2006 Bordeaux Vintage Report

After a week of intensive barrel-sampling in early April, it is gratifying to conclude that, at least amongst the upper level's of the Bordeaux hierarchy, this is a much better vintage than had at first seemed likely.

A growing season characterized by bizarre extremes of unseasonable weather conditions posed problems not seen, or certainly not solved, in generations. A cold, wet winter had made for healthy vines. An ideal Spring led into an early Summer of extreme heat, stoking expectations of another potential " vintage of the century ". All this changed with a cold and wet August, a return to abnormal heat in early September, and then heavy rain just as the harvest was getting underway, and finally, relief and favorable conditions in late-September and into October.

More significant even than technological and scientific advances in wine-making over the past twenty or so years, has been an increased understanding of vineyard management. Those who could afford the labor and cost-intensive preventive measures such as leaf and crop-thinning and the re-doubling of harvest crews in order to sweep quickly through the vineyards between downpours, often got away with far better wines than would have been possible just a few years ago.

The downside to this, of course, is that those without the resources for such remedial action were disadvantaged and unable to salvage much of quality from over-cropping and the various adverse conditions brought on by the damp. So, with lowered yields and, in some cases a stylistic reversal of recent trends towards massively extracted wines, an excellent and interesting vintage has resulted for many of the more advantaged properties.

This initial posting of notes on some of the vintages best and most prominent wines will be followed by selections from lesser-known properties and appellations.

We now await prices from Bordeaux before we launch our 2006 Futures offerings.