ViniData World Wine Producer Database

 

Vintage Chart for Bordeaux Right Bank

2018 ** "Complicated" is the word most often used to describe 2018. Spring and early summer were rainy, and there were problems with mildew. Then there was very hot, dry weather until October. Barrel samples give impression of dense black fruits with strong but supple tannins, and often are surprisingly approachable. The best wines are concentrated, with chocolaty tannins, but some may not have enough acidity for longevity.
2017 * A difficult vintage with rather small production (only a little more than half of 2016), due to frost early in the season, but quality is quite good, with wines a little on the lighter side, making this a good vintage for restaurant wines. The best results were in St. Estèphe, Pauillac, and St. Julien; the worst damage was in St. Emilion and Pomerol. It's one of the most heterogeneous recent vintages.
2016 *** St. Emilion shows richness at the level of the Premier Grand Cru Classés, but the wines show restraint rather than the almost overwhelming sense of richness of some earlier vintages. That restraint shows as unusual elegance at the level of the Grand Cru Classés. Pomerol does not seem as opulent as usual, but shows a finer, more elegant style in this vintage. The warmth of Merlot is still evident, but the best wines show a real grip and potential for longevity. The gap between Pomerol and St. Emilion seems less than usual. This is a vintage in both St. Emilion and Pomerol with finesse that should appeal to lovers of Left Bank wines.
2015 ** An attractive vintage, more restrained than usual on the right bank, with very nice wines for the mid term. St. Emilion tends to elegance, Pomerol is more structured than usual.
2014 * Not a great vintage, but better than the preceding three years. A cool summer was followed by the longest Indian summer on record, with perfect sunny conditions into October. High acidity, good tannins, high but not excessive alcohol, gave elegance rather than power.
2013   Cool Spring made for a very slow start to season with uneven flowering, leading to late harvest at the start of October. Acidity is high, fruits are light and more often in the red spectrum; these are wines to enjoy young before the fruits fade. Just over half the usual size, this was the smallest harvest since 1991.
2012 * "Lovely restaurant wine" is the phrase that appears most often in my tasting notes of this vintage. It's generally described as a Merlot year. St. Emilion is relatively soft, but Pomerol is more structured than usual.
2011   Saved from disaster by fine conditions in September, but uneven. On the right bank, St. Emilion tends to cover up the problems with an edge of apparent sweetness, but the wines won't last; Pomerol is more even, but superficial. Not a very generous vintage, drink before it goes flat.
2010 *** The vintage is as ripe as 2009, but acidity and tannins are higher, giving a more classic impression. The conventional description is that this is more classic and will be longer lived, but I am not so certain the fruits will outlive the tannins and acidity into really old age. On both left and right banks the wines tend to elegance rather than power.
2009 *** Reputed to be so rich as to break tradition, but in fact showing surprising freshness on release. Ripe, round, and attractive already: very possibly longer lived than general commentary would suggest, but probably not destined to be a very old vintage in classic tradition.
2008   Rain at the beginning and end of the season was the problem this year. There's variation from dilute impressions to more classic wines, but these are wines for the short term.

For older vintages see Bordeaux Right Bank or Vintages

 

Producer Database   Vintage Charts      Blog   Guides   Contact   About   index