Team Corney & Barrow is currently in Bordeaux tasting cask samples of the 2011 vintage at the annual Union des Grands Crus event. After four days of intense tasting, we would like to share our thoughts with you to help shape your views on what to buy this year. First of all the wines:

Left Bank (Médoc etc.)

This is certainly the more variable or “heterogene” part of Bordeaux this year but in general we are finding the wines better than initially expected. From the second rank wines above, comparisons are to be made with 2004, 2006 and 2008 and in some cases, as good as 2001. Yields are again variable with Lafite producing at normal levels but very low yields at Branaire-Ducru for example. We have found the lowest yields to be in St Estephe due to the hail that fell on September 1st.

We are finding the style to be classical (i.e. leaner like 2006 rather than the densely packed fruit of 2005) and straightforward with tannin levels and acidity similar to 2010 but perhaps with slightly less fruit. The catchwords we are using to describe these wines are purity, elegance and freshness where the winemaker needed to translate his ingredients with care and sensitivity and, in particular to avoid over-extraction.

Right Bank (St Emilion, Pomerol etc.)

Definitely the sweet spot for this vintage in our opinion. The famously understated Christian Moueix believes his wines to be at least as good as 2001, which is very encouraging indeed. At our tasting with the Ets. J-P Moueix team on Saturday we felt that Hosanna and Trotanoy stood out in particular but the general level of quality at the tasting was very high. As a result, we are all very excited about the prospect of tasting with Francois & Louis Mitjavile and also at Chateau Rocheyron, our new exclusivity.

A brief word about the white wines. We have tasted very little so far but from what we have tasted and from what we gather, the sweet and dry whites will be exceptional.

Pricing

For many, this will be the key that dictates whether to buy or not. We are shortly posting some videos on our website of interviews we have done with various proprietors. Most are being very tight-lipped about release prices but we definitely sense an air of nervousness but, more encouragingly, some sense of reality and being tuned-in to what consumers expect and want this year, Our fingers are crossed.

We will be updating our website regularly with information as and when we receive it and also be tweeting regular through our Twitter account here….please follow us for more information. As ever, do please call us if you have any queries and we will be very happy to help.