Bordeaux is incredibly varied – with hugely different styles of wine produced across its appellations. Here, we run through everything you really need to know about each of the main subregions – and the best estates in each  

Explore Bordeaux, subregions, their wines and top estates – in Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Pomerol, Saint-Emilion 

Your guide to Bordeaux’s subregions, wines and top producers

Your guide to Bordeaux’s subregions   

Overall, the 2024 crop was Bordeaux’s smallest since 1991 – with the region producing 332 million litres of wine. This is in part due to declining vineyard area, with the yield averaging 35hl/ha – slightly higher than that of the 2021, 2017 or 2013 vintages. Diving further into this, however, reveals a significant difference between the Left and Right Banks – with 34.4hl/ha in Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac, versus 30.8hl/ha on average in the Médoc and Graves. It's a year where it is hard to generalise, even within each commune, for neighbouring estates produced drastically different results in the vintage. As David Suire of Ch. Laroque explained, there were such varying approaches to the year’s challenges, something that is echoed in the wines produced. RIGHT BANK This year, once again, the Right Bank offered more consistency than the Left. Although it was still heterogenous, the smaller size of estates lent itself to success – making it easier to treat and harvest in the narrow windows of dry weather. Wherever you were, however, it was a challenging year: as Christian Moueix said, “You cannot replace the sun.” Beyond the more overcast weather, hail hit Fronsac, Canon-Fronsac and Lalande-de-Pomerol in June, with some estates losing their entire crop, although Pomerol and Saint-Emilion largely escaped.  Pomerol For Noëmie Durantou (Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet), 2024 was a tough opponent – but one she knew they could win against, and looking back at it, what a game it was: as her wines certainly indicate. For her, there were several key elements to the growing season: the cloud cover that reduced diurnal variation (she recalls warm, sleepless nights), the late véraison, foggy mornings that increased botrytis pressure in the run-up to harvest, and the year’s humidity level – 80% in Pomerol, versus a more normal 50-60%. The hail that struck Lalande-de-Pomerol in June strayed a little into Pomerol, but most estates escaped any serious impact – with just a touch felt at Lafleur at Feytit-Clinet, for example. Treating the vines posed an additional challenge for the team at Clinet, who have to take into account the timetable of the neighbouring school, working around the presence of children and/or parents, on top of inclement conditions. Harvest began in Pomerol slightly earlier than in neighbouring Saint-Emilion, kicking off from as early as 16th September, but most starting to bring their Merlot in from 20th of the month, and the Cabernet finished by 4th October (although some producers had everything in the winery by the end of September). Yields varied significantly – from the second-smallest harvest since 1991 at Belle-Brise to the second-largest crop in the last 25 years at Lafleur.  Jeremy Chasseuil (Feytit-Clinet) emphasised how, for him, leaving the wine on lees for two months was key – helping to build texture, releasing polysaccharides that lend weight to the wine’s mid-palate. While 2024 did not produce the most opulent styles of Pomerol, the best retain a plush texture and exoticism to the aromatics that complements the naturally high acidity of the year. Although quality isn’t entirely consistent here, there are many highlights. Our favourites in Pomerol: Belle-Brise, Eglise-Clinet, Guillot Clauzel, La Conseillante, Lafleur, Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan Saint-Emilion There was a notable difference between Pomerol and Saint-Emilion – with Saint-Emilion seeing significantly more rain in April to June, with 278mm versus 199mm in Pomerol. Despite that, the region’s limestone plateau came into its own – allowing the water to drain away from the vines, despite hitting record levels (at Ausone, the level in their well was the highest-ever). August, however, was significantly drier on the Right Bank – with around half the normal rainfall.  Harvest started a little later here. Although some started as early as 17th September (Cheval Blanc, Canon, for example), most waited until 27th, and with several estates holding off until early October. Despite the year’s challenges (“It was a war,” said Cheval Blanc’s Pierre-Olivier Clouet), the yield across the appellation worked out as fairly average – although varied between estates. At Angélus, it was Hubert de Boüard de Laforest’s 40th vintage, and the bottle bears a cut-through of a tree-trunk with 40 rings as a tribute. At Ch. Beauséjour, it was the first vintage to be made in Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse’s new winery, something for which she was particularly appreciative, allowing her to divide the vineyard into smaller parcels and work with greater precision. Saint-Emilion is so large that there is inevitably a broad range of wines this year. Although there are some that can be overly tart, austere or astringent, there are some very impressive, textured, layered wines that retain tension yet also offer plentiful fruit and weight. Cheval Blanc, for example, is a very serious wine that will need time – a real contrast to many of the 2024s that are set to be approachable early. It’s worth highlighting Ch. Laroque, an estate that we have been watching for a while, and where David Suire continues to make wines that offer extraordinary value. Our favourites in Saint-Emilion: Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Clos de Sarpe, Figeac, L’If, Laroque, Tertre Roteboeuf LEFT BANK Yields on the Left Bank were – other than for the whites – generally lower than on the Right. It varies significantly between estates, however, with yields varying from the smallest-ever to normal. While there are years when lesser sites in the Médoc and Haut-Médoc excel, 2024 largely wasn’t – this was a vintage where the quality of terroir, as well as the means to make stringent selection were key. We found quality here was even more heterogenous than across the Gironde, however there are still some brilliant wines to be found.  