Bordeaux 2018 Primeurs: St Emilion Grand Cru Classé & Grand Cru
During a typical primeurs visit I dedicate a lot of time to the St Emilion appellation. Perhaps unsurprisingly so, given that more than 5,000 hectares of land are eligible, making this something of a Bordeaux behemoth. It dwarfs neighbouring Pomerol and all of the most famous left-bank appellations; combine the area dedicated to St Estèphe, Pauillac, St Julien and Margaux and you still need to find another thousand hectares (and some more) if you want to match the size of St Emilion.
Subscribers don’t need to be reminded that not only is this appellation very extensive, it is also a very intricate one. One reason for this is that it has a diverse array of terroirs, including limestone and clay (and combinations thereof), various types of sand of course, not to mention the gravel beds at its very western extreme. Another is that while Merlot dominates, an array of other varieties play their part, not least Cabernet Franc which is gaining ground within the appellation, and which famously dominates in some cuvées (and comes close to it in others). And then there is of course the winemaking; while some turn out wines of elegance and sinew, others seem determined to fashion wines of extraction and alcohol. Not as much as they once did, admittedly, but the style still has a presence here.
As a consequence, this instalment of my 2018 primeurs report is perhaps the most involved. It also presents subscribers with the largest number of tasting notes in any single update, 97 being the final tally for this vintage (I confess to being mildly disappointed that I did not taste three more wines, to round it off at a neat one hundred). I have considered splitting the report up somehow, but my St Emilion notes are already divided between two instalments, and to split it further would not be conducive to achieving my aim, which is to publish as many notes, as quickly as possible. This is why, for example, I have condensed some other notes into The Rest of the Left and The Rest of the Right updates (as per the box, above right).
So, without further ado, let’s hear from some more of this appellation’s proprietors, technical directors and consultants how they dealt with the 2018 growing season, harvest and vinifications.
