"Worst since 1991" is not what the Bordelais wanted to hear....

WINE TALK
1

http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2013/09/bordeaux-2013-harvest-worst-since-1991

WOW.
Not that I drink much Bordeaux these days, but 3 uneven, if not lackluster vintages in a row is tough to deal with.

2

After what happened to pricing over the past decade, it’s hard to feel bad for Pharoah’s lean years. I hope they socked away some money from the fat years.

3

Of course, I feel bad for the small producers who don’t rely on EP.

4

Interesting, should be fun looking at pricing.

5

My prediction: lower yields means less wine means HIGHER prices.

6

Wonder if this means more '09’s and '10’s from lesser known houses will make it to our market

7

Only if quality equals more vintages of the millennium. Pump and dump.

8

That would be a typical justification, yes, but there is so much Bordeaux already stuck at various spots in the supply chain from better years that all I can do is wish them luck if they attempt that strategy.

9

This is who I think about, as they are the ones I can a) afford, and b) find enjoyment in drinking.

10

This is the second article I have seen regarding French grape harvests with a headline using a qualitative expression then detailing quantitative losses.

Are the grapes any good? Doesn’t matter how much they have if it’s bad. If it’s good they will make do.

11

+1 Ian. I added my second post as soon as I realized I had violated one of my own Cardinal rules, which is that Bordeaux is much more than just the EP foolishness and Classified Greed.

12

“Worst in terms of volume”. That’s hardly a lot to be excited about frankly. Not great if you’re a farmer, but it isn’t a straight line to quality either.

If quality is excellent, and weather will go a long way in that regard, then you’ll soon be reading about the small but excellent crop. With the concomittant upward bump in prices.

13

Sounds great… Just one more reason to not waste any money on Bordeaux.

14

I’m waiting for Leve to chime in telling us what a great vintage 13 is and that the high prices are justified. [stirthepothal.gif]

15

The article doesn’t address quality, but I would think that if it were really good, they would have. I am sure, like all over the world, very good wine can still be made in almost every vintage. If anything, this will clear out the pipeline of the over priced 09’s and 10’s, so this may be good for the top 30 to 50 chateau’s. The rest may be in for a bit of trouble.

16

Comparing it to 1991 certainly would drive at horrible quality. If production was way down, why not say so? Instead of comparing it to one of the worst vintages of all time?

Bad reporting if it turns out to be a great quality crop.

17

Heh heh…seems the model Burgundy has been following lately!

18

Then there is this ray of sunshine from the Rhone

But for a really bleak view, we turn to my amigo LOUIS BARRUOL of CHÂTEAU SAINT COSME at GIGONDAS. He is not a happy bunny, with the virtue of working a late to ripen area – beneficial in recent vintages at GIGONDAS – looking like a hangman’s noose this year. Take it away, DON LUCHO: "well, John, you’ve tasted 1963? I think so, so it’s possible you could re-taste it 50 years later in the form of 2013. Normally at this time my vineyards are at 13.5° - this year they are at 9.8°. We are three weeks behind, which we won’t catch up. That means a start to harvesting around 18 October, like in 1963, the most dreadful of vintages. In the end, the very small crop could actually help us a bit. I am now relying on God to give us high heat in October, but in my profession, when you start to count on the aid of God, you already have one foot in the grave. I am pessimistic.”…’

19

I saw no reference to qaulity. I agree with the previous comments, if the qaulity is at all passable this will be bad for consumer pricing. It will also delay any possible drop in past prices.

20

This comment makes me think that I should pay attention, and if there is a warm fall actually buy some S.Rhone this year. I recently tried a couple of 2008 Gigondas, from another vintage no one seemed to like, and thought they had developed very well for short term wines. I think of St. Cosme as a modern producer, though I know some don’t, and would expect low ripeness to be detriment to his model. Admittedly, 9.8 seems very low, but if producers get that up a bit I’d be interested to at least try the result.