Saint-Estèphe Quality in Saint-Estèphe is mixed in 2024. The commune’s cooler, northern position was not necessarily an advantage this year, nor were the more clay-rich soils – which have been such an advantage in recent warm and dry vintages. Estates with vines on free-draining gravels fared best, however there are many variables to the quality equation this year. While not every estate thrived, there are some serious highs here, with Montrose vying for wine of the vintage – offering a level of density and complexity that really stood out in our tastings. It’s the second rendition of their Grand Vin to come exclusively from Terrace Four (T4), a decision that is clearly being rewarded, and we also got our first taste of the not-yet-released wine made from T3, called “Terrasse 3” – a wine that will be worth looking out for. The team at Montrose emphasised how the appellation saw less rain between 1st August and 8th September compared to those further south, receiving just 50mm in this critical period (versus 80mm for Margaux and 120mm for Pessac-Léognan), something they felt was key to their success. Calon-Ségur was one of several estates that chose to abandon organics this year, using conventional sprays between budburst and flowering, before reverting to their normal regimen, allowing them to achieve the same yield as 2023 at 45hl/ha (versus 29hl/ha at Cos d’Estournel, who continued on their path to organic certification). Technical Director Vincent Millet – who is at the helm of Calon’s entire portfolio of estates, including Ch. le Prieuré in Saint-Emilion and Vray Croix de Gay in Pomerol – noted how the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon was particularly tricky this year, making the Left Bank more challenging than the Right in the vintage. Our favourites in Saint-Estèphe: Montrose Pauillac Pauillac had the lowest yield of any of the Left Bank communes this year, with the average across the appellation 29.5hl/ha (versus a 20-year average of 45.7hl/ha). Between estates, figures varied wildly – from the miniscule 11hl/ha made at Ch. Latour (a level more typical in Sauternes) to 33hl/ha at Ch. Lafite Rothschild, for example, looking at two estates working organically. June was drier here than elsewhere, meaning the vines started to suffer from hydric stress earlier – with some properties even saying they saw the vines’ development stall in August, with the first rains at the end of the month a welcome reprieve. Harvest here stretched through the first 10 days of October, with botrytis significantly impacting yields. Pichon Baron estimated they lost around 10hl/ha to rot – just one of the sacrifices that made 2024 such a costly vintage to produce. The resulting wines tend to have higher portions of Cabernet Sauvignon, and vary in both style and quality. Generally, these are lighter-styled Pauillacs, not having the firmness or power that this appellation can often offer. Although some don’t have sufficient concentration or structure, the best have trademark Pauillac graphite, complemented by more delicate florals, crunchy fruit, a saline quality and fine tannins. The vintage also marks 100 years of Batailley under the Borie-Castéja family, earning a commemorative label for this benchmark Claret, as well as a special Marie-Jeanne format. Our favourites in Pauillac: Batailley, Lafite Rothschild, Pichon Comtesse, Pontet-Canet Saint-Julien At Chx Léoville and Langoa Barton, Damien Barton Sartorius compared 2024 to running a marathon – tiring, but satisfying, and leaving you ready to sign up for another. The average yield for the appellation was a little bit higher than that of Pauillac, with 32.5hl/ha – still almost 25% down on the 30-year average. As with further north, however, the average is only an average: Beychevelle cropped at 43hl/ha, while selection took the yield down to 23.6hl/ha at Ducru-Beaucaillou (with the team throwing away almost 10hl/ha), and figures varied significantly between estates. At Beychevelle, Philippe Blanc explained how after just 4mm rain between 1st and 28th August, the rain recommenced and never stopped. Their Merlot was more impacted by mildew and therefore the blend is higher in Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) – something echoed elsewhere. The poor flowering and resulting coulure meant looser bunches, explained Barton Sartorius, something which he felt really helped them avoid significant botrytis pressure at the end of the season.  The smaller size of Saint-Julien means it is a little more consistent than Pauillac, however, it’s not entirely uniform. The fruit tends to be a little sweeter, while still on the red rather than black spectrum, the wines offering bright acidity and the best fine tannins and good balance, with the oak seamlessly integrated.  Our favourites in Saint-Julien: Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Barton Margaux Although no appellation is consistent in 2024, Margaux produced some particularly impressive wines. Rainfall may have been higher here than further north, but the slightly warmer microclimate and shallow soils perhaps allowed the grapes to ripen earlier and more fully. There are still some light and tart wines, however the likes of Palmer, Margaux and Rauzan-Ségla produced wines that are among the best of the vintage. Ch. Margaux pointed to their early flowering as a significant advantage in the vintage – “a blessing”, in Aurélien Valance’s words. The 2024 vintage was meant to be the final year of organic conversion at Ch. Rauzan-Ségla, and as the mildew pressure hit, the team had a serious conversation about whether or not to persevere. With the owners’ endorsement, they decided that long-term it was the right decision to continue – knowing it would mean a sacrifice in yield (with a final crop of 30hl/ha), but it would also be their first organically certified