2018 BORDEAUX: WHITE KNUCKLES & BLACK TEETH
BY MATTHEW HEMMING MW Vinum is thrilled to release our 2018 Bordeaux En Primeur report written by Master of Wine, Matthew Hemming. Simply put, the entire team is incredibly excited for what looks to be a superb vintage and another fantastic campaign. For any further questions or feedback, please do reach us at enprimeur@vinumfinewines.com Cheers, The Vinum Team
THE YEAR IN THE VINEYARDS For those whose living is made outside of wine production, the European summer of 2018 lives in memory as long, glorious, hot and sunny. It was the sort of summer in which even the UK feels Mediterranean and in which we instinctively know that great wine will be made. Tasting in Bordeaux during the first week of April, the Vinum team experienced first-hand the deep colours, rich fruit, velvet tannins and deep-pile textures we have come to expect of wines from such a benevolent season. Scratch the surface, however, ask a few questions, and it becomes apparent that 2018 was far from an easy ride. Mother nature took the vignerons of Bordeaux on a white knuckle rollercoaster of a year and the great wines of the vintage – and there are more than a few – that stained our teeth and put smiles on our faces, were bought at a high cost of yield, labour and sleepless nights by those unlucky enough to fall afoul of 2018’s weather. For readers short of the time to read the full report, my headline message is this: 2018 has produced some extraordinary red Bordeaux that you’re going to want to have in the cellar but it was not an easy vintage, and careful sorting during the en primeur tastings is as essential for wine merchants as the work at the sorting table, prior to vinification, was for winemakers. The bittersweet story of 2018 is captured perfectly at Chateau Palmer where the stunning Grand Vin – 95-97pts from me – gives Margaux itself a run for its money yet was eked from yields of just 11hl/ha, and the ravages of mildew mean that not a single bottle of Alter Ego has been produced.
In macro terms, following the devastating frosts of 2017, 2018 marks a return to the 10 year average production volumes in Bordeaux, combining both quality and quantity. Winter brought plenty of rain, replenishing water reserves in the soils and setting vineyards in good stead for the summer that was to follow. Damp and humid conditions in spring introduced the threat of mildew. Warm days coincided with downpours around the early flowering period and necessitated regular vineyard treatments to combat infection. Those enjoying long weekends during France’s notorious May public holidays risked missing crucial spraying windows, and those practicing organic or biodynamic viticulture were worst hit of all – Pontet Canet, unable to employ chemical sprays, lost 66% of their crop. Aside from a couple of localised hail storms, the growing season rolled into harvest during almost 3 months of hot, dry weather. This drought period introduced water stress into the mix, concentrating fruit and thickening skins but, thanks to the winter rains, 2018 is no repeat of 2003, despite record-breaking temperatures as France experienced the hottest summer since 1947. Harvest dates were all over the place and it is interesting to note that Lynch Bages, rich in ‘late ripening’ Cabernet Sauvignon, completed their harvest before Vieux Chateau Certan had finished picking their so-called ‘early ripening’ varieties!
Dormant vines at Lafleur
Straight from the barrel!
THE WINE IN THE GLASS (OR BARREL) The wines of 2018 Bordeaux, particularly the reds, defy generalisations, with adjacent vineyard plots responding very differently to the loops and dips of mother nature’s rollercoaster depending on myriad factors. Rather than sharing a particular stylistic signature, the best reds of 2018 seem to be defined by balance – as trite a statement as that might sound. • The long, dry summer produced small berries with thick skins and small quantities of highly concentrated juice. This combination adds up to tannin, and lots of it, so careful tannin management and delicate extraction in the winery was crucial. • High temperatures and the late harvest – the Thienponts of Le Pin completed harvest at L’Hetre in October – meant that 2018 fruit dropped acidity and the wines frequently have high pH values. Winemakers had to work hard to lock in the freshness that is at the heart of classic Bordeaux • Alcohol levels could easily soar in 2018 but, after the experiences of 2009 and ’10, Bordeaux winemakers are well equipped to walk this particular tightrope. Several otherwise ‘classic’ wines hit 14.5% but few are top heavy or warm on the palate.
