The vintage 2013

Patrick Bernard recommends a “lower price” wine

On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Millésima (wine merchant) organized its 25th Panorama tasting of Bordeaux wines . The principle of this tasting is not to present the futures wines (Primeurs) beforehand but to offer tasting many wines of the previous vintage. So Tuesday 150 châteaux of Bordeaux (only red wines) and their owners came to show us the new 2012 vintage just before it is bottled. You have also the opportunity to read the tasting notes of the wines next week.

Some may doubt the value of re-taste wines that have been tasted at Futures (Primeurs)  last year and especially shortly before the Futures 2013 (Primeurs). Personally I would say that this kind of tasting Panorama organized just before bottling is much smarter than tasting Futures (Primeurs).

Indeed as you tasted it at Primeurs? Wines that are not finished, just put in barrels (ageing) and not yet blended such that they will eventually be … We will say that the Futures (Primeurs) allow to know what 60% looks like a wine and especially to buy cheaper (with delivery in 12 to 18 months), which provides an opportunity for properties to get cash sooner than expected. To hide nothing from you personally I believe that the great interest of Futures is especially “exchange business card”, professionals and maintains the professionals network.

Well ! Going back to our topic ! After two hours of tasting and cocktail lunch to introduce Patrick Bernard, head of Millésima, began his speech with not a retrospective on the 2012 tasted above but with printing and advice on the 2013 vintage.

To frame/explain the context in 2013 is the subject since early August judgments (often wrongly) quite decided. Between those who considered the year as a “disaster” even before the grape is fully ripe and those who condemned internationally without any tasting it is true that 2013 is already commercially stillborn. Which is a shame because even though the weather was not ideal and it is a much more complicated to do that in 2009 there was nevertheless beautiful things in this vintage, beautiful juice, beautiful colors … In the end part of 2013 should be interesting to try in a few years. Also I would add that apart from vineyards affected by the weather this is the kind of the vintage (like 2007) that we will be able to see all the skill of the winemaker.

In his speech, Patrick Bernard (Millésima) after he renewed his full support to the growers gave us his vision of the 2013 vintage : “This is a vintage that has no defect, which is not a lot of alcohol and is balanced … It will allow us to drink good wine until 2009 and 2010 are ready. ” The speech could have met a lot if he had stopped there, but P. Bernard followed with some advice for growers “We have an office in Asia. Our customers in Hong Kong have told us that they were not interested in this vintage. And the United States, where we also have representatives and just over 20,000 customers, we have been warned that the interest would be very limited. The future of this vintage is in Europe … but you must listen to this market that asks you a suitable price.” The message is passed and it is clear, if “we” want to sell the 2013 we must practice “lower” prices.

I would like to allow myself to add that certain properties in the last years have raised unproportionatelly their prices, and it is true that a lessen in their prices will allow to bring back a reasonable/just right price.

Choukroun Chicheportiche Jonathan

Copyright Picture n°1 ©Millésima