Bordeaux

2021 will be remembered by Bordeaux winegrowers as one of the most difficult vintages to manage in the last thirty years: patience and dedication were required throughout the growing cycle. A heavy frost in the spring led to a historically low harvest (as in 1991 and 2017). The threat of diseases such as mildew reached unprecedented levels due to the conditions created by a cool, wet summer. Fine weather returned in August, enabling the grapes to ripen, but then rainy spells in September resulted in the development of botrytis. Harvesting began on 6 September for the Sauvignon, about 10 days later than in previous years. 2021 saw the return of an "old-fashioned" vintage, with moderate alcohol levels and very different alcohol/acidity balances from recent sunny vintages such as 2018 and 2020. The 2021 white Bordeaux is fresh, aromatic and harmonious.