Just Say No to 2021 Bordeaux

When I was in Bordeaux this past November, I asked every château we visited about the 2021 vintage. They all gave me the same kind of response: a shrug, a shrug and a raised eyebrow, or the quintessentially French pfffffffff.

The message: skip!
The reason: rain.
The explanation: wait for 2022.

So here I am, encouraging you to do the same. 2021 Bordeaux red wines are on pre-sale right now, and will be available for regular purchase starting this summer. This is your friendly reminder that when you see the date “2021” next to the word “Bordeaux”, keep on shopping.

This doesn’t mean that the 2021 vintage is undrinkable, but Bordeaux has been turning out such excellent red wine year after year that this blip isn’t worth buying. In fact, James Molesworth, the senior editor who covers Bordeaux for Wine Spectator, says of the nearly 300 2021s he reviewed he “found no wines in the class level of 95 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale.” That hasn’t happened since 2013 (another lousy year in the region).

You’ll still find some hidden gems. Molesworth specifically shouts out Echo de Lynch Bages 2021 (available for pre-sale at Saratoga Wines for $50/bottle) and Château Phélan Ségur (available for pre-sale at Saratoga wines for $45/bottle). Wine Spectator gives both wines 91 points. James Suckling gives Phélan Segur 94 points. That’s my best bet for 2021. I’ll try it and report back.

If you’ve tasted the 2019s and 2020s, I don’t need to tell you how deliciously excellent they are. If you have either vintage in your cellar, I don’t need to remind you how many fabulous 90+ point Bordeaux you’ve already bought, some as cheap as $14.99. If you’re new to wine and looking to dabble in Bordeaux, try what’s left of those years. If you’re interested in adding to your collection or buying wines to age, hang on for 2022. Don’t believe me? Just ask a winemaker from the region about the 2022 vintage. Their eyes will light up. No “pffffs” there.

Chin!