Chronicle 166: how to age 2013 and to refresh or not to refresh with 2014 wines; that is the question

How to age 2013 and to refresh or not to refresh with 2014 wines; that is the question Chronicle 166 (3 June 2014) Preamble: I set out to find out what the people in charge thought about the two issues cited above, when I met them to taste their 2013s. However, in the heat of the discussion, I sometimes forgot to ask one of the questions. Estates have apparently been entitled by European regulations to “refresh” one vintage with wines from another since 2003, although some people say this has only been the case since 2005 or 2009. The limit set is that at least 85% of the vintage reported on the label must be present in the bottle with a maximum of 15% of another. For more information, web-search the application of Commission Regulation 753-2002. Does this mean using the most recent wine made to refresh the previous vintage or adding older wines to the youngest, or both? I have to admit that at this point, I have not been able to find the precise answer to this question. It will become clearer as we look at the reactions of different people. This beneficial rule is mainly an open door for many small producers to smooth the quality of the wines they bottle from one year to the next. Does this entitlement exist for the more famous wines and do they exploit it? Probably if they really have to, but checking up on who does what does not seem very easy. In fact, if a grower has two vintages in the same cellar, what stops him or her from discretely exchanging a barrel of one for a barrel of the other? And who could tell? Although, if you think back to the torrid growth conditions of 2003, what a surprise it would be if you came across some fresh-tasting 2003s. Perhaps there is a way… Château l’Eglise Clinet “I can see a shorter ageing period and bottling earlier at the end of this year for some of my wines. And less new wood.” Denis Durantou, owner. Vieux Château Certan “We’ll cut down the length of ageing.” Alexandre Thienpont, owner. Château L’Evangile “We’ll see how long we age as the wine evolves. I have never refreshed a vintage and don’t intend to.” Jean-Pascal Vazard, Director. Château Calon Ségur “We don’t intend to age our 2013 differently, which is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, and we will use all new wood. We will not add any 2014.” Vincent Millet, Director. Château Palmer “To age the wine, I will go down to 50% new wood. We’ll be watching the duration very closely, because the wines are sensitive. Will we refresh 2013 with 2014? I don’t like the idea. I’m happy with the balance in the 2013, which is a light vintage.” Thomas Duroux, Director. Château Rauzan Segla “We won’t age the wine for long and we will be monitoring how it develops. We never refresh any of our vintages. They are as they are.” Henry de Ruffay, cellar master. Château Margaux “I’m very disappointed by the Merlot in 2013. Do we refresh vintages? Out of the question.” Paul Pontallier, Director. Château Marquis d’Alesme Becker “With regard to ageing, I never have set recipes; I adapt to circumstances. For example, before we used to order barrels in June. Today we reserve them at the beginning of September and we confirm even the type of toast we require, when the wine is fermenting. As far as refreshing a vintage is concerned, I add between 5 and 6% of another vintage, when it actually achieves something.” Marjolaine de Coninck, Director. Château d’Issan “We will reduce oxidation of the tannins during ageing by racking less. In my opinion, it wasn’t really cold this winter so no “wine diamonds”. So the 2013s appear tight and display less on the mid-palate. We don’t add wine from other vintages.” Eric Pellon, cellar master. Château Brane Cantenac “I’ll be monitoring the wine as it ages. I have never added wine from other vintages. Blending a vintage with another would deprive it of its own inherent harmony. I like to show the truth of a vintage.” Henry Lurton, owner. Château Haut Brion “We don’t use the 85:15 rule and I’ve never seen it used since I’ve been here (1988). I believe we should preserve the truth of a vintage. About ageing, we need to collect the wines together and bottle them when they are at their most enjoyable. I will be watching carefully for the crucial time at the end of summer. I’ll probably carry out one less racking and reduce the percentage of new wood to 65%.” Jean-Philippe Masclet, Director. Château Mouton Rothschild “There is no point adding in other vintages. I prefer to preserve the genuine nature of the vintage.” Philippe Dalhuin, Director. Château Pichon Baron “With regard to ageing, we’ll use 60% new wood instead of 80 or 90% for 17 months instead of 20. It will be made to measure. As far as refreshing a vintage is concerned, I have never done it, in order to keep a complete reflection of the year and the effort that was necessary to achieve it.” Jean René Matignon, Director. Château Angélus “Ageing will be very important in conserving the benefit that this vintage offers. Yes, ten years ago, we wouldn’t have made this vintage. Now we have to sell it, otherwise there was no point in making it.” Hubert de Boüard, owner. Château Canon La Gaffelière “Adding wine from another vintage? It all depends on 2014. I don’t close the door to it, but not 15%, which is enormous. 