Bordeaux 2013: the secrets of success
How could such success be achieved with such weather?
After spending two whole days tasting the Bordeaux Primeurs 2013It must be noted that this 2013 vintage is surprising, to say the least. How could the Châteaux have achieved this? 2013 a beautifully crafted wineGiven the difficult weather conditions? This is the question we kept asking the various teams we met at the Château Pavia, Château Calon-Ségur And Château Ducru-Beaucaillou.
The cursed vintages
First, let's remember that the rainfall recorded in 2013 was 230 days, compared to an average of 120 days! That's simply enormous. The lack of sunshine was proportionally greater. Added to this was a mediocre September with warm nights and periods of rain, creating an environment conducive to botrytis. The weather undoubtedly brings to mind disastrous vintages like 1972 or 1992. The wines were acidic, lacking concentration and tannins: undrinkable!
Let's first describe the wines of 2013 vintage They are fruity, light, pleasant, not too concentrated, nicely colored, with silky tannins. They will be wines for short aging which will definitely need to be consumed before 2009 and 2010. In terms of quality, they will fall between 2006 and 2008.
How the crisis in the vineyards was managed
Everywhere we went, we heard the same things: we had to go into the vineyards, work the soil, prevent diseases, thin the leaves, harvest green, etc. The fact is that for the third year in a row, the weather conditions are bad:The castles are now well-versed in crisis management. and are able to make quick decisions and set up teams to react at short notice.
In the same way The management of the grape harvest proved crucial. Large teams had to be mobilized very quickly to harvest the grapes as soon as the signal was given. And once again, for the third year in a row, sorting the berries would ensure that only the ripe fruit was retained. The major châteaux are now equipped with optical sorting machines that they know how to operate.
The very precise work of winemaking: gently
In winemaking, unlike the practices of the 2000s, where concentration was sought, the cellar masters proceeded with slow and gentle extractionsSilkiness was sought at the expense of concentration. Presses, increasingly precise, are adapted to perform precision work.
Finally, modern wineries are adapted to vinify by plot, which allows for the isolation of batches as much as possible and for only the superior qualities to be retained in the Grand Vin.
The result is therefore incredible. Quality is achieved through increasingly refined management of processes and details. Technology, observation, and the mobilization of teams allow for the best possible management of nature's whims. Production costs were high in 2013, but that's the price to pay to achieve this. a nice wine.