BY RHYS PENDER
In this era of unpredictable weather and changing climate, there is no such thing as a straightforward vintage. The 2021 season saw challenges such as early frosts, unseasonably cool temperatures, millerandage (underdeveloped small grapes) and both powdery and downy mildew, but modern farming skills and late-season sunshine produced a lively vintage with crisp acidity. After three vintages of bold, plusher wines, this return to a “classic” vintage is welcomed by many.
Château Phélan Ségur St-Estèphe France $110.00 324569 This deep, plush, full-bodied, intense wine is loaded with blackberry, blackcurrant, fig and chocolate, with firm, ripe tannins and hints of leather and charred meat. Château Gazin Pomerol France $220.00 411945 Enjoy this deep, brooding wine with black cherry, dusty oak and dark chocolate, complex notes of dried black olive and earth, and soft, rich tannins.
Navigating the Release
Passing the Farming Test
The 2021 wines will be released at BCLIQUOR stores on Saturday, September 28. Visit bcliquorstores.com or pick up the Bordeaux release booklet in advance to do a little homework. The booklet gives handy recommendations on when wines will be ready to drink, if you are looking for wines to cellar. Product Consultants will also be on
A frost in early April wiped out large chunks of the grape crop across France, including one-third of the crop in Bordeaux. Rain followed, furthering woes by enhancing the risk of mildew. Growers had to be on their toes. Using science and know-how, they were able to monitor, predict and deal with these risks, preventing damage that a few decades ago might have resulted in wines blemished by flavours of rot. Saved by the Sun Early summer cloudiness and wetness did not help the battle with mildew, but warm, sunny conditions in August and September came to the rescue. The small crop was able to ripen, and growers relaxed a little. The red wines of 2021 have been compared to moderate to cool vintages such as 1999, 2004, 2007, 2014 and 2017, which produced wines lower in alcohol and high in freshness.
site to help with your selection. Taste the Region In a moderate vintage like 2021,
regional diversity shows through in the wines. Warmer years tend to show ripe flavours and fuller-bodied wines in all regions, whereas years like 2021 allow you to discover the terroir within Bordeaux. Make sure to seek out a range of wines from different appellations.
“Restraint in the red wines of Bordeaux is getting rarer all the time, so these vintages are a breath of fresh air! The differences between the Bordeaux appellations are more marked in 2021, making this vintage a pleasure to discover.” —Barbara Philip, MW, Bordeaux category manager and buyer
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*Visit bcliquorstores.com for availability.
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