There is an air of cautious optimism permeating the fine wine world currently, with whispers of attractive pricing and a handful of gems making their way from Châteaux to our team in Bordeaux. It comes as no surprise to those following this region over the past few vintages that its En Primeur system has begun to show signs of strain, a sentiment which both négociants and producers have seemingly registered at a serious level.
Fewer than 12 months ago we were alerting collectors to what was set to be the earliest campaign in living memory and yet, remarkably, 2023 looks ready to lose its crown to its immediate sibling with releases primed for as early as next week. Given this urgency, the Cru team have been traversing the length and breadth of Bordeaux to give our customers as much substantive information and informed opinion as possible to help navigate what we believe will be a hammer and tongs succession of serious releases.
Pricing is, as always, at the forefront of our minds as the early releases inch closer, and whilst there will quite possibly be exceptions to the rule, we are confident that further signficant reductions on the 2023s are likely. Although precise figures are often decided at the precipice of release, our Pre-Order function is equipped with price ranges informed by serious conversations with leading factions in Bordeaux and as such should provide a substantive indication.
Quality remains the ultimate lynchpin of any campaign, however, and our team has endeavoured to visit as broad a spectrum of producers as possible to inform our recommendations ahead of many leading critics. Whilst this expert opinion will be made available to Cru customers as soon as possible when published, our thoughts and distillation of current information below should hopefully start to whet appetites.
‘2024 is considered a rainy vintage, but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that we enjoyed a really good summer from mid-July to the last week of August. Great for holiday makers, and the sunshine certainly improved the quality of the wines’
Gavin Quinney
Producing the smallest total harvest since 1991, the ever-insightful Gavin Quinney presents an incredibly detailed overview of conditions leading to this reduction in output. To summarise, winemakers were indeed hit with an array of challenges which required smart decisions alongside the latest techniques to combat. Chief amongst which was an abundance of rainfall, and the associated risks that poses to fruit-set, mildew etc. These conditions led to the importance of what Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux) highlights as the keyword of the vintage – sorting.
The reduction in yields as outlined in the chart above was in response to climatic challenges which led to a notably non-homogenous crop of fruit. Whilst some grapes were indeed affected by the soaking they received at the beginning of their growing season, the welcome injection of sunshine over summer helped tremendously.
‘By July the temperatures rose, and berry development progressed rapidly, giving a much needed injection of cheer across most of the vineyard... This together with cool nights meant excellent aromatic development in both red and white grapes’
Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux)
A “winemaker’s vintage” for sure, Bordeaux once again demonstrates just how advanced many of its top châteaux are with their ability to adapt to challenges and amplify advantages. Many issues which would have proved disastrous or simply too expensive to overcome in the past are now dealt with in such an impressive fashion.
Our team has been tasting extensively in Bordeaux over the past week, giving colour to the campaign and the many releases we expect to arrive before a majority of critics have published their assessments. One thing is certain at this early stage, however, that the importance of sorting applies not only to vignerons and their fruit, but to collectors and their choices of wines to secure this year also.
As surely as the sun rises, so too do the great properties of Bordeaux express both their terroir and vintage thanks to deft winemaking and exceptional vineyard management. The honest, informed advice with which Cru always endeavours to provide our customers will be especially vital during what we hope will be a definitive En Primeur campaign of significantly reduced pricing and potential quality.
