Futures 2013: The most successful appellation

Below the finest wines that I have tasted during the 2013 “en Primeurs” weeks

Markus Del Monego (right), me and Andreas Larsson (left)

After the end of the 2013 Bordeaux “en primeur” week it is time to take stock. Personally this year I had the opportunity and the honor to be able to follow throughout the EnPrimeur week, two Best Sommeliers of the World: Markus Del Monego (1998) and Andreas Larsson (2007) in their trip and to taste with them. I would like to thank Primeurs TV for giving me this great opportunity.

As I said, after a week of tasting and tasted hundreds of wines I was able to get a right idea of qualities of the 2013 vintage. Before I give you my opinion and my wine reviews I want to clarify and remember that the wines tasted are unfinished and still in the aging process. Thus they allow us to have an idea of what they would look like but not to know exactly what they will be.

Before you even begin to taste the Futures wines I already sent forth strong doubts about the credibility to carry prejudices and fashionable ideas denouncing the 2013 vintage as a total failure, as a bad vintage. After several hundreds of tasted wines, before, during and after the “en primeur” week I can tell you that this is actually not a bad vintage to forget.

Certainly it is not the best vintage of the century or comparable to 2009 when it was rather ”easy” to make a good wine. Climatic conditions have rather spoiled the vineyard that year but in 2013 we reserve of surprises. Also I want to remind that it is dangerous to generalize opinions. Indeed to say ” this is a bad vintage ” even before taste and without bothering to specify what kind of wine(s) (red ? Dry white ? Semi sweet / Sweet) To me, that is a total lack of professionalism.

François Mitjaville (Château Tertre Roteboeuf)

I am not saying this year/vintage was “easy”. This is one of the most difficult vintages of these 10 – 15 past years. But 2013 has the chance, as Mr. Paul Pontallier (Château Margaux) said to be born in 2013 and thus inherit many years of extensive studies, knowledge enhancement and production tools.

This vintage is a “winemaker-vintage” that is to say, a year in which the work of the winemaker, his attention, his listening skills and know-how made the difference. We must also add a dose of terroir and a big dose of luck. In fact, It does not matter if your winery is the best, if the inclement weather destroyed the flowers or berries, unfortunately there is nothing else to do.

My opinion on the vintage 2013

This is a very heterogeneous vintage with appellations and kind of wines that are doing better than others. Concerning sweet wines, given that 2013 was a year very conducive to the development of botrytis Which made them very sucessful. It’s, in my opinion, a great vintage. Dry white wines are also quite succeeded, fruity, fresh and with a quite pure fruit.

For red wines there is a little trickier. There are appellations that are doing better than others as for  example Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol and Pessac Léognan. However, do not get confused, you can also find good sucess, but its just about searching and finding.

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou

Generally red wines have a beautiful freshness and no vegetal aromas (usually related to cabernet) and purity, precision and remarkable fond of fruit. Also the wines of 2013 have lower alcohol than in previous vintages. The wines of the Medoc have a certain lightness found everywhere on this Garonne bank. But an elegant lightness that is not understood as a lack of substance.Exceptionally, and here I warn you, the appellations of Médoc and Haut-Médoc in which there is a significant portion of the wines lack a bit of substance but like I said it is not in 100 % of the cases. It is quite common but it is not the case for all wines ! The work of the man behind the bottle makes the difference in many cases ! A well control extractions also play a very important role. Indeed one of the mistakes to not do this year is not over-extract … Finally the only advice I would give you is not to draw a line under the 2013 vintage but trying it. It is necessary to taste to have a real idea of the quality.

The opinions of wine industry leaders.

Château Cheval Blanc

Also in order to better inform you about the quality of this vintage I made few video interviews of wine professionals. In each of these videos, people give you their opinions, their thoughts and their analysis after tasting the 2013 vintage. Videos are available on the WINE TV of my website.

What you will find includes: Michel Rolland (“The flying winemaker”), Pierre Lurton (Cheval Blanc / Yquem), Markus Del Monego (Best Sommelier of the World 1998), Paul Ponthalier (Château Margaux), Jean Luc Thunevin (winemaker), Andreas Larsson (Best Sommelier of the World 2007), James Suckling (internationally recognized wine critic and wine journalist) … etc

The tasting notes of Futures (Primeurs) 2013

Barrels cellar of the Château Montrose

For the first time I tried to score wines (It was a great oportunity).

The objective was not to compare wines from appellations as we not expect the same thing from a Fronsac as a Pessac-Léognan but to ”classify” (and write) wine appellation and this always refer what is expected of it in relation to its appellation.

Below you will find a many wines but also the link to access at the full wine reviews of Markus Del Monego and Andreas Larsson (over 600 wines).

In below wine reviews all Bordeaux appellations are not present, not because they are”not good wine” but simply because I have not tasted enough wines from these appellations to establish an honest-representative classification. I also want to clarify that in the case of a single TOP first notes, designations are given. This does not in any way that the rest is not worth to be drunk, but simply that they are not part of my first notes.

As you can see under this article the 2013 vintage produced some great wines (the list above is not exhaustive). Other tasting notes are available upon request by email. If you want yours wines to be tasted do not hesitate to contact me by mail.

The ratings from the two Best Sommeliers of the World are available on this link.

Thank you and enjoy tasting !

Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche