2020

A QUICK LOOK BACK: DELICIOUS, AFFORDABLE BURGUNDY

Around here we’re usually pretty occupied talking about the newest stuff that comes our way. We rarely have time to repeat ourselves. We do drink wine on our own time as well and drink pretty well as you might guess. That said, it seemed worth a note on something from the floor tasted the other night that really lit us up, the Domaine Etienne Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses Les Boutieres 2020.

The short story is that this wine, on that night, was hitting on all cylinders. The nose is an effusive mix of boisterous red and black fruits, dark spices that persisted all the way through the finish, and accents of subtle minerality. On the palate there were layers of flavors almost like fireworks hitting all parts of the palate. Maybe it was just the day but it was a memorable bottle.

Here is a quick recap of the story we told many months ago…

“Though we know the importer is writing to sell wine, his descriptors for this wine are ‘spot on’ when he says, “… Delarche Burgundy offers a clarity and purity of flavor that is captivating; whites are creamy and concentrated, taking a cue from Corton-Charlemagne, while reds are spicy and refined, seductive from the moment they’re bottled yet able to age effortlessly for years…” The Pernand, in fact all of these, follow those descriptors pretty much to the letter.

The star of the show, Domaine Etienne Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses les Boutiers Vieilles Vignes 2020, comes from vines that are quite ‘vieilles’ at age 70+. This lieu dit sits in deep, clay-rich soils facing southeast at the foot of the slope, touching Pernand Premier Crus ‘Vergelesses’ and ‘Les Fichots on one side and Aloxe Corton Premier Crus Vercots and Guerets on the other. It’s a very nice neighborhood. As to the vintage, we have spoken many times already about our love of the 2020s, one of the few times in memory where both reds and whites excelled.

The reds from 2020 are like nothing in recent memory. The colors are deep and saturated and there is an uncommon richness and authority to the mouthfeel of the best examples. With a little air, the les Boutieres virtually jumps out of the glass with notes of deeply ripe black cherry, spice, violet and underlying sweet earth.

Urgent fruit is the order of the day with intense, energetic black cherry and brambleberry from front to back and the kind of cohesive statement of fruit and terroir that makes Burgundy so special. Yeah, it’s not a Premier Cru but it sure tastes like one and, at $34.98, certainly doesn’t cost like one. Even among all of the exciting 2020 reds we have been tasting thus far, this one is memorable.

The importer’s notes called this small estate ‘one of the Cote du Beaune’s best kept secrets’ and it still is with regard to the media. Bur that’s find with us. More attention usually means higher prices and less availability. This is another shrewd buy for Burgundy lovers and you will never regret having a lot of 2020s.”

JUICY, ‘HOUSE RED’ COTES DU RHONE FROM DOMAINE MANARINE

An important part of being a wine merchant is to provide wines for any situation and budget. It’s easy enough to cut and paste scores for hot items. We do that kind of thing as well as anyone. But finding that compelling, angst-free, tasty well priced go to is equally exciting to us. We are always on the hunt for ‘the deal’ be that catching a price reduction or timing a purchase just right. But there are also wines out there that simply overdeliver all the time. Cotes du Rhone is one of those categories. Find a good guy in a good vintage and you can get compelling wines for a song.

This piece is about Domaine la Manarine, a delicious Cote du Rhone that presents of mouthful of delightful, spicy Grenache fruit for a song. It’s been a while but that had more to do with timing with the wholesaler. We’ve known the wine for a long time as a prior incarnation was a wine-of-the-month on the front page of one of our old printed newsletters back at the old location.

Domaine la Manarine was created by Gilles Gasq in April 2001. The winery and majority of his vineyards are located within the commune of Travaillan, on a splendid plateau northeast of Orange in the southern Rhone. Gilles is a talented vigneron who has honed his skills working as an assistant to Paul Jeune, the proprietor of the highly respected Domaine Monpertuis in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Expanding his holdings each year, Domaine La Manarine now encompasses 33 hectares of vineyards situated largely on what is known as the “Le Plan de Dieu”.

This area, covered in large, round stones called galets is a happy place for Grenache. The standard bearer of the domaine is the Côtes du Rhône Rouge produced from the younger (but not young) vines (average 35 years old) of the estate. This wine is 100% Grenache and produces a classically spicy, full-bodied wine that speaks clearly of the “garrigue” of the region. The grapes are destemmed before the fermentation and the cuvaison is on the order of three weeks duration. The wine is bottled without filtration after twenty to twenty-four months of “élevage”.