wine. The Palmer team – long biodynamic – had to spray as many as 10 times by hand, unable to get their tractors into the vines. However you explain it, the results here speak for themselves – with wines that combine pretty, heady florals with sweet and supple fruit, as well as fine but persistent, powdered tannins: some serious wines that would deserve consideration in any vintage. This was also the one appellation where second wines – such as Alter Ego de Palmer and Pavillon Rouge – showed real quality. Our favourites in Margaux: Brane-Cantenac, Giscours, Palmer, Margaux, Rauzan-Ségla Graves + Pessac-Léognan Yields for the reds in Pessac-Léognan were – unusually for the year – average. The whites are discussed separately below, but the reds from Graves and Pessac-Léognan were as varied as elsewhere. There are, however, some charming wines, and some very impressive wines that defy the year’s reputation. This southerly region saw more rain in August, not benefitting perhaps from the hydric stress that was so key elsewhere – but the rain that month wasn’t excessive, just in line with the norm. At Smith Haut Lafitte, September saw more than three times the average rainfall (164mm versus 48mm), making the harvest far from easy. Although Carmes Haut-Brion picked 40hl/ha, they only vinified 24hl/ha – another example of the extreme selection that quality-focused estates put in place this year. Guillaume Pouthier – who always offers a unique perspective on a vintage – is doing something different with his ageing this year, reducing the temperature of the cellar from 16°C to 12°C over the two-year élevage, to preserve the fruit profile in the wine and encourage tartaric precipitation, thereby reducing the acidity level. Time will tell how this works, so it will be fascinating to retaste the wine in bottle. Domaine de Chevalier produced some particularly impressive wines this year, and although they have long worked organically and biodynamically, this year they made the difficult decision to use conventional treatments – something that has been rewarded, with both generous yields (48hl/ha) and very high quality. Our favourites in Graves + Pessac-Léognan: Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Domaine de Chevalier, La Mission Haut-Brion Dry whites Some people are raving about the dry whites in 2024 – and, while there are absolutely some brilliant whites, quality is far from uniform. The first Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested in Sauternes on 20th August, although most producers we spoke to picked from the very end of August/early September, with the last Semillon brought in on 23rd September. Yields were average to generous, with mildew much less of a problem – 30 hl/ha at Margaux, 32hl/ha at Smith Haut Lafitte, 38hl/ha for Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion, 48hl/ha at Domaine de Chevalier, for example, while on the Right Bank the Lafleur stable brought in around 40hl/ha and the Nicolas Thienpont team cropped 43hl/ha and 47hl/ha respectively at Alcée and Charmes-Godard. The cooler conditions preserved a backbone of acidity in the wines, with accordingly low pHs – analytically speaking, the wines have the highest acidity since 2014. The aromatics are precise, dominated by green rather than stone-fruit, and certainly not at the more tropical end of the spectrum. If anything, some of the wines can feel a little green or lean. As Smith Haut Lafitte’s Technical Director Fabien Teitgen explained, the challenge was to get ripeness that would cloak the acid of the vintage, the flesh to complement its skeleton. Owner Florence Cathiard feels the result is “one of [their] best whites”. Similarly at Ch. Margaux, they did a little more bâtonnage to give weight to Pavillon Blanc – and it’s one of the stars of the year. In some, you can feel the growing season’s excess of water – the generous yields resulting in wines that don’t have sufficient concentration. Sauvignon Blanc seemed to fare better than Semillon, which was more susceptible to rot and was more challenging to get phenolically ripe – and many of our favourites were pure Sauvignon, or heavily driven by the variety. Comparisons were varied – although 2021 was common for its acid backbone and cooler conditions. At Lafleur, Omri Ram is convinced that 2024 Les Champs Libres is one of their best, sitting comfortably alongside the 2023 and 2021. At Ch. Margaux, Aurélien Valance looked to a surprising vintage – the warm 2018 season, but in which the wine has a similar saline imprint to that found in 2024. Our favourites: Charmes-Godard, De Fieuzal Blanc, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Haut-Brion Blanc, Les Champs Libres and Grand Village Blanc, Pavillon Blanc du Ch. Margaux Sauternes + Barsac It’s easy to assume that because rain and rot threatened the crop in 2024, it was perfect for the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac: but very specific conditions are required for noble rot to set in, and if they aren’t met, you get grey rot – with both caused by the same fungus, botrytis cinerea. The first pass in Sauternes tended to take place at the end of September, with alternating wet and dry conditions encouraging the development of noble rot from the start of October. But teams had to battle grey and sour rot too – and a high degree of selection was key. At La Tour Blanche, they made just 3hl/ha for their Grand Vin, a tiny yield that matches that of 2021. The grapes that made it into the tank offered high acidity levels, precise aromatics, but not the luscious concentration of the very best vintages. Based on our tastings, the resulting wines are good to very good, if not quite exceptional, but may have particular appeal to consumers who prefer a lighter style of sweet wine – with brighter acidity and slightly lower residual sugar levels. They are vibrant and pure, with plenty of concentration, if not as hedonistic as more lauded years – and will be approachable at an earlier stage in life. Our favourites: Doisy Védrines, Guiraud, La Tour Blanche, Suduiraut Explore Bordeaux 2024 – including our full vintage overview

