vineyards survived and prospered, although ill fate was experienced by some vignerons. The extreme hot weather around 11th August led to an outbreak of a ‘monster fire’ at Landiras, 30 kilometres south-east of Bordeaux. Although a few vineyards in the area were badly damaged – notably the cult vineyard Liber Pater – the overall impact of the fires was negligible, or so it seems. The fires swept through 27,000 hectares of tinder dry forest and around 10,000 people were advised to leave their homes. But the prevailing winds dispersed the smoke further south. Although some haze wafted over Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, the concentration of smoke was not enough to impact the grapes. Other fires were also prevalent in the Graves and Médoc regions, but it seems that the Chateaux have dodged the proverbial bullet. Having tasted many wines from the vintage, there seems to be no cause for concern. This is also confirmed by no reports of smoke taint in returning samples from laboratory tests. Fine weather during September allowed most vignerons to enjoy ‘à la carte harvesting’, where the mild and dry conditions provided ideal and leisurely picking conditions. Although yields were generally significantly down, the quality of the grapes was exceptional, with thick black skins, ripe tannins and sufficient acidities to give freshness and mineral length. Overall, merlot performed extremely well, developing thick skins, plenty of flavour and ripe tannins. The later-ripening cabernet sauvignon accumulated higher sugars and powerful tannin structures. Cabernet franc also ripened very well, adding a briskness and freshness to the final blends, especially in Saint-Émilion. Many Chateaux were able to use their press wines in their final blends because the tannins were so soft and pleasurable. Château Lafite Rothschild used 17% press wine in its final Grand Vin blend, which is remarkable. It promises to ‘exalt the soul’ of the wine. Château Léoville-Las Cases used around 8% and Château Margaux used around 12% in their final blends. This highlights the quality and suppleness of the tannins. Although yields were down to as little as 25 hectolitres per hectare (normally 30–35 hl/h), many producers didn’t bother to make second wines because of high-quality grand vin selections. On the other hand, cynics might argue that these decisions were made to mitigate potential financial shortfalls. Ultimately, however, the wines speak for themselves. Margaret River WA 6285 Cellar Door Leeuwin Estate View
Bordeaux 2022
7
Powered by FlippingBook