2010 bordeaux - Wow! - What a vintage

Now the wines have all been tasted and the reviews are hitting the press, websites, and other forms ‘social’ communication, it’s possible to move from general speculation to a more precise assessment of the vintage. 2010 is another great vintage, slightly more patchy it appears than the uniformly good 2009 but the very top echelon look as if they might just shade the superstars from the 2009 vintage.

The vintage is characterised by high alcohols, extremely ripe fruit complemented by high tannins and an often astounding freshness of acidity. It is this acid ‘charge’ that most defines the vintage. Unquestionably the long dry autumn favoured those estates more reliant on cabernet, so the left bank turned in an outstanding performance in 2010 with many chateaux using much more cabernet juice in assemblage than their vineyard plantings would suggest.

Over on the right bank where over extraction was avoided through harvesting date ‘restraint’ and careful vinification, many quite magnificent wines were also produced.

Choice then isn’t a problem in this vintage, just availability and of course price, and price that crucial last piece of the equation is upon us now. But excitingly many comparatively humble wines over delivered in this vintage. At all levels Bordeaux lovers are in for a feast, check out our vintage recommendations to see some of the excitement of the vintage!

There's a lot written in the media about this vintage, we've collected a few of the comments to date;

"I am quite optimistic about 2010, although I am not convinced that nature will give me the opportunity to write the same report as in 2009. But I promise you that if I am wrong and discover a good surprise during the maceration, I will write it with pleasure." Jancis Robinson

"We don't want to say it as no one wants to hear it after 2009 but we think 2010 is going to be extraordinary," Corinne Saussier Conroy, Brane Cantenac's director of marketing and communication

"Embarrassingly Good. That pretty much sums up the 2010 vintage in Bordeaux. Better than 2009? It’s hard to say, and it will be interesting to see how they finish" Guy Stout

"The extraordinary weather patterns of 2010 have contributed to wines that are robust, concentrated and acidic – and 'totally different' to the 2009s" Bordeaux negociant Bill Blatch

"2010 looks like it will give ’09 a run for its money qualitatively, thanks to a long, dry, warm growing season marred only by some significant coulure (shatter) on old-vine Merlot vineyards that reduced the variety’s crop size. That may mean that the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Left Bank will emerge as the top wines of the vintage. Early impressions of the young wines, which are still aging in barrels in the château cellars, indicate that the 2010 red Bordeaux are very ripe and sport some punch—with abundant tannins and slightly higher-than-usual alcohol levels. Despite that, the wines are also fresh and racy, as there looks to be plenty of acidity for balance." Wine Spectator

Pricing is very hard to predict, it would however be sensible to expect that pricing will be at least that of the 2009, if not more. Whilst not cheap, this is a vintage that you cannot afford to not have at least some bottles of in your cellar. We do expect this year with some pressure on volume in certain parts of Bordeaux, allocations on the top wines to be highly contested, so do make your wish lists now.