The best reds of 2018 share the deep, imperial purple colour of classic young Bordeaux. The aromatics can vary from the fragrance and perfume of the brilliant Les Carmes Haut Brion, to the crisp red berries and floral notes of Belair Monange and the darker-toned fruit of Pichon Baron, but they frequently feature a succulence and freshness of fruit. The structure of the vintage imposes itself in different ways following the style of different chateaux – Latour 2018 is a Pauillac of huge density and muscular, authoritative tannin whilst the likes of Rauzan Segla are fine-spun and have a filigree texture. Again, the vintage resists being pigeon-holed and demands close sorting and investigation.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNES Beginning close to the city, as we did with our 8.30am tasting at Haut Brion on Monday morning, Pessac Leognan saw a reversal in fortunes after frost wrought its damage the previous year. The usual suspects have made some gorgeous
Tasting the unmistakable Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion
2018s culminating in a driving and focused La Mission that, for me, just shades its 1st growth sibling. Domaine de Chevalier is, once again, a great value play that exemplifies understated class and promises a long and rewarding life in the cellar. Chateau les Carmes Haut Brion continues to march to the beat of its own drum - using Burgundian techniques and a blend dominated by Cabernet Franc – and is crafting one of the most distinctive and stylish wines in all Bordeaux. Vinum are going to continue to buy as much Carmes as we can find. Margaux is famously heterogenous and home to wines of diverse styles. At Malescot Saint Exupery you’ll find a convincing rendition of contemporary Margaux; quite a dense, cassis-led wine that is surprisingly delicate on the mid-palate and has a fine, silky texture. Classicists will be happier with the lithe and fragrant Chateau d’Issan. 2018 Rauzan Segla continues the Chanel-owned property’s run of outstanding form with a sophisticated and fine-spun Margaux I rated 94-96pts. At the top of the appellation is a stand-off between the tiny production Chateau Palmer and the luxurious, velvety Chateau Margaux. Following and comparing the two over many years is going to be far more rewarding – and easier! – than picking between these two 2018s. Saint Julien is home to a multitude of high quality Cru Classes and the average bar of quality in 2018 is set high here. For wine lovers who have passed over Chateau Talbot in recent years, the work being done by Jean-Michel Laporte, formerly of Pomerol’s La Conseillante, is well worth attention - the 2018 bursts with brambly red fruit and has a core of real energy and liveliness. Chateau Gloria is mid-weight and classical and we hope it will present drinkers with its usual excellent value. Whilst
the super second growths Ducru and the Leovilles (Barton, Poyferre and Las Cases) are sure to grab the headlines, and critics’ scores, Gruaud Larose has made a stylish and elegant 2018 of great purity and harmony. Pauillac’s 1st growths are worthy standard bearers for the vintage: Mouton providing a masterclass in Cabernet Sauvignon purity and spice, Latour demonstrating imposing structure and power and Lafite showing great harmony and scent on the soaring finish. 2018 is an impressive vintage for Duhart Milon, which has a great sense of symmetry and poise, and the early-picked Lynch Bages (see above) shows wonderful elegance and finesse in year that had the potential for excessive weight. The two Pichons are evenly matched, with Baron possessing its definitive Pauillac character and Lalande having an intriguing, umami-laced personality and notes of nori seaweed wrapper. At the latter, Reserve de la Comtesse is very close to classed growth quality and should be a brilliant early drinker. It is always fascinating to compare the top three crus of Saint Estephe, especially as each has undergone significant change in recent years. Chatau Calon Segur continues its evolution towards a more Cabernet-dominated wine and the 2018 is light on its feet, combining freshness and drive with an intensely savoury, mineral, core. Montrose expresses the
more powerful aspects of the vintage – recalling Latour, it is a brooding, concentrated wine that will need a long time in the cellar. The changes at Cos d’Estournel – from the extraction, alcohol and sheer mass of a few years ago – are marked. The new winery seems to have unlocked a door to a new precision and sense of delicacy at Cos. The 2018 saw just 50% new oak and features finely-sculpted fruit woven through with a bright thread of acidity and very fine tannins – I loved Cos 2018 and rated it 94-96pts.