The Manarine Côtes du Rhône 2020 is an essential wine in this category. The 2020 is a punchier, juicier version of this wine. The Grenache follows the path of a lot of the 2020s with a big, spicy, slightly garrigue-y (scents of fresh wild herbs) mouthful of kirsch and red currant fruit. Ample, bright, flavorful, this is a display of bright, unfettered, character-filled fruit that tastes of its origins. It’s a steal at $13.98!

We don’t have any scores and highlights on Manarine simply because writers rarely talk about little wines like this. But this wine’s boisterous fruit and versatility make it a great choice with a wide variety of dishes and everyone needs a delicious and economic choice to open without too much thinking. Here you go.

2020 BURGUNDIES: WE’RE NOT NAGGING BUT…

In virtually every offer we have made on the 2020 red Burgundies, we have included our monologue about how special a moment it is for Burgundy fans. It’s something of a harmonic convergence of a number of factors that have created what we see as one of the most opportune buying windows we have ever scene for this difficult-to-play category. We’ll synopsize as best we can.

First, global warming has raised the bar for a lot of so-called lesser Burgundy appellations from a historic perspective. Prices in the region have been established over decades (centuries?) based on the consistent performances of certain villages. Conversely, those villages that haven’t been able to be as dependable because their climate is more marginal have an upper limit on what they can charge for their wines. Global warming has added a couple degrees of ripeness to those marginal Burgundy regions (Marsannay, Mercurey, Givry, for example) and created far more consistent, engaging and successful harvests while the prices have been slow to adjust upward.

The 2020 vintage was a flashpoint as a warm, ripe harvest combined with an abnormally short crop (also thanks to the quirky weather patterns brought on by global warming, but that’s a much more complicated explanation) has created a crop of rich, deeply colored, well endowed red Burgundies the likes of which we can’t recall. The 2019 vintage was also extremely successful and there are a few bits of that vintage still around.

Even though the crop loads have been lighter, most producers have thus far mainly kept prices relatively reasonable. The situation has also been aided (to an extent) by an extremely attractive, historically low exchange rate with the eruo vis-à-vis the U.S. Dollar. To summarize, you’ve got one of the best vintages we have ever seen on the market at a time when the prices are based on the most opportune exchange rate.

Looking forward, the 2021 vintage was an even shorter crop and, according to most accounts, not particularly special. Given the extreme shortages, to put it bluntly, prices will rise even without additional help from a declining exchange rate or a highly collectable vintage. Any additional negative ‘money’ moves will only augment the problem. So you will effectively be asked to pay more for lesser wines with the 2021s. Thus far 2022, the vintage, looks positive, but also vulnerable to yet another round of price increases.

Right now, Burgundy lovers, you are in the perfect window…a broad selection of viable wines from a historic vintage at some of the best prices relatively. To be sure, things are starting to change. Some of those ‘lesser’ appellations are edging up pricewise in this extremely successful vintage. But the prices for what’s in the bottle in most cases are still at a relatively good value point for the category. In other words, you may never have the opportunity to get Burgundy this good for this kind of money in the foreseeable future.

We keep to the message not because we’re like those nagging ‘aunts’ on that TV insurance commercial (“expired…expired”), but because it’s the truth. Sure, there will be people that will ‘opt out’ if Burgundy gets too crazy. The recent spate of good vintages and relative affordability, however, have reminded us how much we love Burgundy. Maybe you’ve felt that, too.

There have been long stretches over the years with Burgundy where either the vintage or the price (or both) have not been particularly accommodating. The last couple of years have been really fun. But as we know with Mother Nature, nothing lasts forever. This is a rare, special moment where Burgundy aficionados have an advantage. It’s our job to point that out (even if it might sound a little naggy). But this too will pass and these times will become the ‘good old days of yore’. Stock lists below, good hunting!

Check stocks of 2020 Red Burgundies

Check stocks of 2019 Red Burgundies

SPECIAL PURCHASE, MACON NOSTALGIA

Like the song says, ‘every day is a winding road.’ We’re old enough to remember when it wasn’t unusual to find a knockout Macon for this kind of price. But that was a long time ago. In fact, with all of the new Premier Cru things happening in the Macon, prices are going the other way. That’s what makes this Macon buy not only special, but in a way kind of nostalgic. Meanwhile this ripping Macon deal was brought about by events.

