The first week in April, the primeur tastings take place in Bordeaux. This means that buyers, importers, wine merchants and journalists come to Bordeaux to taste the latest vintage. We also had the opportunity to try some 2018 when we visited Bordeaux on one of our wine tours recently. Everyone agrees: it is a brilliant vintage. But it was a difficult year. Unlike Champagne, which had both quality and volume, the harvest in Bordeaux was small.
Between March and June, it rained more or less non-stop. The downy mildew attacks were severe and difficult to handle. From mid-July, however, it became dry and warm and this saved the harvest. But hail caused great damage in some places; in late May in southern Médoc, Bourg, Blaye and Pessac-Léognan and in July in Sauternes.
In the end, the quality was very good but the quantity small and for some chateaux, very small. The wines are well-built with both freshness and structure. They are of course not ready yet. They will stay in barrel for at least another year.
Travel: Come to Bordeaux on a wine tour this autumn.
