Best St-Estèphe 2021 wines tasted en primeur
Georgie Hindle presents an overview of the 2021 vintage across the St-Estèphe appellation revealing her highest-scoring wines.
St-Estèphe 2021
Average yield:
- 40.7hl/ha. A decrease of 3% from 2020.
What you find from the 2021 wines
The St-Estèphe appellation returned a relatively strong performance in 2021 with some brilliant wines produced, particularly those on clay-limestone soils with clear terroir markers showing through in the best.
Despite 15% less rain than 2020, and September temperatures the highest in 100 years, yields were almost identical, with many estates having been spared from the spring frosts.
Some wines were displaying quite austere tannins and rustic edges but there are some highlights too.
Top picks:
- Château Montrose
- Château Cos d’Estournel
- Château Calon Ségur
- Château Phélan Ségur
- Château Le Crock
- Château de Pez
- Château Meyney
- Château Haut-Marbuzet
- Château Cos Labory
- Château Le Boscq
- Château Capbern
- Château Lafon-Rochet
- Château Ormes de Pez
See the top-scoring St-Estèphe 2021 en primeur wines
Search all Bordeaux 2021 en primeur ratings published so far
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Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Dark and milk chocolate, raspberries and red cherries on the nose, with a soft vanilla fragrance and some pink floral aspects. Great tension and direction,...
2021
Château MontroseSt-Estèphe
Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
This stands out for its structure, subtle power, balance and finesse. Perfumed and softly sweet on the nose, ripe and concentrated, glorious and inviting. Creamy...
2021
Château Cos d'EstournelSt-Estèphe
Château Calon Ségur, St-Estèphe, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Gentle cherry blossom fragrance with raspberry, cranberry and red cherry. Floral and super aromatic. Tangy and clean, a lovely crystalline aspect to the palate -...
2021
Château Calon SégurSt-Estèphe
Château Phélan Ségur, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Fragranced roses, raspberry and vanilla nose. Smooth and supple, a nice juicy core. Clean and clear, good use of oak and extraction. A pleasant and...
2021
Château Phélan SégurSt-Estèphe
Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2021
<p>Almost a ginger tone to the nose, it's so fresh: Chinese spices, raspberry and violets. Super-tannic and youthful, high toned and a little bit austere,...
2021
Château Le CrockSt-Estèphe
Château de Pez, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Juicy and lively, bright and vibrant with a crisp texture to the red berry fruit with creamy sides and a hint of graphite and wet...
2021
Château de PezSt-Estèphe
Château Meyney, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Smooth and gently lively, there is nice bite to this, the fruit is there in the background, cool blueberries, cola and liquorice while the tannins...
2021
Château MeyneySt-Estèphe
Château Haut-Marbuzet, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Minty bramble bushes on the nose, with some liquorice touches too. I like the dark, sweetly sticky style with chewy tannins though they do have...
2021
Château Haut-MarbuzetSt-Estèphe
Château Cos Labory, St-Estèphe, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Gently fleshy and ripe on the palate, this has chew and bounce to the expression with ripe strawberry and blackcurrant with a really enjoyable wet...
2021
Château Cos LaborySt-Estèphe
Château Le Boscq, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Perfumed and potent on the nose, clearly ripe and concentrated. Smooth and silky, quit lean and streamlined, not so textured more grippy with bite and...
2021
Château Le BoscqSt-Estèphe
Château Capbern, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Gorgeous eucalyptus freshness on the nose alongside fragranced blackcurrant notes. high-toned fruit, nicely balanced between sour and sweet but with the edges and real definition...
2021
Château CapbernSt-Estèphe
Château Lafon-Rochet, St-Estèphe, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Super ripe and perfumed on the nose. Bright, almost searing on the palate then chalky with a crystalline mineral edged finish. Clean and precise, lacks...
2021
Château Lafon-RochetSt-Estèphe
Château Ormes de Pez, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Sweet strawberry, orange, grapefruit, plums and blackcurrants, but the sweet jammy kind. This is fruit forward and expressive out the gate, round and so appealing....
2021
Château Ormes de PezSt-Estèphe