Founded in 1989, Domaine Catherine & Didier Tripoz is located in the southern part of the Mâcon appellation, with an area of about 13 ha (about 32 acres) planted mainly with Chardonnay as you would expect. The age of the vines is between 20 and 65 years, averaging about 45 years-of-age. As of 2018, they have converted to organic farming.

Fast forward some three decades, and Catherine and Didier have decided to retire. They are selling the domaine and were liquidating their existing stocks. An importer we know was ‘johnny on the spot’ and snapped up a great portion of their remaining wines, which were predominantly from the very good 2019 and excellent 2020 vintages.

You can bet this would have been a full-blown email except that we didn’t quite have enough wine to do that because some of our shrewder buyers have been nibbling on the stocks for a while. Still, it was time to mention the Domaine Catherine & Didier Tripoz Macon Charnay Clos des Tournons 2020 (‘Clos des Tournons’ is a monopole, meaning that the Tripoz family owns the entire parcel). This will give a hint to a few new folks and be fair warning to those that have already discovered this little gem that it’s one and done.

This Macon has a real ‘old school’ feel to it. The wine shows floral notes, crisp apple, pear and citrus in the nose. The palate has bright apple, pear and a touch of citrus fruit, a surprising depth and intensity to the palate with notes of stone and faintly honeyed notes to the finish. From top to bottom the is plenty of underlying, as one taster called it ‘crackling’ acidity and a nice snap of minerality. The crisp profile, and the price ($13.98!), reminds us pleasantly of ‘days of yore’ before global warming. Right place, time, an exceptional buy…while it lasts.

THE STORY OF MEE: RISING BEAUJOLAIS SUPERSTAR

Since there isn’t a huge amount of wine, we aren’t going to get to far into excruciating detail. But the story of Mee Godard is one worth touching on because she has already proven to be one of the most inspiring new faces in Beaujolais and the juice in the bottle harkens memories of something from the ‘Gang of Four’s’ greatest hits.

The tale is unique for the world of wine. Mee Godard was born in Asia and adopted, growing up near Lyon in France where she studied biology and biochemistry. Somewhere during her formative years she had the opportunity and interest in tasting wines, the complexity and variation of which captured her interest.

She decided to make wine a career and studied in both Oregon and Montpellier before taking a job as a Burgundy sales rep. She knew early on that that was not her calling and her end goal was to reach as high a level of achievement in wine as possible. She felt to do that she needed to create wine from the ground up and scraped together enough to purchase some old-vine plots from a vigneron that had no heirs and was about to retire.

She has dived heart and soul into the project, with an eye to natural winemaking but the skills and the sense to keep things clean. With little more than 6 hectares in Morgon and Moulin-A-Vent her domain is fairly samll. She is meticulous in the winery. There are very few sulphites added, and her red wines are made using traditional Burgundian methods. The vinification process begins with harvesting by hand in little cases that prevent the grapes from being crushed and goes from there.

The resulting wines have depth, density, and remarkable intensity of fruit. We have had a few different selections of her wines but hadn’t pulled the trigger because her pricing was among the elite of the region. In fact, the wines deserve to be there from a price perspective and the Mee Godard Morgon Corcelette 2020 (from her original vineyard acquisition) was simply too good to pass on.

Deep, saturated color, nose showing a depth of ripe extracted fruit, and plenty of power and substance, this wine can stand with any on Beaujolais. Very impressive and, based on what we have tasted thus far, exactly what she does on a regular basis.

She got a rather lengthy note (for him) from James Suckling who wrote, “What a strikingly original wine for this region! The smoked-bacon note in the nose would have made me think of the Northern Rhone in a totally blind tasting. On the palate there’s impressive creamy richness that makes me think of bacon fat sinking into good white bread. So much drive and energy at the finish, thanks to the very healthy, dry tannins. Drink or hold…94 points.”

Mee has come a long way since her start in 2013 and we expect she is only going to gain stature as time passes. Brilliant Beaujolais in the classic old school style but without any of the funk, this is a impressive effort and a estate to watch.