Following on from our full vintage overview, and as the Bordeaux 2024 en primeur releases continue, we explore how each subregion performed in the year, as well as identifying our favourite wines in each

Bordeaux 2024: a breakdown of the vintage by region, with top picks from Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol

Bordeaux 2024 – breaking the year down by commune

Bordeaux 2024: the vintage by commune

Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW has had his finger on the region’s wine pulse for several decades. Especially for FONDATA, he profiles eight domaines to watch, producers that are bringing vital energy and fresh winemaking talent to the celebrated wine region 

Jasper Morris MW on eight of Burgundy’s most exciting domaines – including Eleni & Edouard Vocoret, Chantereves, Alvina Pernot and more 

The new Burgundians – Jasper Morris MW 

The new Burgundians

Calon Ségur was my first ever en primeur purchase. There was such hype around the 2005 vintage and I was desperate to get my hands on something, anything. At the time I was a delivery driver for a small wine merchant and it was a luxury, but I could just afford a 12-bottle case of Calon Ségur. That alone is proof of just how cheap this wine was at the time, and how little in demand. The château always had pedigree, however. It was classified as a Third Growth in 1855 – a ranking that may even have been an underestimation, given its reputation today. Evidence of wine-growing on the estate dates all the way back to the 12th century. Since then, the property has passed through the hands of some of the most important winemaking families in Bordeaux. By 1718, the Marquis de Calon owned not just Calon Ségur but Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Mouton Rothschild. With the exception of Ch. Margaux, all the future Médoc First Growths were under his management, but he famously said, “I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is at Calon.” The quote inspired the heart that adorns every bottle. More recently, the vintages produced under Georges Gasqueton in the 1920s, ’40s and ’50s remain legendary. So, what went wrong? How could an estate, favoured over Lafite and Latour, fall so far from grace? In modern times, the blame seems to have been lain firmly at the feet of Madame Denise Gasqueton who took over the property after her husband died in 1995 and managed it until her death in 2011. But current Technical Director Vincent Millet says this is an unfair assumption. And he should know. If there has been one constant at Calon Ségur through its complete transformation, it is him – having started working at Calon in 2006. “Gasqueton was very traditional in her approach,” says Millet, “but her methods were not uncommon at the time.” Millet explains how the 1970s, ’80s and even ’90s were a lean era in the Médoc. Prices for the wines hit rock bottom and costs had to be cut to survive. Philippe Gasqueton – her husband – had instigated a mass uprooting of Calon Ségur’s vines, hoping to save on labour costs, which were the estate’s biggest outgoing. Although it’s hard to believe now, they pulled up every other row of vines. While Saint-Estèphe had a great reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon, it was harder to grow than the earlier-ripening Merlot, which typically produced more fruit. As Merlot gained in popularity, plantings in the Calon vineyards grew. By the time Millet joined the estate, Merlot represented 50% of the blend at Calon.  Millet is not critical of Gasqueton’s decisions. “It was necessary to survive,” he says. But he knew Merlot was not the best variety for the Médoc and he was keen to make changes. He’d spent five years working with Ch. Margaux, Mouton, Latour, Pétrus, Haut-Brion and Lafite Rothschild, examining the effects of filtration on wine. He then joined Ch. Margaux, heading up their research development department for eight years. By the time he reached Calon, he knew that changes in the vineyard would rekindle its reputation – a disappointment to Madame Gasqueton who had invested in a new winery just a few years earlier. But Gasqueton was open to Millet’s ideas and he convinced her to build a truly state-of-the-art winery at their other estate, Ch. Capbern. “Capbern became a laboratory,” explains Millet. It was their playground, providing much of the research that would inform the work at Calon. Soon before Millet’s arrival, Gasqueton started restructuring the vineyards to make sure they met the appellation’s minimum vine density. Millet then started dividing up the vineyard and identifying the best plots and replacing the Merlot. Importantly he also insisted that rather than harvesting the Cabernet straight after the Merlot, they would wait for the fruit to be fully ripe – something he remembers having to persuade Gasqueton was necessary. “We have to act when the grapes tell us to, not the other way around,” he explains. By 2008, Cabernet Sauvignon once again represented 80% of the vineyard – the same proportion as in the estate’s legendary period in the early 20th century. By the time Gasqueton passed away in 2011, the roadmap for changing Calon’s fortunes was already in place. The estate was purchased by the insurance company Suravenir in 2012. And the new owners, much to Millet’s delight, were happy to invest in the property. As the financial constraints lessened, Millet was able to implement changes rapidly. Under the new management, Millet found he could be more selective with the fruit. He could easily distinguish the best plots, as they were all now vinified separately. Amazingly, production of the Grand Vin dropped by almost half. Between 2000 and 2005 production sat at around 180,000-200,000 bottles a year. Today they make just 100,000 bottles of the Grand Vin.  The second wine Marquis de Calon became the expression of Merlot at Calon Ségur (almost a copy of Calon’s profile under Madame Gasqueton). But today Calon Ségur is distinctly Cabernet-driven and it is what Millet believes is the best interpretation of Calon Ségur and Saint-Estèphe’s terroir. There’s much more to the wine than Cabernet, however. “Calon Ségur is all about finesse,” he says. “It doesn’t have the terroir to make the powerful wines of Ch. Montrose or Cos d’Estournel. The wine would be too rustic if we tried to make it more powerful.” It’s this elegance that makes it unique in the appellation, defying Saint-Estèphe’s reputation for chunky, slightly awkward tannins. Today, the estate is firing on all cylinders and it has become the darling of Saint-Estèphe.  With its change in fortune, financial security and the capable hands of Vincent Millet, the property has rediscovered its terroir – the one thing that hasn’t changed over the centuries. I still have one bottle left of that first case of 2005 I bought – and it turns out, despite being the only thing I could afford, it was a brilliant buy. Having been able to taste through every vintage since has been fascinating, allowing me to follow the estate’s journey. Maybe with the final bottle, I will toast its 20th birthday. It will neatly mark a fascinating transformation of this once ugly duckling estate – that today has become Saint-Estèphe’s most elegant. Explore all current Calon Ségur listings or read more Editorial

Until relatively recently, Saint-Estèphe estate Calon Ségur rarely lived up to its Third Growth status, but today it is one of the region’s most in-demand names. Gavin Smith speaks to winemaker Vincent Millet about this property’s miraculous transformation 

Calon Segur’s winemaker Vincent Millet on this Saint-Estephe ugly duckling estate’s miraculous transformation

