)
- Memories Tumble Out: Pichon Baron 1937-1990 (Aug 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1940 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Aug 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1920 Clarets (Aug 2022)
- Magic and Madness: Climens 1912-2020 (Aug 2022)
- Bring Out Your “Dead”: Pichon-Lalande 1957-2013 (Aug 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: Lune d’Or 2012-2020 (Aug 2022)
- Where the Heart Is: Ducru-Beaucaillou 1934-2018 (Jul 2022)
- Bols Blue to Bordeaux: Barde-Haut, Clos l’Église & Poesia (Jun 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1978 Pavie (Jun 2022)
- Fronsac Royalty: Château de La Dauphine 2001-2018 (Jun 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1946 Figeac (May 2022)
- Enticingly Fallible: Bordeaux 2021 En Primeur (May 2022)
- 2021 Bordeaux En Primeur: Back to Classicism (May 2022)
- This Is Not Just Another Winery: Haut-Bailly 1964-2018 (Apr 2022)
- Unrivalled/ Unequalled: Yquem 1921–2019 (Apr 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1966 & 1990 Clinet (Apr 2022)
- The Comedown: Bordeaux 2011 Ten-Years-On (Apr 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1921 Siran (Apr 2022)
- The Wines That Shaped My Life (Mar 2022)
- Pages in the Photo Album: Vieux Château Certan 1928-2013 (Mar 2022)
- Château Latour: 2022 New Releases - Neal Martin (Mar 2022)
- The Judgement of Clapham Junction (Mar 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1986 Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Feb 2022)
- 2019 Bordeaux from Bottle: The Two Towers (Feb 2022)
- Branas Grand Poujeaux 2002-2019 (Feb 2022)
- Omne Trium Perfectum: Bordeaux 2019s in Bottle (Feb 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1967 Climens (Feb 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2022 New Releases (Jan 2022)
- Pierre, Denis & Jean-Jacques: Doisy-Daëne & L’Extravagance 1942-2013 (Jan 2022)
- Cellar Favorite: 1952 Latour (Réserve des Proprietaires) (Jan 2022)
2021
- A Janus with Soul: Figeac 1943–2016 (Dec 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1984 Château Margaux (Dec 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1995 Haut-Brion (Nov 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1949 Malartic-Lagravière (Nov 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: Domaines Delon: Recent Cellar Releases (Oct 2021)
- Stand and Deliver: 2001 Sauternes (Sep 2021)
- Looking Backward/Looking Forward: 2000 vs 2001 Bordeaux (Sep 2021)
- Mission Complete: La Mission Haut-Brion 1928–2011 (Sep 2021)
- Left Bank on the Right: Jean Faure 2007–2018 (Sep 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 2001 Léoville Las-Cases (Aug 2021)
- So Chic, So Listrac: Fourcas Hosten (Jul 2021)
- Two + Two = Trouble (Jul 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 2003 Larrivaux (Jul 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1996 Lynch-Moussas (Jun 2021)
- 2020 Bordeaux En Primeur: Almost Back to Normal (Jun 2021)
- Vingt-Vingt Vins: Bordeaux 2020 (May 2021)
- His Father’s Son: Grand Mayne 1955-2011 (May 2021)
- 2005 Bordeaux: Here and Now (Apr 2021)
- Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black (Mar 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: The Fives at Château d’Issan (Mar 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2021 New Releases (Mar 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1928 Calon-Ségur (Feb 2021)
- Choose Wisely: Château Sérilhan 2008–2017 (Jan 2021)
- Cellar Favorite: 1967 Château d’Yquem Sauternes Premier Grand Cru (Jan 2021)
2020
- Lagrange 1959-2015 (Dec 2020)
- Saturday Morning: Larcis Ducasse 1945-2017 (Oct 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 1919 Montrose (Sep 2020)
- 2018 Château d'Yquem (Sep 2020)
- Southwold: 2016 Bordeaux Blind (Aug 2020)
- The Most and Least Important of Things: Petrus 1897–2011 (Jul 2020)