MORE THAN JUST TXAKOLI

Not many folks around these parts even knew what Txakoli, the crisp white from the Basque country of Spain, even was a quarter century ago. But it has become something serious wine stores now need to have on hand. Most Txakolis are pretty utilitarian, crisp, lively, often a little fizzy foils for a wide variety of lighter finger foods or dishes that call for a white with some verve. Most of the time it is about the genre itself, rather than the ‘brand’.

While it isn’t quite ‘any Txakoli will do’, the stylistic range is fairly narrow. While we occasionally find one that stands out in a crowd (like the Hiruzta 2020 we sold a while back), usually its more about function in this arena. In that vein, the Txomin Etxaniz Blanco Txakolí de Getaria has been a staple for a couple of decades. Exemplary of the region, consistent year in and year out, we have always considered them a best of breed kind of choice to build around.

The other day a supplier rolled through here with a variety of samples from his Spanish book, and the Txomin Etxaniz Blanco Txakolí de Getaria 2020 was among the things in the bag. We already had the wine on the shelf and recall liking it a lot the first time around. But it had been some time since we had tried it. Honestly, we had forgotten just how good this was! It’s a wine that possesses plenty of the characteristics that one expects of a Txakoli. But it also has palate volume and fruit, something that is pretty rare in anything but the very best examples of the breed.

Txakolis these days do get some attention from the media because Spanish whites have become more topical, and usually the polite 89 or 90 point score. But this version of Txomin Etxaniz got dueling 92s from Decanter Magazine and Vinous. The Decanter review from nearly a year ago will give you a feel, “Made in the classic style, this blend of the two main Txakoli grapes – 85% Hondarrabi Zuri, 15% Hondarrabi Beltza – is fresh and lean with a spiky acidity punctuated by green apples, lime and a fizz of sherbet lemons. There’s a delightful tingle of petillance which sets it off nicely and introduces a slight mineral note on the finish. It cries out for oysters…92 points.”

We’d update that to say that the fizz factor is less these days, but the fruit component in gentler, more ample, and delicious. We picked up a little quince and maybe a tinge of ginger in the mix. We don’t have a Txakoli vintage chart handy but we have now had two epic, very memorable examples from the 2020 vintage. It’s not only exceptional Txakoli, it’s good enough to be considered outside its category just as a delicious, versatile white wine. As for the ‘oysters’ part, that’s still true.

BOLGHERI FOR THE PEOPLE

Bolgheri, near the Tuscan Coast, is the source of some of Italy’s most compelling wines. It is also a unique area in which Bordeaux varietals thrive and create polished, stylish reds that are a category unto themselves. Solaia, Orenallaia, and Sassicaia are some often first names that come to mind. Later to the game was Antinori’s Guado Al Tasso. While we are as much of a fan of the ‘big dogs’ as anyone, they don’t come cheap. That’s why when they rolled out the Antinori Il Brucato, good Bolgheri on a budget, we were excited.

It gets the royal treatment. Upon arrival in the cellar, the selected clusters for Il Bruciato were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation and maceration on the skins took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. A portion of the Merlot and Syrah musts were kept at lower temperatures during fermentation to better preserve each grape variety’s distinctive aromas. Part of malolactic fermentation took place in barriques and part in stainless steel tanks and was completed by the end of the year for all grape varieties. Subsequently, Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot, Syrah, and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot then put back into barriques where it was left to age before bottling.

Curiously, the first vintage of this ‘junior Guado’ was made in 2002, one of the worst vintages in Tuscany in the last few decades. We’ve sold it since its initial release here and have carried most vintages since. Always a solid performer, we must admit we haven’t been as thrilled with the wine as we were in the early days relative to other choices, probably in part because we see much more really cutting edge Italian wine on the market now. The press seems to indicate that the recent versions were definitely on an upward trend from the early offering. That said, the 2020 Antinori Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato is the most interesting version we have tasted in a long time.

The description from Advocate’s Monica Larner make the point, “I tasted the Guado al Tasso 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato from barrel, but the wine will hit the market in September of this year. Compared to the previous vintage, this edition is richer and slightly denser with nicely concentrated fruit. That extra textural support is a characteristic of this fortunate vintage. This accessible blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah offers tight mineral notes, toasted spice, almond and lots of dark, luscious fruit. To the palate, the wine exhibits softly caressing tannins…93 points.”

