Bordeaux 2022 EP

What worries me specifically are the 14.5 to 15.5% wines. Are they an improvement? Are the jammier and blurrier fruit profiles improvements? Are the increased total dry extract profiles an improvement in all cases? I really struggle to believe that they are having drunk copious quantities of the 11 to 12.5% versions of claret. I can certainly see that they are different.

And let's not forget the power of the Bordeaux PR machine - they have to sell what they have in the cellar, so don't look for any doubts about the above.
 
Richard Zambuni said:
What worries me specifically are the 14.5 to 15.5% wines. Are they an improvement? Are the jammier and blurrier fruit profiles improvements? Are the increased total dry extract profiles an improvement in all cases? I really struggle to believe that they are having drunk copious quantities of the 11 to 12.5% versions of claret. I can certainly see that they are different.

And let's not forget the power of the Bordeaux PR machine - they have to sell what they have in the cellar, so don't look for any doubts about the above.
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Surely they have control? The Bordelais don't have to make the wines this way. IIRC, some of the great (and warm) vintages of the post war produced wines closer to 12% abv. 1982 Mouton and Lafite - for example - are a shade over 12% abv. 1990 Latour is 12.5%.
 
Ben Coffman said:
Surely they have control? The Bordelais don't have to make the wines this way. IIRC, some of the great (and warm) vintages of the post war produced wines closer to 12% abv. 1982 Mouton and Lafite - for example - are a shade over 12% abv. 1990 Latour is 12.5%.
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Exactly Ben. That is why I am sceptical about 'the end of history' thesis about Bordeaux over the last twenty years.
 
Richard Zambuni said:
I'm still not entirely convinced that some of the hot vintage wines will be universally great drinking at 20 years old. They might possibly be 'correct' oenologically, but I may well not enjoy them. I have some doubt about certain 2009s and 2010s and I suspect some 2018s will be hard going at maturity.

Average vintages are definitely improved over the last twenty years.
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Many of the great vintages of the 20th century were also very hot, maybe not in the way of some 21st vintages, but they presented a major challenge given the technology available at the time.

For me climate is almost secondary to stylistic choices. Wines are made to be more approachable and not requiring 16 decades to soften and become approachable. Perhaps the wines are better for enjoying in the medium term?
 
In the end, progress can only be approaching the ultimate potential of the product of a given growing season.
Knowledge, capital and actions play a role
In the end, progress has mostly been approaching this potential taking into account the tastes of the day.
Climate change does affect ultimate potential.
 
Antoine Singer said:
In the end, progress can only be approaching the ultimate potential of the product of a given growing season.
Knowledge, capital and actions play a role
In the end, progress has mostly been approaching this potential taking into account the tastes of the day.
Climate change does affect ultimate potential.
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Has progress **really** been approaching potential? I think not, hindsight allows us to find plenty of mistakes in older vintages (over-extracted, underripe, over-oaked) and not all of that is down to climate.
 
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In an email about tasting 2022's whilst trying to sell another vintage, the merchant references the estate as being "just down the road from Margaux" - surely we are hitting a new low in sales fluff
 
Adam Bruntlett said:
I would say that viticulture has improved at least as much as winemaking in the past 20 years, particularly with regard to addressing hot and dry vintages.

Edit - this is a general point re. France rather than Bordeaux-specific.
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Yup definitely. I don't think it will end up like 2003 as that seemed such a shock to the vignerons. And post 1997 I can't think of a poor vintage just different styles of wines that are made. Even in 2011 or 2013 the wines are ok if not really very good. I guess pick your style and/or range of styles and buy accordingly.
 
We know you’re just trying to stop yourself from filling yer boots.
Gareth Germain said:
A very nice PR piece :p
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James Redford said:
Almost as though he typed "good" and then right clicked to look at….
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I’m in the clear as there’s nothing I hate more than freshness and luminosity. Then combine that with mid-palate density, delineation layered structure and terroir expression. Urgh!
 
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