- Delivering Where It Counts: Meyney 1971–2017 (Jul 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 2010 Haut-Bailly (Jun 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 2011 Le Pin (Jun 2020)
- 2019 Bordeaux: A Long, Strange Trip (Jun, 2020)
- Uncertain Smile: Bordeaux 2019 (Jun 2020)
- Château Siran 1918-2008 (Jun 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 1947 Château Trotanoy (Jun 2020)
- Hopes and Dreams: Canon Chaigneau 1998-2019 (May 2020)
- Six Decades of Pavie-Macquin: 1928-2018 (May 2020)
- Remember, Remember: 1945 Bordeaux (May 2020)
- No Relation: Clos Saint-Martin 1964-2017 (Apr 2020)
- Squares & Circles: Bordeaux ‘10 At Ten (Apr 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 2012 Château Latour (Apr 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 1931 d’Yquem (Mar 2020)
- In Good Taste: Branaire-Ducru 1928-2013 (Mar 2020)
- 2017 Bordeaux – Mirror, Mirror on The Wall… (Mar 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 1949 Château Figeac (Feb 2020)
- Vintage Seeks Home: Bordeaux 2017 In Bottle (Jan 2020)
- Cellar Favorite: 1924 Château Filhot (Jan 2020)
2019
- Cellar Favorite: 1939 & 1950 Cheval Blanc (Dec 2019)
- Cellar Journal: Bordeaux 1920-2015 (Dec 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1970 La Tour Haut-Brion (Nov 2019)
- The Future’s Not What It Was: Bordeaux 2018 (Nov 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1990 Château Latour (Nov 2019)
- A Century - Not Out: Talbot 1919-2010 (Oct 2019)
- Remembering Jean-Bernard Delmas (Oct 2019)
- The Cat’s Whiskers: Bordeaux 1961 (Oct 2019)
- The Other Side of Bordeaux (Sep 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1947 Carbonnieux Blanc (Sep 2019)
- A Century of Bordeaux: The Nines (Sep 2019)
- Songs Full of Light - Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1906-2018 (Aug 2019)
- Two Imaginary Boys: Pichon-Lalande (Aug 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1904 & 1948 Langoa-Barton (Aug 2019)
- Vinous Table: TentaziOni, Bordeaux, France (Jul 2019)
- Precious Clay: L’Eglise-Clinet 1929–2015 (Jul 2019)
- "G" Acte 1 to 8 (Jul 2019)
- Finally: Bordeaux 2015 In Bottle (Jul 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1970 Gallais Bellevue (Jun 2019)
- Finding Filhot: Filhot 1935-2015 (May 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1934 Cheval Blanc (May 2019)
- Bordeaux 2018: Back in Black (Apr 2019)
- The Margaux Paragon: Rauzan-Ségla 1900-2015 (Apr 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: 2019 New Releases (Apr 2019)
- An Education: La Dominique 1989-2015 (Apr 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1988 Ausone (Apr 2019)
- Setting Sail - Malartic-Lagravière 1916 - 2013 (Apr 2019)
- What Nectar!! Suduiraut 1899-2015 (March 2019)
- A Test Of Greatness: 2009 Bordeaux Ten Years On (March 2019)
- Outsider Looking In: Sociando-Mallet 1982-2015 (March 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 1869, 1879 & 1893 d’Yquem (March 2019)
- Cellar Favorites: 1953 & 1975 l’Angélus (Feb 2019)
- Looking The Part: Pichon-Baron 1953 – 2015 (Jan 2019)
- The DBs: Bordeaux 2016 In Bottle (Jan 2019)
- Cellar Favorite: 2005 Larcis Ducasse (Jan 2019)
- 2016 Bordeaux…It’s All In The Bottle (Jan 2019)
- Long Distance Runner: Brane-Cantenac 1924-2015 (Jan 2019)
- Cellar Favorites: Coutet Cuvée Madame (Jan 2019)
2018
- Cellar Favorites: 1945, 1966 & 1982 Gruaud Larose (Dec 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1970 Château de Fieuzal Rouge (Dec 2018)
- Enigma Variations: Lafleur 1955-2015 (Nov 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1956 Château Léoville Barton (Oct 2018)
- Where Value Lies: First Look At 2016 Bordeaux (Oct 2018)
- Fairest of Them All: Cos d’Estournel 1928 – 2015 (Oct 2018)
- Sharing Alike: Petrus 1947 - 2015 (Sep 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1906 Château d’Arche Crème de Tête (Aug 2018)
