Geoffrey Dean sends the first report by a foreign journalist from Bordeaux on the 2010 harvest and its huge potential
Wine lovers around the world will probably not know whether to laugh with joy, or cry at the likelihood of high en primeur prices, when they hear that many leading figures at the leading Bordeaux vineyards believe the 2010 vintage could be as good as that of 2009. From Chateau Canon in St Emilion, where harvesting started this morning, to Lynch-Bages in Margaux to Smith Haut Lafitte in Graves and Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac-Leognan, a consensus has been emerging: 2010 is going to be a wonderful year for both reds and whites if the quality of the fruit is anything to go by.
Gilles Pauquet, who is consulting oenologist for Chateau Canon, Cheval Blanc, and Figeac, could not hide his excitement: "When I took the decision on Tuesday that we would start the harvest at Chateau Canon this morning," he said, "I had never seen this colour, richness and natural concentration in both our merlot and cabernet franc berries. 2010 should be a great year."
Ch Brane Cantenac
In the Medoc, meanwhile, I could hardly fail to notice some very big smiles on faces. "We don't want to say it as no one wants to hear it after 2009 but we think 2010 is going to be extraordinary," Corinne Saussier Conroy, Brane Cantenac's director of marketing and communication, told me when I visited the vineyard on Tuesday. Christophe Capdeville, the estate manager there, got straight down to specifics: "There's lots of sugar in the berries, and a bit more acidity than '09 as well as more tannins. They have more colour and they are richer. Perhaps they are are more concentrated. The cabernet is magnifique...very perfumed. Weather conditions have been ideal...very little water for the vines in a very dry summer, a cool August but some hot weather in September with cold nights. The yield is low."
Nicolas Labenne, Lynch-Bages winemaker
When I popped up the D2 to see Nicolas Labenne, winemaker at Lynch-Bages, he went further. "Our cabernet sauvignon is exceptional," he said. "In fact, this looks like being the best cabernet I've seen in my five harvests at Lynch-Bages - better than 2009. The yield is low and the alcohol higher than normal at 13.2%. The cold weather did not help with the flowering of the merlot, but it had no effect on the cabernet. What I will probably do is give the Chateau Lynch Bages a much higher percentage of cabernet in the blend."
A tasting the next morning with Daniel Cathiard, owner of Smith Haut Lafitte, brought yet more predictions of greatness. "Our whites are going to be amazing. There's more freshness and complexity in the juice than last year. We don't dare say it as we didn't think anything could be better than what we made in 2009. But there is so much taste in the sauvignon juice and so much complexity. There's 15-20 seconds of length. We are quite sure we will make great wine this year."
Daniel Cathiard with wife Florence
I was fortunate enough to drink what was delectable sauvignon blanc juice at Domaine de Chevalier on Wednesday afternoon, the grapes having been picked only that morning. "Nice acidity, nothing but fruit," Remy Edange, general manager there, purred with delightful understatement. We then went to taste the 2009 red ex-barrel. "We are lucky to be alive to try this," he continued. "1982, 2005, 2009 were the very best years here. It's too early to say yet, as our black grapes won't be ready to pick until October, but maybe 2010 could join those three vintages."
Domaine de Chevalier
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