St-Emilion 2021 in bottle: Overview plus top-scoring wines

Having re-tasted more than 100 wines from St-Emilion there are undoubtedly some great wines on offer in 2021. Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top St-Emilion 2021 in-bottle wines [subscriber-content]Given the size of the appellation - almost 5,000ha, it’s no surprise that there are dramatic stylistic differences in the wines based on grape blends, terroirs and producer preferences. Some wines manage to convey a sense of plushness and chew alongside bright acidity like Châeaux Figeac , Cheval Blanc , Pavie and Angélus while other showcase tension and streamlined palates with lively fruit and racy acidity such as Trolong Mondot , Clos Fourtet , Beauséjour and Ausone . Generally estates on high, clay and limestone terroirs fared well given the weather, as did those who could afford to reduce Merlot in favour of Cabernet (Sauvignon but also importantly Franc, which thrived in the wet conditions, giving gorgeous aromatics and silky tannins). Alcohol levels are also around 1-2% lower than recent vintages. It was quite evident that many wines on sandy soils, or that had pushed ripeness and opted for heavy oak treatment delivered wines with rusticity and dryness. Quite a few wines are hollow and diluted on the mid-palate, lacking the richness usually found in St-Emilion, and some will need some time before the oak is fully integrated. There were a number of wines that were both upgraded and downgraded in terms of score, a necessary outcome of giving a fixed score during Primeurs with the best showing an easy drinkability, lots of freshness and nothing harsh or too austere. L’If was a complete standout offering great drinkability as was Larcis Ducasse , Fleur Cardinale , Villemaurine and Laroque which should all offer relatively good value too. [/subscriber-content] BORDEAUX 2021 IN BOTTLE SCORE TABLE: Top-scoring 133 wines with 93 points or above

Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines

See tasting notes and scores for the top St-Emilion 2021 in-bottle wines [wine-collection] See all Bordeaux 2021 in-bottle wines in score order Related articles Bordeaux 2021 in bottle: overview plus top-scoring wines