3 to 4% would suffice. Ageing of 2013 will be shorter and with less new wood.” Stéphane Neipperg, owner. Château Trottevieille “For now, the 2013s are taking the wood well. I’ll perhaps do one less racking. No, I don’t think we’ll add in any 2014.” Christophe Dussutour, cellar master. Château Troplong Mondot “I see about ageing as we go. We don’t ‘refresh’ our wines. It’s never happened since I’ve been here.” Jean-Pierre Taleyson, cellar master. Stéphane Derenoncourt, consultant “We didn’t go looking for structure. And adding 5% of 2012 won’t work. The fruit has lost a little of its sparkle, although we’d get more on the attack. We could perhaps add some 2014. Regarding ageing, I’ll reduce the proportion of new wood, especially after the first racking.” Château Teyssier, Le Dôme, le Carré… “Our decisions about how long to age the wines are reviewed every month. I don’t refuse the idea of adding a little wine from another vintage, because I never say no. What’s key is to have good wine in the bottle.” Jonathan Maltus My view on what is being said about this vintage There two things that surprise me in the opinions given about this vintage: how maturely the owners see its real dimension and the scores of journalists that are too high. The owners’ mature views The fact that the owners recognise 2013 as a modest vintage (meaning not a long-keeping wine; ‘modest’ does not mean ‘unpleasant’) is the best guarantee for the wines to be aged perfectly. Not like a wannabe great wine that the wrong type of ageing would just dry out, but a different vintage for which the usual practices need to be redefined so as to be softer and go more carefully; just see what the people said about the length of ageing, the percentage of new wood, racking, etc. This awareness is key to achieving an ageing process that fits the limits imposed by the vintage. Furthermore, Bordeaux may very well see a similar vintage in the near future, so it is a good opportunity to prepare the skills of the teams in the cellars to make the best of them. What could 1992, 1993 and1994 have been if they had been aged with what we know today? Clearly better! The contradiction with what the wine media say I am astounded by the level of the scores given in the media. Overall these scores put the wine at a level higher than they really are, which baffled the estate owners themselves! For once when the producers are actually being reasonable, their wines are being pushed up-scale by the commentators! Obviously, these high, even excessive scores are pushing prices up. The problem is, not a lot is selling! In the middle of this practically institutional support for the vintage, I can discern those reviews, which are focussed primarily on safeguarding their advertising budgets in the next few months. Then there are the commentators, who are more candid and open and who genuinely like these light wines that are easy to enjoy when still young. And in fact it is easier to like young wines with less concentration than when they are dense. But to stand up to ageing, the wines need at least a little stockiness and we are still a long way off bottling. And when you look at the relative value of these scores, the way they are used is pure smoke and mirrors. Only the absolute value of a score can highlight a basic trend in the quality of a vintage, but defining scores like this takes time in careful monitoring and comparison, and demands a lot more skill and determination. The market The vintage is not selling, because prices are too high compared to market expectations and China is no longer in the game. Many traders are foisting hot potatoes on their colleagues at zero margins, just so they don’t have to decline their allocations that they have taken so long to build up, yet avoid carrying too much troublesome stock. The danger is that pricing can become disorganised, which is a calculated risk on the part of the properties, because volumes are low. Remember too, that the price of a non speculative Bordeaux vintage always depends on the next. For now, 2014, which took off like a rocket, is starting to lose its earliness due to a cold wind that has blown in Bordeaux for three weeks. Apparently the volume to be harvested is average and no more. Everyone awaits flowering. Either things will go well and growers can count on the average volume, or anomalies during the process will lead to another small harvest. Its quality remains to be seen, but small volumes would maintain 2013 prices. We will find out what is going to happen in about a month. The comments, scores and prices known, now feature on my website. You are free to compare them as you wish. Happy reading! Jean-Marc Quarin _______________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2014. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@quarin.com The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

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Chronicle 166: how to age 2013 and to refresh or not to refresh with 2014 wines; that is the question

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