Decanter World Wine AwardsBordeaux 2010: Alcohol is threatening Bordeaux style, say winemakers
- Friday 1 April 2011
In both the 2010 and 2009 vintages it was common to see Merlots surpass 15% alcohol, a situation Didier Cuvelier, owner of Chateau Leoville Poyferre in St Julien , finds ‘disturbing’.
In the Medoc, one of the reasons for planting Merlot had been because it ripened better than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cuvelier said.
‘But more recently, the Merlot has got so high in alcohol that we run the risk of losing the Bordeaux style,’
While all varieties have seen higher alcohol levels, Merlot’s susceptibility to ripen quickly and attain the highest alcohol levels makes it more of a challenge, consultant Denis Dubourdieu said.
A string of very good vintages since 2000 have meant there ‘has been no need to chaptalise, so sugars are naturally there and that is a good thing.’
But he noted the tendency for properties on the Right Bank to strive for greater concentration of sugars in the grapes by techniques such as leaf removal, which results in small and concentrated grapes.
Later picking – sometimes even after the Sauternes harvest in October – was becoming more common, Dubourdieu, who also owns the Barsac estate Chateau Doisy Daene, said.
‘There is a race towards concentration, to please many critics,’ he said. ‘I have been a consultant for 30 years; I have spent the first 20 years telling people not to harvest too early; in the last 10 years I have told them not to harvest too late.’
Jean Claude Berrouet, formerly at Petrus and now winemaking director for various estates in Pomerol, said in his 40-year career he has seen alcohol rise between 2 and 2.5 degrees.
He argues that yeasts that produce less alcohol may be a solution, but he cautioned against the use of slower-ripening grape clones, because fewer clones would limit the potential variety of grapes in a vineyard.
Have your say!
Nick Martin
May 09 14:52
It has happened before. 1947 produced wines with very high alcohol, tannins and acidity. Is it the acidity that has preserved the remarkably dense, lush fruit of Cheval Blanc 60 years later? Anyone ever heard any complaints of lack of typicity in respect of CB '47?!
Notwithstanding, even in a year like 2010 there are winemaking choices. Evangile vs Conseillante - however well made both are, their profound stylistic differences show how you can produce radically different interpretations/ results out the same conditions. Ditto Montrose v Cos.
James Oliver Swann
April 07 10:29
Higher alcohol levels are occurring all over the Old World; in parts of Spain and the South of France wines reach 16-17%, then reach the shelves as 14.5-15%.
To my mind, the alcohol trend of recent years has had far more to do with critics than climate change.
However, as we know, climate change is also impacting on aromatic ripeness, sugar levels and acidity.
I recall someone, it may have been Dr. Richard Smart, commenting that in the future Barossa Valley may stop to make wine and Bordeaux may become like Barossa Valley.
How's that for a loss of style?
John Bell
April 06 06:23
Which Bordeaux chateau will be the first to refuse to allow Robert Parker to rate its wines? If nothing else, that action alone would gain that chateau great publicity. More importantly, it would wrench back from the palates of a few the future of terroir-driven wines vs. reviewer-driven wines. Take a stand NOW before it's too late.
Okjeon Van Ash
April 06 00:33
Now, before buying, I look at the alcohol level. If 14%, I drop it.