The Drinkers Vintage
The market was stressed and tired for Bordeaux wines after the explosion of popularity in 2009/2010 followed by the difficult 2011 and then came 2012. A year that at the time wasn’t given much notice as consumers shifted their attention towards other regions like Rhone and Burgundy, Bordeaux marched on without much fanfare until the 2015 vintage. For the astute buyer and The World of Wine, 2012 offered something intriguing and the results now, 14 years on, are starting to repay those buyers faith.
Snapshot of the Season
A mixed vintage that was plagued by a viticultural hazard called coulure. This is a metabolic reaction to weather conditions where vines struggle to produce grapes after flowering, potentially leading to uneven yields and quality. This particularly affected old vine Merlot in Bordeaux which means some of the most esteemed estates suffered from not producing wines with the requisite structure that the region is famed for. As such, the wines of the left bank did not have the proportions of dense Merlot for blending as normal - leading to tannic wines that relied heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon and were nominally panned by critics in the early reviews. Similarly, the right bank wines of Pomerol and Saint Emilion (Merlot dominant appellations) were labelled ‘fruit forward’ and without towering structure received similar caution.
Yields were affected and prices subsequently dropped. The pricing of Bordeaux had become dependent during this time on the Liv-EX and trading market of London and Europe, which is dictated by critical reviews.
How Estates Triumphed
The most versatile and agile estates, managing smaller vineyards or willing to produce lower volume of their showpiece wines were able to navigate this by leaning into the vintage conditions. The early ripening of Merlot and Cabernet Franc meant early picking was required to maintain balance between sugar, flavour and polyphenolic ripeness. This might not have endeared all the wine critics looking for power and concentration, but it resulted in wines described consistently as ‘old school’ or ‘restrained’ or ‘sophisticated’. The wines had slightly lower than average alcohol levels to match the flavour intensity, acidity and tannins. All the vintage reports at the time, whether Vinous Media or The Wine Advocate, referred to the wines produced as “Outstanding, Early maturing and Accessible”.
More than a Decade on
At the World of Wine we are not only dedicated to researching and sourcing the best wines, but we also love drinking fine wine. We take our role very seriously to ensure we are speaking from a place of knowledge and experience. As such, over the last 12 months, we have sampled a number of 2012 Bordeaux wines:
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Domaine de Chevalier
What we have discovered is just how approachable, fine and impressive these 2012’s are looking today. The softer tannins and slightly lower alcohol levels have led to wines which have developed earlier and are offering layered expressions of sites that are simply exceptional right now. The primary flavour spectrum is still on full display, the secondary complexity is integrated with poise, and the tertiary layers show earthy tones which complete the picture. The wines are superb, particularly the expressions produced from Pomerol!
The positive?
The great news is that there is still a swathe of wines available from the 2012 vintage, at accessible prices, which are drinking with extraordinary class right now. What may have been seen as a year to skip on release has turned on its charm and now looks like one of the best years to drink from 2010’s.