Also from James Suckling, ” Aromas of sage and currants with blackberries follow through to a full body with intense, round tannins that are nicely crafted. Fresh, flavorful finish. Some dried herbs at the end with a slightly grilled-meat undertone. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years…93 points.”

The $26.98 fare is certainly quite reasonable for something from this prized terroir.

A UNIQUELY COMPELLING ORANGE WINE

We’ll be the first to admit that we aren’t always ‘hip’ to certain wine trends. Our focus is on wines that are appealing in some manner, and we have a pretty wide ‘band’ in that respect. There aren’t many categories where we can’t find something compelling. But there are a couple of places where we have a little trouble understanding why the category gained popularity in the first place. We have written a lot about ‘nautral wines’ and how fans of this genre seem perfectly willing to overlook serious flaws in some of the individual wines to participate in the trend.

Although we haven’t been nearly as vocal, we kind of feel the same way about ‘orange wines’. While we have a certain appreciation for the intent of the genre, and can respectfully point to producers like Gravner that pioneered and continue to champion this niche style, there are far too many examples out there where the wines are oxidized and dull.

Given that the world continues to support the genre, it is our task to find those special examples that not only showcase the nuances and style that represent the category, but are focused, fresh, and lifted in the glass as well. You may have noticed we don’t address the subject all that often, but the Caravaglio Malvasia Secca Isola de Salina Occhio Di Terra 2020 is definitely something special because it exhibits the style and nuance of the genre, but does so in an appealing, drinkable wine.

The wine is 100% Malvasia from Salina and Lipari, islands off the Sicilian Coast. On the volcanic island of Salina, organic vineyards sit from 600 to 1,200 feet above sea level in the Malfa district (the highest quality vinegrowing area) with a view of the Mediterranean. Soils are a mix of volcanic sand and rock. This wine is a special selection of the ripest Malvasia grapes from vines that 20 to 30 years of age. The grapes are hand harvested and sorted in the field. Gentle, temperature-controlled maceration occurs for 10 days before pressing. The juice is fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks where it remains for six months.

You have the best of both worlds in the glass. There’s the unique textural aspects and curiously appealing, grainy mouthfeel that is something of a standard in orange wines. But the wine then takes a turn that lifts the whole experience for us. There are aromas of preserved lemons, yellow peach, pineapple, and the unmistakable influence of the sea. The wine itself is dry and a little nutty, but then there is an underlying acidity that keeps everything lifted and fresh. We don’t go looking for orange wine, though we understand it is a category with a following and we’ll taste whatever we are presented. We reject a number of them, but we’d recommend this one as an example of what the category can be, and at a price ($22.98) that makes a lot of sense as well.

Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner conveys the message nicely, “Here’s an exciting discovery. The Caravaglio 2020 Malvasia Occhio di Terra is for sure one of the most interesting wines, from a tasting perspective and an intellectual one, that I discovered on the Aeolian Islands. This Malvasia sees prolonged skin contact in above-ground amphorae. No commercial yeasts are added, and the wine ages on the fine lees for six months, showing us that Malvasia has the fiber and the power to submit to this hands-off winemaking approach. It opens to a medium golden color with lots of ambient light. The aromas are fragrant and rich, covering a wide range, with tea leaf, saffron, apricot and rose. There is also something very Sicilian here that recalls the sweet fruits used in the island’s best desserts… 93 Points.”

97 POINT TXAKOLI? WHY NOT?

Yeah, we know. The first question most people will ask is how does a Txakoli get that kind of review? There are many ways to approach the question, but the easiest one is talking about relativity. Some reviewers approach tasting with the idea of making comparisons within the genre, whereas others look at a broader, though not necessarily more correct one. Clearly perspective is necessary. You aren’t comparing a Spanish Txakoli to Haut Brion Blanc, you are comparing it to other Txakolis. If it’s head of the class, so be it.

Perhaps more to the point, the goal of tasting is to find the best options out there without having some kind of agenda. That being the case, then the ‘score’ here is justified because this is arguably the best Txakoli we’ve ever had. Most Txakolis are crisp, clean, and slightly fizzy, something to wash down food like a Basque version of Portugal’s Vinho Verde. But what’s wrong with aspiring to more? That seems to be the case with Hiruzta Txakolina 2020, be it by virtue of this estate’s efforts or a unique set of circumstances in the 2020 vintage. It’s probably some of both.