- Aiming High: Haut-Condissas 1997–2015 (Aug 2018)
- The Marital Margaux: d’Issan 1945-2015 (Jul 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1900 Château Margaux Deuxième Vin (Jul 2018)
- Cellar Journal – Bordeaux to Start… (Jul 2018)
- Looking Back To Go Forward: Lafite-Rothschild 1868 – 2015 (Jul 2018)
- In Excelsis: Château Latour 1887 – 2010 (Jul 2018)
- Cellar Favorites: Laville Haut-Brion (Jul 2018)
- Bordeaux In Excelsis (Jun 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1955 Château Latour (Jun 2018)
- Last Man Standing: Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre (May 2018)
- A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018)
- Purple Reign: La Conseillante 1966-2015 (May 2018)
- 2017 Bordeaux: The Heart of the Matter (May 2018)
- 2017 Bordeaux : Au cœur de l'affaire (May 2018)
- The F-Word: Bordeaux Left Bank 2017 (May 2018)
- The F-Word: Bordeaux Right Bank 2017 (May 2018)
- The F-Word: Bordeaux 2017 (May 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1947 Cos d’Estournel (Apr 2018)
- Mother & Child: La Lagune 1962 – 2015 (Apr 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 2006 Tertre Rôteboeuf (Apr 2018)
- A Beautiful Stay: Beau-Séjour Bécot 1970-2015 (Apr 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1973 Pétrus (Apr 2018)
- Vinous Table: TentaziOni, Bordeaux, France (Apr 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: Château Latour: Latest Releases (Apr 2018)
- Bordeaux 2014: The Southwold Tasting (Mar 2018)
- Here We Go Again: Value Bordeaux 2015 (Mar 2018)
- Long and Winding Road: Ausone 1912–1999 (Mar 2018)
- Cellar Favorite: 1990 Troplong Mondot (Mar 2018)
- 2015 Bordeaux: Every Bottle Tells a Story... (Feb 2018)
- The Magician’s Fool: 1950s Bordeaux (Feb 2018)
- Juxtapose With You: Pétrus, Lafleur & Le Pin (Feb 2018)
- 2008 Bordeaux: A Day In A Life (Feb 2018)
2017
- Remembering Bob Wilmers (Dec 2017)
- Cellar Favorite: 2000 Smith Haut Lafitte (Dec 2017)
- Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival 2017 (Nov 2017)
- Remembering Patrick Maroteaux (Nov 2017)
- Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1921-2016 (Oct 2017)
- Cellar Favorites: Château Latour – 2017 Library Releases (May 2017)
- Cellar Favorite: 1983 Château Gruaud-Larose (May 2017)
- Cellar Favorite: 1986 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (May 2017)
- 2016 Bordeaux: It’s Now or Never, Baby (Apr 2017)
- 2016 Bordeaux: 30 Top Values (Apr 2017)
- Larcis Ducasse Retrospective: 1945-2014 (Mar 2017)
- 2014 Bordeaux: A September Surprise (Feb 2017)
2016
2015
- 2005 Bordeaux with Tanzer & Galloni (Nov 2015)
- Cellar Favorite: 1982 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (May 2015)
- Cellar Favorite: 1982 Château Margaux (May 2015)
- 2014 Bordeaux – Les Découvertes: Under the Radar Gems and Sleepers (May 2015)
- 2014 Bordeaux – Vintage Highlights (May 2015)
- 2014 Bordeaux: It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over (Apr 2015)
- Le Miracle de Haut-Brion (Dec 2014)
2014
- Cristal and Icons from Piedmont & Bordeaux (Oct 2014)
- 2011 Bordeaux from the Bottle (Jul 2014)
- Bordeaux 2013: Definitely Not the Vintage of the Century (May 2014)
- 2013 Bordeaux: Walking the Tightrope (Apr 2014)
- Vinous Table: L’Univerre, Bordeaux (Apr 2014)
- Vertical Tasting of Chateau Branaire-Ducru (Mar 2014)
- Vertical Tasting of Chateau Pavie Macquin (Mar 2014)
2013
2012
- 2011 Bordeaux: Dry Whites (Aug 2012)
- 2011 Bordeaux: Sauternes (Aug 2012)
- The 2009 Clarets (Jul 2012)
- The Bordeaux Effect (Jun 2012)
- 1982 Bordeaux at Age 30 (May 2012)
- Bordeaux 2011: Tales of Tannins and Terroir (May 2012)
- Vertical Tasting of Château Trotanoy (Mar 2012)
- Vertical Tasting of Château Magdelaine (Mar 2012)
- Vertical Tasting of Chateau Giscours (Jan 2012)
- Vertical Tasting of Chateau Lynch-Bages (Jan 2012)
- Vertical Tasting of Chateau du Tertre (Jan 2012)
2011
2010
2002