Early April is when thoughts reflect on the latest vintage in Bordeaux.

So last week we spent four 15 hour days searching out the gems from the 2016 vintage, covering more territory than the Trump election battle bus. We are now back home reflecting on the 400 wines tasted. It’s always necessary to set the vintage against the weather patterns for that year, after all that’s basically sets the style and quality, of course backed up by the talent of the winemaker. The winter was mild with some early sprouting at the end of March,( rather like this March /April with 26 degrees expected this weekend) It rained a little for three months and the vines went into blossom early June. Between July and August Bordeaux experienced a drought, although the temperatures remained normal. September was dry with cool nights and harvest for many reds took place late September to mid-October. .

In general we felt the whites were good but without the necessary acidity and richness to make them great. However, the top reds are absolutely stunning, pleasurable to taste even at this stage, all great wines tend to taste well throughout their lives. It was absolutely vital to taste right across the various appellations’, it is a variable vintage, perhaps a left bank vintage, with power and elegance combining, we were thrilled with Margaux and Saint Julien and Saint Estephe just marginally ahead of Pauillac . On the right bank Pomerol shades Saint Emilion, there are too many over extracted wines here but we also tasted some classic wines which will make for beautiful drinking over the next 15 years and beyond.
As always we will only offer wines of extremely high quality which we can completely guarantee.We will have a list of recommendations posted next week once we have worked through the various notes.