Tasting Report: 2010 – Bordeaux' “More” Great Vintage

The 2010 vintage in Bordeaux is truly superb. It’s a twin vintage in quality to the great 2009, but it’s very much different in style. The 2010 reds have more tannin structure, slightly more acidity than 2009, and, in many cases, more alcohol. It sounds like a cliché, but as one winemaker said to me during my three weeks in Bordeaux tasting, it is a vintage with more of everything.

I still like 2009 slightly more overall as THE modern vintage for Bordeaux, but I have to wonder whether I will prefer 2010 later on? The 2010 is slightly more classical in style due to its impressive tannin structure and creamy, bright acidity. But it’s impossible to deny the sexiness of the 2009. That vintage is just TOO wonderful to say it isn’t the greatest yet.

Debating one’s preference for 2009 or 2010 is a great problem to have for anyone who loves great Bordeaux. Regardless of what you prefer, you can’t lose either way. Outstanding wines exist across the board in both vintages from the greatest chateaux to the simplest vineyard. That’s the sign of a great vintage for me. Other modern great years like that were 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1989, and 1982.

“We have two great years with different expressions,” says Eric d’Aramon of Chateau Figeac, which made equally great wines in 2009 and 2010. “The 2009 is much more exuberant, and 2010 is much more structured for the future. I just can't make up my mind which I like better!”

This year is my 30th year tasting professionally in Bordeaux, and it’s an amazing start to 2013 to taste so many great 2010s – including red, white, and sweet wines. I tasted more than 800 different wines.

I actually gave more perfect scores in 2010 than in 2009. These perfect wines were so moving, so impressive. They have unparalleled structure and richness, but at the same time, they have balance and harmony – even with relatively high alcohols. The greatest are not aggressive and already give great pleasure. They underline how great vintages of Bordeaux are always wonderful to taste, whether from barrel or bottle.

“There is a freshness and approachability to the 2010 but there is structure as well,” says Pierre Lurton, the head of Cheval Blanc as well as d’Yquem. “The 2009 is more sunny. 2010 is more racy.” 

Many things contributed to the greatness of 2010 for Bordeaux. As I have written in the past, the wet winter helped the vines continue growing during the dry summer, which was one of the driest in memory. The cool nights helped maintain acidities and perfumes in the grapes and, therefore, gave this quality to the wines. The grape yields were slightly lower than 2009, and the berries slightly smaller, adding to their concentration. And, finally, the grapes were left a little longer on the vine than past top years due to the less extreme weather conditions in August and September. This all added up to gorgeous ripe grapes that produced wines with bright acidities, ripe fruit, and creamy tannins.

It’s interesting to note that alcohol levels are slightly high in general with 2010. Some wines were more than 15 percent alcohol, and I found a number over-extracted, over-wooded, and overly alcoholic. However, if the fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity were in balance, the wines show stupendous quality with layers of fruit and tannins combined.

“It’s a vintage that has everything, but it was important not make wines too tannic and to keep your acidity,” says Jean-Philippe Delmas, the head winemaker of Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.

I scored 11 wines 100 points including Cheval Blanc, Ducru-Beaucaillou, La Mission-Haut-Brion, Lafleur, Latour, Le Pin, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Petrus, Pontet Canet, and Vieux-Château-Certan. Only Lafleur, Latour, Margaux, and Vieux-Château-Certan also received perfect scores in 2009.

There are another four wines at 99 points and 11 at 98 points.

The dry whites are also excellent in 2010. Some producers, such Domaine de Chevalier, say its their best vintage ever. And Sauternes and Barsac are also outstanding but not quite up to the quality standard of 2009.

Below are my Top 100 2010 Bordeaux I tasted over the last three weeks. Stay tuned for more reports and tasting notes on this exception vintage for France’s most prestigious wine region.