Talking to Vincent Millet of Calon Segur

Calon Ségur: the ugly duckling of Saint-Estèphe

Philippe Guigal hadn’t yet met his future wife – it would be another nine years before he finally walked down the aisle but he had long known what vintage he would serve at his then-imaginary wedding. The 1999 season in the northern Rhône was as perfect as it gets and when he was picking the beautiful berries that were worthy of photographing he told his father it would the wines of the 1999 vintage would be served on his wedding day.  Baltimore-base wine critic Robert Parker seemed to agree with Philippe that Domaine E. Guigal’s 1999s were worthy of the most important day of a man’s life, handing out three perfect scores to its trio of Côte Rôtie wines, known affectionately as the La Las. It wasn’t just
one northern Rhône producer who basked in the glory of the 1999 summer: Michel Ogier’s Cuvée Belle Helène and Rene Rostaing’s Côte Blonde both nabbed their first–ever 100 Parker points and Michel Chapoutier’s Ermite l’Ermite Blanc received its first, of what would be many, 100-point scores.  While Parker was accustomed to handing out awards to the French wine fraternity, the tables were turned in 1999; he was named an officer of the Legion d’Honneur by French President Jacques Chirac “being the man who taught America about French wine”. France’s highest award, he joined an illustrious list of recipients including Queen Elizabeth II, American President Dwight D. Eisenhower and French poet Victor Hugo.  Another American Robert was making waves in Europe in the autumn of 1999. Robert Mondavi Winery bought a stake in Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, one of a handful of so-called Super Tuscan estates made famous for their law-breaking use of non-Tuscan grape varieties and
the superlative quality of the resulting wines. But it wasn’t just Antinori who was celebrating his windfall in 1999: it was a magnificent season growers across Tuscany. The winemakers of Brunello di Montalcino enjoyed a superb follow-up to the opulent 1997 vintage in an otherwise unremarkable decade for the area.  Burgundy was also bringing the century to a close with flourish: it was a record year with around 20 million more bottles than the five-year average. The late Henri Jayer, affectionately known as the "pope of winegrowers" recorded his thoughts on each vintage in notebooks and, in 1999, he said: "One has to go back to 1934 to find a similar association of quantity and quality."  If growers did not thin their crops, however, the vines struggled to ripen their loads while producers that normally ferment their wine with a portion of whole bunch had to destem to make room in their vats.  From the off the wines were succulent and seductive but they had greater staying power than many envisaged due to their rich phenolics and fine acidity. In 2018, Burgundy critic Stephen Tanzer said that the reds had just entered "their periods of peak drinkability" and this is a great time to crack the 1999 reds from the Côte d'Or. It was a truly great vintage to see out the 20th century. 
François Millet of Chambolle Musigny's Domaine Georges Comte de Vogüé shares his memories of the 1999 vintage. "The 1999 vintage was abundant. The previous vintage - 1998 - was marked by a hard frost and, as is often the case after a small crop, it is followed by a large one - like 2017 after 2016.  "The most important factor in 1999 was consequently whether you limited yields or not. We
had been very vigilant at the domaine and didn't hesitate to do a severe green harvest. The weather during the season was beautiful and we harvested on 20 September. It was not an early vintage and maturity was reached calmly.  "The wines are concentrated, complete, elegant and refined with black fruit dominating and a
beautifully spicy structure. It was quite a serious vintage in terms of its expression while also retaining a beautiful elegance; it is a quiet force that inspires respect." On Musigny "When it comes to the winemaking, there was no pigeage because I think that Musigny is a
sensitive terroir that doesn't like much intervention; you have to have a lot of empathy for the wine and to be forceful with it would risk having vegetal tannins and bitterness, which I perceive as a form of anger. By its structural nature, if you were too brutal with it, the 1999 vintage, could very quickly have become monstrous. [On the other hand] Bonnes-Mares likes and needs more intervention to best express itself and so I punch down.  For me, making wine is a message of peace and empathy, particularly for Musigny. As Claude Debussy said: 'Music is the silence between the notes'." Explore more Editorial 

In the latest installment of our Vintage Series, we explore the last year of the 20th century. Francois Millet from Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue tells us what makes the year 1999 so special.

Exploring what makes 1999 so special with Francois Millet from Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue  

The 1999 vintage in wine

A year in wine: 1999

