The Vin-X Bordeaux harvest visit is one of the highlights of our year and 2022 will be marked by a new super-star in the making.
We always look forward to visiting the vineyards at this most exciting time with the picking teams and horses traversing between vines and the normal tranquillity of chateaux cellars transformed with frenetic activity as this year’s crop hits the sorting tables. Harvest reveals how well winemakers dealt with the climate and economic challenges of the year and, by being there, we get the embryonic indicators of the 2022 vintage.
Chateau Pontet-Canet at harvest
Bordeaux 2022 harvest
Our first return to Bordeaux since lockdown, it was great to revisit some of our favourite vineyards and catch up with old and make new friends. As we have reported previously, many vineyards across Europe started harvest early and Bordeaux was no different. Picking began 15 to 20 days earlier than normal with white wines about 16th August and Merlot, first of the reds, being harvested in the warmer terroirs on the 1st September.
A historic year for climate in the region saw temperatures rise above the 30-year average and rainfall below. Record heat and drought triggered forest fires and dramatic hailstorms in June challenged even world-class wine makers.
Travelling from St Estephe to St Emilion the consensus we noted at this very early stage was that the signs are promising. Possibly a lower yield vintage but the quality indicators are looking good.
Harvest 2022 visit highlights
Chateau Pontet-Canet
We received a great welcome at Chateau Pontet-Canet in Pauillac. One of the leaders of the biodynamic movement in Bordeaux, the 1855 Classification Fifth Growth estate was established in the 18th century, is owned by the Tesseron family and directed by their ‘guru’ winemaker Jean-Michel Comme. Tradition combined with the very best modern biodynamic practices create great wines and we enjoyed a superb tasting and vineyard tour. A stand-out feature of the visit is Pontet-Canet’s menagerie with donkeys grazing between the vines and their team of powerful Breton horses working in the vineyard with the harvest teams.
Chateau La Mission Haut Brion
La Mission Haut Brion is located ‘over the road’ from its First Growth sister estate, Chateau Haut Brion in the appellation of Pessac- Leognan. Owned by Domaine Clarence Dillon, both chateaux have histories which date back centuries and Haut Brion can trace its origins back to Roman occupation in the first Century. Prince Robert of Luxembourg is the current Chairman and CEO of Domaine Clarence Dillon which also owns St Emilion’s Chateau Quintus.
We were hosted brilliantly and were privileged to taste Chateau Haut Brion 2017 and La Mission Haut Brion 2017 along with La Mission’s second wine, La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion 1998. In all a sublime experience.
Chateau Figeac
Our timing to visit Chateau Figeac could not have been more perfect. Just days after the publication of the 2022 edition of the St Emilion Classification, the team at Chateau Figeac were in celebratory mood as a result of their elevation the highest level. Figeac now joins Chateau Pavie as the only two estates rated as St Emilion Grand Cru Classe A, see our earlier blog for more detail on this. The estate has been consistently producing excellent wines achieving high critical scores for years and it comes as no surprise that this has been recognised by the St Emilion authorities.
In contrast to uber-exclusive grandeur of Haut Brion or classic, biodynamic nature of Pontet Canet, Figeac oozes modernity and is awash with the latest technology. This is a wine maker on a mission to make the very best wine and committing significant investment. The result – just outstanding.
A harvest visit to savour
It was a fabulous trip, we enjoyed journeying and tasting through the region. A stand-out moment for one team member was to simply pluck a Petrus grape from its vine and taste the fabled wine ‘at true source’.
Bordeaux is a vast wine making region with approximately 3,000 chateaux, of which a very small number are recognised as luxury brands, creating valuable investment wines. The region was the birthplace of the international fine wine trade, and it continues to be the most prolific and important producer of fine wine traded in the secondary market. Every serious wine investor should make time to come and enjoy Bordeaux.
For more information on Bordeaux and the fine wine market speak to a member of our expert team on 0203 384 2262.