Bordeaux 2012: Tasting in 2014
Having reviewed 2012 Bordeaux extensively last year at the primeurs, the next significant look at this vintage will come later this year, when I taste the freshly bottled wines, both as the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tour begins (usually in October, in London) but also as I head down to Bordeaux the same month to make some visits. In fact, I have two trips to Bordeaux lined up for October 2014, so please consider the brief snapshot of the vintage presented here as no more than a passing glance, as there is plenty more to come on the wines of this vintage later in the year.
The 2012 Vintage
The 2012 vintage was one that was wet, and late. Spring weather was relatively cool and wet, leading to a slow and stuttering flowering, ultimately leading to significant problems with coulure (failure of fruit set) and millerandage (‘hen-and-chicken’ bunches). The weather during the early summer remained cool and damp, so this was a summer of mildew. Then in July warm and dry weather completely flipped the vintage over; although initially beneficial, drying up the mildew-affected leaves and encouraging vegetative growth and fruit development, after a few weeks vines on better-drained terroirs began to experience hydric stress. Thanks to the late flowering a late harvest was inevitable, and after some September rain everybody kept their fingers crossed for good weather through October, but it wasn’t to be. In mid-October the weather turned; many of the Merlots had already been picked, so again this is a vintage that favours the right bank properties such as Château Gazin (pictured), but the Cabernets weren’t quite at optimal ripeness. Nevertheless, it was pick now, or leave the fruit to rot on the vines; the choice was obvious.