ACROSS THE RIVER
, the varied terroirs of Saint Emilion produced a diverse crop of wines that particularly favoured those with a large proportion of Cabernet Franc that was able to achieve full maturity during the extended ripening season. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in a glorious Cheval Blanc that is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Both Chateaux Figeac and Canon continue with their recent run of form, the former with its classic aromas of spice and mint sitting atop a very fine-boned structure and the latter extremely pure, silky and mineral. Canon’s new sibling property, Chateau Berliquet, is fast becoming a name to watch as the team start to explore the great potential of this vineyard. After the challenges of 2017’s frost, it was great to taste impressive wines from Pavie Macquin, Beausejour Becot and, in particular, our friend Mathieu Cuvelier at Clos Fourtet. As ever, certain Saint Emilions verge too far towards the ‘bodybuilder’ style of pumped-up Merlot, and the perfect antidote to these can be found in the wines of J-P Moueix, into whose hands 2018 played perfectly. The vintage’s potential for richness and density was beautifully tempered by the Moueix trademarks of freshness and perfume, giving delicious wines up and down the range. A Belair Monange of pixelated red fruit and complex minerality tops the range, whilst Puy Blanquet over-delivers on crisp and juicy Saint Emilion fruit for earlier drinking. Remaining with the wines of Christian and Edouard Moueix, their Pomerol range provided thrilling interpretations of 2018. The modest Chateau Lagrange has great texture and floral notes, Plince is heady with truffle aromas and the range culminates in a diamond-etched and mineral La Fleur Petrus and an astonishing Trotanoy (97-99pts) that I would put alongside any wine from the vintage. Petrus has already been awarded a perfect 100/100 by James Suckling and delivers an absolutely seamless texture and multi-layered complexity. Still pinching ourselves from the Petrus experience, we visited Jacques Thienpont to taste a Le Pin of opulence, volume and sandy minerality (from the Merlot) that contrasts with the more floral, Cabernet Franc influenced style of Vieux Chateau Certan – both equally seductive. The Grand Vin at Lafleur completes Pomerol’s triumvirate and is a wine-of-the-vintage contender. There is also a new wine from the Guinaudeau family that debuts in 2018: keep your eyes peeled for Les Perrieres de Lafleur, from Fronsac. Pomerol is awash with icons of fine wine, in 2018 Chateau Gazin is a dark horse that will be too easily over-looked. It is, however, a surprisingly elegant and harmonious Pomerol with a lovely mineral edge that is well worth considering.
Tasting Petrus – breath taking as always
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL As Bordeaux winemakers clung on for dear life through the twists and turns of 2018, their knuckles turned white; as we tasted through several hundred samples at the beginning of April, our teeth turned black and our palates became coated with tannin. At the end of the day, though, as corks are pulled, both winemaker and taster can share a smile over the quality of the best 2018s. The ride may not have been easy, but this is a unique and rewarding vintage that has produced a number of remarkable wines. Perhaps less classical than 2016, and less extreme than either 2009 or 2010, navigating the pits and troughs of Bordeaux 2018 is no easy task. The Vinum team have tasted several hundred 2018s and will continue to repeat this exercise over the coming weeks, months and years. We will be offering the new vintage en primeur as the wines are released, focusing on those we judge to be the best examples of 2018 and advising clients which are best suited to their individual requirements and cellars. As ever, talking about fine wine is far more fun than reading – or writing! – about it, so please get in touch: we’d love to discuss the wines and the vintage, answer your specific questions and help you benefit from our sorting of the complicated yet fascinating 2018s.
Matthew Hemming MW