Few people have been lucky enough to be as immersed in Burgundy’s finest wines as Martin Donatsch. His father bought a pallet of top Burgundy, including those of Domaine de la Romanée Conti (DRC) and Armand Rousseau, every year from the early 1970s onwards. Martin’s birth in 1978 – a fantastic vintage in Burgundy – only encouraged his father to buy more, and Martin, now in his early 40s, has been enjoying wines from the family collection ever since. Just last week, he uncorked a 1978 DRC Echézeaux. This immersion has provided him with an extraordinary understanding of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – something that has doubtless helped him become one of the world’s great emerging winemaking talents. Donatsch is one of a small number of producers growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and the native Completer grape in Bündner Herrschaft in Switzerland. This tiny Swiss valley, for the time being, remains largely unknown – but, as Donatsch certainly believes, it may just be one of the world’s last great regions for fine wine production.The altitude (500 to 700 metres above sea-level) sees the vines flower a week later than is typical in Burgundy, yet picking dates are three to four weeks later. This provides a much longer growing season, allowing for complex flavours and aromas to develop in the grapes. Despite the altitude, the grapes reach good levels of ripeness thanks to the warm, dry wind – known locally as a “foehn”, that sweeps through the valley. Unlike Burgundy, autumns here are dry, so there is rarely pressure to pick before rain arrives, allowing for additional hang-time. The altitude keeps the acidity high, offsetting the naturally slightly higher alcohol (typically around 14%), meaning the wines never feel overly alcoholic. While Bündner Herrschaft has been home to Pinot Noir since the 15th century, Donatsch – now in the hands of the fifth generation – has pioneered the quality revolution in the region. Martin’s father Thomas Donatsch was not only the first to – then illegally – plant Chardonnay in 1975, but also the first to introduce French barriques to Switzerland, influenced by his vigneron friend André Noblet, the winemaker at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from 1945 to 1986. In the early 1970s, Thomas – a young 20-year-old about to take on the family winery – set off to learn from the best. Obsessed with Burgundy from a young age, he knocked on the door unannounced at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In a fortuitous set of circumstances, Noblet had just returned from his first ever holiday (in Gran Canaria) and the first extended time away from his beloved wines. He had missed his wine cellar so much during the trip, he couldn’t wait to return. Finding the young Donatsch sitting by the door and desperate to reacquaint himself with his wines, Noblet invited Thomas to spend the afternoon with him tasting the different cuvées from barrel. Martin believes his dad gained Noblet’s trust by initially criticising DRC’s Montrachet 1968. Tasting the wine Donatsch reportedly said, “There is no way this wine could come from the great Montrachet!” A little precocious, perhaps: fortunately Noblet agreed it wasn’t his finest vintage, but the result of experiments in the winery. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship, with Donatsch returning to the DRC cellars every year. On each visit, Noblet would always pour him a glass of Montrachet 1968 and ask his opinion before tasting any of the other wines. It wasn’t long before Donatsch was buying a pallet of Grand Cru Burgundy every year (at that time a bottle of La Tâche was just over £35 a bottle). Noblet also started to help Donatsch improve his Pinot Noir – first by giving Thomas his first three French barriques. These weren’t just any old barrels though, they had previously held La Tâche and were made by François Frères – who at the time had just two customers, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Henri Boillot. Donatsch took the barrels back to Switzerland, and the winery has been using François Frères barriques ever since. I asked Martin why the introduction of French barriques in Switzerland was such a revolution for the region. At the time, he says, the Swiss wine schools were obsessed with cleanliness – teaching the importance of filtering wines, using protective winemaking methods and using stainless steel tanks even for the red wines. The use of barrels was the opposite; it meant no additional filtering and a more oxidative environment. Donatsch believes the introduction of barriques around the world revolutionised fine wine. Angelo Gaja was the first to do it in Italy; Torres the first in Spain; Mondavi in the US; and Keller in Germany. But Thomas Donatsch was doing this 10 years before any of them, thanks to the influence of André Noblet, as well as Jean-Bernard Delmas – the winemaker at Château Haut-Brion, another of Thomas Donatsch’s influential friends.  Speaking with Martin Donatsch, you can’t help but feel he has got all his priorities in order. The small size of his winery means he can control every aspect of production, while benefitting from the variety that a life in wine can offer. Producing just 35,000 bottles a year means that when he is not in the vineyard tending his crop, he is in the winery, or fulfilling orders and redesigning his website (graphic design is another passion of his). Being one of the country’s most prestigious winemakers he sells his wine into the country’s top restaurants and luxury hotels, who can’t get enough of his wine. Donatsch’s annual release of wines sells out in just hours. While this is a great sign of his talents, it is also why many people outside of Switzerland have never heard of, let alone experienced, the world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the winery. Despite the demand for the Donatsch wines, there are no plans to expand: firstly because the authorities won’t allow it, but second because Martin loves the “human” size of the business and doesn’t want to lose that. Martin is, however, keen for more people outside of Switzerland to taste them. Beyond the tiny volumes that make it as far as export, to source these extraordinary wines you’ll have to (when one can) visit the winery yourself. You may just, knocking on the cellar door unannounced, receive a welcome as warm as young Thomas Donatsch did at Romanée-Conti.  Browse the latest releases from Domaine Donatsch or explore more Editorial