In their own words, “Hiruzta is a Txakoli wine that combines classicism and modernity. It is made from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape, grown in the winery’s own vineyards in Hondarribia and fermented at its state-of-the-art facility in Getariako Txakolina.” The winery’s 17-hectare vineyard surrounds the winery itself, at the foothills of Jaizkibel Mountain. It is oriented towards the mid-day sun which protects it from the wind and damp of the nearby Cantabrian Sea. It’s about sunshine mediated by the sea, and 2020 was a particularly dry vintage that allowed the grapes get fully ripe.

Yes, you have the proper acidity, and that expected little kick of fizz. It would serve you fine in some pintxos bar crawl. But there’s so much more. This one also has fruit, weight, and character which sets it apart from most Txakolis out there. Hiruzta harvests by hand in small crates, destems, and crushes via a soft pressing. The juice is then stored at a low temperature to retain some of the natural carbonation. In the winery’s notes, they speak of 2020 as a very successful vintage. This 2020 is balanced and fresh as it should be. Yet there is texture to the pear, apple, tropical and citrus fruit. It is Txakoli in every sense of the word, but a more complete wine in many ways.

Decanter Magazine found a lot to like here, “Bright lemon peel and grapefruit aromas with some underlying tropical fruits. Light prickle on the palate with mid-palate weight and texture; deftly poised with palate-whetting acidity. Long, zesty, elegant, crunchy and fine-boned, this has delightful charm. Shellfish anyone?… 97 Points.”

Yes, that 97 point score will raise an eyebrow or two. But it’s about excelling in the Txakoli category, not as a direct comparison to some boutique, limited release Chardonnay. Hiruzta Txakolina 2020 deserves the recognition because it’s…really…good… Txakoli. It rises above the category, and will stylistically appeal to a broader audience because it is a more complete wine, yet still costs under $20 ($17.98).

THREE IN A ROW IN BORDEAUX? OUI!

We’ve just gone through a very complete tasting of the 2020 Bordeaux and we can say with no hesitation that it is another sensational vintage. What defines it in comparison to the prior two vintages is, in a sense, size. The colors are uniformly dark and saturated and a number of the wines, particularly on the Right Bank, have unusually substantial weight and richness. Many of them almost flirt with a California-like ripeness which certainly is not a bad thing.

We aren’t going to get too much into our personal picks but there are some very impressive efforts based on the barrel samples we tasted and a number of them are definitely worthy of consideration for purchases on a pre-arrival basis. There are a few things that might be best-evers when all is said and done. Stay tuned as prices start to surface over the next couple of months beginning in earnest this week.

A big part of the consideration for a futures purchase is, of course, price. It will be interesting from an intellectual standpoint to see how the pricing shakes out. There are two very good vintages already completed and ready to go, so one might presume that such a situation might cause a bit of downward pressure on pricing. To that we must remind you that this is Bordeaux and standard logic does not apply. But there are definitely a number of very impressive wines in 2020, with the Right Bank perhaps the showiest.

It would not be surprising if the Bordelaise used the frost devastation in France to justify higher fares. But Bordeaux, which mainly sits along a series of larger rivers, was not hit particularly hard. In any case, the important message is that 2020 is a fantastic vintage based on what we tasted and Bordeaux aficianados definitely should be paying attention.

Finally, this vintage is somewhat historic. As long as we have been doing this, we don’t ever remember three vintages of this caliber occurring successively. Two, yes, 1961/1962, 1989/1990, 1995/1996, 2005/2006 and, of course, 2009/2010. But three? Not that we can recall.

There could potentially be even four but it is far too early to tell. However understand while that frost in the spring can dramatically reduce crop levels, put a financial strain on producers and gets growers upset, whatever survives can still be successful depending on the rest of the growing season. There just won’t be very much of it.

We can’t stress enough what a special moment it is for Bordeaux right now, maybe by a quirk of fate, maybe just as a function of global warming. But we remember all of the crummy vintages of the ’60s (’63, ’65,’68, ’69), ’70s (‘72,73,74,’77), ’80s (’84, ’87) and ’90s (’91,’93, ’97), and clearly things have changed in the new Millennium. There are three outstanding vintages to consider before. Take a long look at the 2020s. The good times are here…until they aren’t.