The vintage that blindsided us
The circumstances in which 2019 Bordeaux en primeur took place now feel like a long time ago. It was early 2020, and the onset of the pandemic and lockdown had changed the world. Uncorked had closed its doors and was operating as a delivery-only outlet; our annual trip to Bordeaux had been cancelled. The reports that reached us from those critics able to taste suggested 2019 was an excellent vintage, but it wasn't clear anyone was paying attention. We ourselves didn't have a lot to go on - just a few sample phials behind the counter. (The Bordelais would be much more organised come the 2020 vintage, when samples reached the UK by the lorryload).
Then the Bordelais did something nobody expected - they dropped their prices. Most major chateaux released their 2019s at a substantial discount on their 2018 release price, often by as much as 20-25%. Pontet-Canet came out priced over 30% down on the preceding vintage. Suddenly it seemed rude not to, and we had a campaign on our hands.
2018, 2019 and 2020 together form a magnificent trilogy, three back-to-back excellent vintages. A critical consensus has taken shape that 2019 is the best of the three, optimally placed between 2018 (exuberant, plush) and 2020 (concentrated, structured). The 2019s are now in bottle, in the UK. You might protest that 2019 Bordeaux is far too young to be drunk now; and for the top wines, you'd be dead right. But second wines like Haut-Bailly II, Pichon Comtesse Reserve and Echo de Lynch-Bages offer an accessible early insight into the character of the grand vin. Capbern has terroir as good as the classed growths around it. The Medoc and the Haut-Medoc are a trove of joyful early drinking (Senejac, Tour de By); for St-Emilion look to Berliquet or Bellefont-Belcier. /NT
As part of our 'Thirsty Thursday' tastings we will have four wines from the vintage on tasting today in our Copthall Avenue store between noon and 5:30.
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available immediately