There is such domestic demand for the wines of Domaine Donatsch that they are rarely seen outside Switzerland. Tucked in amongst the Alps, this property makes world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that gives Burgundy a run for its money. Gavin Smith explores the extraordinary site 

Winemaker and Domaine Donatsch owner Martin Donatsch on his world-class Swiss Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that give Burgundy a run for its money.

Exploring Donatsch's world-class Swiss wines

The high life: Martin Donatsch

Talking to producers about the 2020 vintage in Bordeaux, their excitement is palpable. Dramatic gesticulation and unabashed grins made for little modesty, but there is also a certain amount of relief. This was not an easy season for the region’s vignerons – a rollercoaster of a year that really put them to the test (and that’s without taking the global pandemic into account).  You can read more about the conditions in our piece on the growing season, but – in brief – it was a vintage of two halves. The season started with a mild, wet winter and spring, with the growth cycle around 10 days earlier than normal. “It was a very, very precocious vintage,” Daragh Quinn at Ch. Fieuzal explained. The damp conditions led to mildew pressure, demanding winemakers’ presence amongst the vines to stave off the threat (especially for organic or biodynamic producers).  From mid-June, the weather shifted dramatically, becoming dry and hot, resulting in some vine stress. Mid-August rain provided some relief on the Left Bank (less fell on the Right), while cool nights in late August and September were key to preserving aromatics and acidity. Harvest was swift and early, with the whites picked from mid-August, the Merlot from early September and Cabernet following from the middle of the month. There was a little rain towards the end of harvest, welcomed by some producers in the Médoc to plumpen the extremely concentrated Cabernet berries.  The resulting crop was beautifully ripe, but with particularly small berries – something that means yields were impacted. “The frustration is the volume produced,” Damien Barton-Sartorius of Léoville and Langoa Barton explains. “I’m a farmer talking – we like a good quantity.” For him, the yield was down around 20%. At Lafite and Duhart-Milon, the reduction was around 15%, a little lower at L’Evangile where mildew had more of an impact. Angludet was hit hard, with just half the normal crop – something that surprised Benjamin Sichel – but this was an exception rather than the rule, with a reduction of 20 to 30% on 2019 the norm.  So, how did winemakers handle the vintage? First and foremost was managing the extreme growing season. Getting out amongst the vines to spray and protect against mildew was essential. Most left larger canopies in place to offer much-needed shade for the fruit during the hot summer conditions. Picking dates were key to preserve acidity, and many also chose either to pick in the early morning – allowing both the fruit and pickers to enjoy cooler conditions – or chill the fruit on arrival at the winery. This helped preserve the delicate aromatics and enabled producers to control fermentations better.   The small and concentrated berries meant there was a higher than usual skin-to-juice ratio, and the potential for a lot of tannin. It was therefore all the more important that extraction was gentle, especially as the seeds weren’t necessarily ripe as Edouard Moueix (of Ch. Bélair-Monange and La Fleur-Pétrus) highlighted. As Guillaume Pouthier at Les Carmes Haut-Brion told us, it was about “passive extraction” which he did entirely via infusion for the first time this vintage. Lafleur has never pumped over as little as they did in 2020, but it simply wasn’t needed with the perfectly ripe fruit, Cellar Master Omri Ram explained: “Aromatic compounds, ripe tannins, flesh, it all came out of the grape so easily.”  On paper, it’s tempting to think that the 2020s were destined to be big, bold, super-ripe and tannic. Fortunately – and much to many producers’ bafflement – it’s not so. While in some ways the vintage could be compared to the similarly hot 2003, the wet start was key – supplying the vines with essential reserves to get them through the warm, dry summer. Similarly, the mid-August rain was a godsend for the gravel soils on the Left Bank.  In short, the 2020s are very good and, in some cases, outstanding. Surprisingly elegant, the wines combine the ripeness and density of a warm year, yet with a wonderful freshness and aromatic precision. On the Left Bank, the alcohol levels are modest (notably Lafite is a mere 12.8%, while few sit above 13.5%) – something attributed by some to the August rain. The fruit is ripe yet with a real refreshing crunch to it. There’s a vibrancy and saline acidity that makes the wines moreish. These classical expressions of Claret are, as one winemaker noted, wines that will appeal to the English palate. “It’s quite incredible, the freshness,” Vincent Millet, Calon Ségur’s General Manager, said. He noted that these are wines with “beaucoup d’éclat” – wines that leap out of the glass.  “I just love the 2020,” Nicolas Glumineau at Ch. Pichon Comtesse told us. “It’s full of energy, exploding out of the earth. Full of minerality.” Thomas Duroux at Palmer captured it nicely, describing the vintage as having a “Latin flair” yet also a class and restraint. Antoine Gimbert (Léoville Las Cases, Nénin and Potensac) put it similarly: “flamboyant and subtle at the same time”. Pauline Vauthier at Ausone highlighted the long ageing potential of the vintage – having the requisite length, minerality and freshness.   On the Right Bank, the wines are plusher, the alcohol levels consistent with recent vintages (most at 14 to 14.5%), but there’s still a restraint and elegance on show. While there’s plenty of concentration and structure, the tannins are seamlessly ripe (making them relatively approachable for cask samples) and they are aromatically expressive, often with a distinct floral imprint. Noëmie Durantou Reilhac (Ch. l’Eglise Clinet) emphasised how important she felt élevage was for the vintage. It “would have been very charming, very seducing – but not as deep as it could be. The élevage brought that deepness to that very juicy, flashy fruit,” she said. Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Cheval Blanc feels it’s a wine that will need time, describing the tannins as “a little academic”. For him, the dry conditions “explain perfectly why the wines are so dense, so powerful, so intense”.  It is important to note that this not a totally homogenous vintage. The challenges of the growing season meant that only those who could and did put in the requisite vineyard work excelled. The dry conditions meant that terroir held even more importance than normal. Cooler, water-holding clay and limestone soils were an advantage; the well-drained gravels that house much of the finest Cabernet sometimes struggled. It is for this reason that the Right Bank seems to have really shone, and it’s arguably a Merlot vintage – but that isn’t to say there aren’t some superb Cabernet-led wines. Saint-Julien, Margaux and Saint-Estèphe are the most consistent on the Left Bank, while the top names in Pessac-Léognan have over-performed. The finest Pauillacs are glorious – pinpoint, precise examples of what this commune does best.   Justine Tesseron at Pontet-Canet was one of many to agree that 2020 is the “third in a trilogy of top vintages”. Given the year’s unusual conditions, comparisons have proven hard. Pierre-Olivier Clouet at Cheval Blanc feels 2020 has a palate like 2010 or ’11, with the nose of 2015 or ’09. The wine reminds Noëmie Durantou Reilhac (Ch. l’Eglise Clinet) of 2015. At Léoville Las Cases, Jean-Hubert Delon compared it 1988. Vincent Millet at Calon Ségur feels it is like 2016, except with more density. While in numbers it’s similar to 2010, Haut-Bailly’s Véronique Sanders feels 2020 is a very different wine – with a “contrast between power and this elegance”.  “It’s very close to 2019 – very classic,” Nicolas Glumineau (Pichon Comtesse) said. “To me it has something like the energy of the 2019, and the uprightness and strength of the 2016. It’s a great wine, I’m sure about this.” The term “classic” comes up time and again – something Jean-Sébastien Philippe at Lafite also proposed, versus the more modern 2018 or 2019. At Ch. Margaux, Philippe Bascaules described it as a more concentrated 2019, or a fresher 2018, but feels all three vintages are of the same, high quality.   From our own tasting, we can’t help but agree – this is another very good vintage to follow on from 2018 and ’19. Great? Maybe. The best properties – wherever they’re based – have made brilliant wines that sit comfortably alongside the best vintages in recent memory. Although not every wine reaches such heights, the balance between power and freshness is impressive – and sets them up for a long life in the cellar. Overall, however, there’s a classicism and elegance to the 2020s, with expressive and delicate aromas that make these wines utterly seductive. We can’t wait to watch them evolve in bottle.   The vintage in brief  Very high quality, with some exceptional wines Complicated growing season with a wet start and hot, dry summer  Ripe yet surprisingly fresh wines  Classical and aromatically expressive  Right Bank more consistent than the Left  Excellent wines to be found in every commune  Yields are down by 20-30%  Read more about Bordeaux, including our breakdown by commune

The 2020 vintage in Bordeaux was not easy – but the resulting wines are undeniably very good. After several weeks’ tasting and talking extensively, we give an overview of the eventful year and the impressive wines it produced 

After several weeks’ tasting and talking extensively, we give an overview of the eventful year and the impressive wines the Bordeaux 2020 vintage produced 

Bordeaux 2020 vintage overview

Bordeaux 2020: vintage overview

Adrianna Catena (Catena and El Enemigo) – 1999 La Tache, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti “Christmas in Argentina is a summer affair – the days are long, and the heat is intense. This year we will gather with family and friends at our home in Mendoza, spending the day together – lunch and a siesta – before dinner on the 24th. I live far from my parents and these are special moments, so we pick our wines for the memories too! They'll include an Adrianna Vineyard White Bones Chardonnay (my mother's favourite), and some Nicolás Catena Zapata (1999 or 2004, perhaps). My father also has a Burgundy collection and always makes a trip to the cellar at some point in the evening, reappearing with a cheeky smile and something extraordinary – like a 1999 La Tâche. For the end – what we call the sobremesa, that long and magical moment after the meal when we are all still gathered at the table, sharing old stories and laughter – a 2008 Vin de Constance.”  Isabel Ferrando (Domaine Saint-Préfert) – 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale, Domaine Henri Bonneau “What I love! First Champagne – maybe a great bottle of aged Champagne, either Selosse or Agrapart (the opposite of Selosse). Ideally around 20 years old – for aperitif. After that a white Burgundy – maybe a great Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet. I love Henri Boillot’s Clos de la Mouchère, that would be a great choice. For the red, it is going to be the 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale by Henri Bonneau because I love this man. I remember him with a lot of tenderness and it will be a lovely bottle to share with the family. And to finish a 1995 or 1997 Sardat Mallet, which is a lovely sweet wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon... Then for New Year I think probably L’Ermita from Alvaro Palacios. I don’t know which vintage I have in my cellar and an old bottle of Ch. Latour for sure. For a white wine, it will be a German Riesling from Markus Molitor. The spirit of opening wines, opening to a new world. I love that! And it is me who is doing the cooking – capon, fish and truffles.”  Matthieu Mangenot (Domaine Long-Depaquit) – 1995 Ch. Lafite Rothschild “Christmas usually offers the occasion to open a wide variety of wines, especially when the family come from various parts of the planet (Washington DC, São Paulo, various parts of France…), bringing back a few fun things. But when it comes to eating and celebrating, serious things are beginning and I can’t skip Burgundy, at least for a part of the banquet! 2016 Chablis Grand Cru La Moutonne, Domaine Long-Depaquit in magnum would be a perfect candidate to pair with our Christmas dinner, especially the seafood part. I love the pure and saline expression of the Chardonnay in Chablis and the fleshy-zesty character that La Moutonne shows with ageing, a combination of structure, refinement and elegance. This 2016 vintage also has a personal meaning for me for two reasons: first because the climatic conditions in spring 2016 were dramatic with a major frost that really made this vintage difficult to make, as well as a rare and unique product. But also because my son Léon was born just before harvest, so this vintage is his! While re-exploring my personal cellar, I came across a bottle of 1995 Ch. Lafite Rothschild, remaining from a series of six I was offered while a trainee at the estate in 1999. I think it is high time to celebrate more than 20 years of activity as a winemaker and we will take this opportunity to pay tribute to this monument from Pauillac! Other wines I will be opening include 2015 Domaine de la Chevalerie, Cuvée Bretêche Rouge, 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Cap Nord, Domaine Combier and 2018 Meursault, Chevalières, Domaine Henri Germain. I like this domaine for it’s personal vision of Meursault, insensitive to more trendy styles.” Luca Martini di Cigala (San Giusto a Rentennano) – 2009 L’Apparita, Castello di Ama “Marco Pallanti and his son Arturo from Castello di Ama visited us in late October, then we visited them a few days ago. I swapped some older bottles of San Giusto with a 2007 Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista and a 2009 L’Apparita especially for this year’s Christmas table. The 2007 vintage produced very powerful wines and despite expectations has got good ageing potential but is already drinking well. The 2009 is a medium-power vintage, easy to drink in a relative short time but now in perfect condition. We are looking forward to drinking both this Christmas.”  Desiree Reid (Cardrona) – N.V. Cardrona Otago Pinot Cask, Single Malt Whisky “The day will start with a glass of Bollinger, while the children open their stockings, and the Christmas ham bakes in the oven. Later that evening I’ll finish with a dram or two of the Cardrona seventh birthday release – Otago Pinot Cask. The perfect way to finish a Southern Hemisphere Christmas.” Alvina Pernot and Philippe Abadie (Domaine Alvina Pernot) – 2014 Champagne Cédric Bouchard, Roses de Jeanne, La Haute Lemblé Blanc de Blancs “We love Cédric Bouchard’s Champagnes because he works his Champagne cuvées in the same way as what is done in Burgundy. Each bottling is one terroir and one vintage. For the reds we will be opening 2012 Petite Siberié from Domaine du Clos des Fées – a great producer from the Languedoc-Rouissilon as well as a 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico and a 2005 Ch. Haut-Brion.” Marco Ferraresso (Guado al Tasso) – 2013 Guado al Tasso Matarocchio “I have always spent the Christmas holidays at home with my family. It may seem trivial but it is an opportunity to open something of my own with them, as the rare times I haven't done so they almost got offended! This year will be an opportunity to let them taste the 2019 Guado al Tasso which represents a lucky and sought-after vintage for me. Lucky because mother nature has been merciful, sought-after because it goes in the stylistic direction that we like for this wine. Another wine that I would like to open for them is 2013 Matarocchio. With this vintage the Cabernet Franc has kept a strong varietal identity with a beautiful balance between acidity and tannic structure, a wine that should be in its full maturity and with which I hope to give a moment of happiness to my loved ones."  Christian Leusder (East Asia Whisky Company) – Ch. Rauzan-Ségla “It's really the simple stable stuff that takes centre stage during Christmas drinks. To start the evening a nice crisp Yebisu, Asahi SuperDry or a Suntory Premium Malt. The main course usually goes well with sake or red wine, depending on the cuisine of course. My favourite reds this year are Ch. Rauzan-Ségla's Margaux or Ch. Pape Clément from Pessac. When it comes to after-dinner drinks: the one and only Christmas spirit is Irish. Nothing beats a Baileys to remember what Christmas tasted like when you were allowed a sip of what the grown-ups were having once a year.”  Read more Editorial

Christmas and the New Year offer the perfect opportunity to open special bottles with family and friends – but what do the people behind the world’s finest wines and spirits drink? We caught up with some of our favourite winemakers and distillers and asked them what they will be uncorking – and why

We find out the special bottles some of our favourite winemakers and distillers are uncorking this Christmas

What producers are drinking this Christmas

Sociando Mallet

Haut-Médoc

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