Left Bank: Hidden Treasures for Old School Bordeaux Fans

Coming over to the Left Bank the other day, we landed in Margaux and found some surprising results.  The wines presented a lot higher levels of depth and concentration across the board—not exactly shocking considering we had heard that this was more of a Cabernet vintage.  But in Margaux, many wines that included a good portion of Merlot also experienced success, something that threw us for a loop.  Palmer, the standard for Merlot in Margaux, crafted another monument to their unmistakable terroir.   When we tasted more and more of Margaux, it became clear that it is a vintage that will find many admirers.  While some yields were low, the wines themselves managed a tightrope balance of depth with freshness. 

The view of Latour from their neighbor Pichon-Lalande

Many of the wines across the Left Bank are also very low in alcohol – sub 13% alcohols were common, something that Bordeaux traditionalists will be quick to celebrate.  It is also an amazing departure from years past, whether you are talking about the ripeness of the turn-of-the-decade, opulent ‘09s and ‘10s (often 14.5%...plus) or the modern-classic editions of the past few years that often hit 13.5% in 2016 and even a touch higher in 2018 and 2019.  Seeing sub-13% numbers with regularity is also shocking when you find wines that have concentration and layers like the best of the vintage does.  Once again, it shows that ABV does not define a wine, but it will be fascinating to watch the evolution of these wines that have truly old school profiles, crafted with modern techniques.

We also have started to get a few parallels to other vintages, for those looking for reference-point comparisons.  While travelling the Right Bank, 2008 was a year that came up repeatedly.  But the Left Bank had people reaching for years like 2001, a classic vintage that is one of our sweet-spot drinkers these days  1996 came up as well, a vintage that delivered a structured set of wines that have taken a long time to come around, but include a lot of classics.  We heard this from Château Margaux, which made a gem of a wine in 2021 that was regal in bearing, with perfectly polished tannins and layers of detail.  It certainly has all the potential to be a brilliant wine, even if it doesn’t reach those storied heights.  But the fact that we can consider that conversation shows that the commune flourished in 2021.

Beyond Margaux, the central Médoc also found some successes.  We were charmed by one wine after another in St-Julien.  Branaire-Ducru continues a remarkable qualitative run, especially for the very reasonable price.  The 2021 was dynamic, not skipping a beat from their compelling 2019 and 2020.  Other winners include Léoville-Las Cases, Léoville-Poyferre, and Ducru Beaucaillou.  The latter was majestic, with a balanced concentration that combines with layered fruit, a slight savoury note, and an endless finish.  98% Cabernet Sauvignon, the production of the Grand Vin down severely, but the final product is nothing short of superb.  Pauillac also saw some properties using a very high proportion of Cabernet in the blends, including Lafite-Rothschild and Pichon-Lalande, the latter of which showed great typicité but produced 70% less than normal.  Lynch Bages had a bit more Merlot (25%), but their second vintage at their state-of-the-art new winery was not lacking for anything, full of depth and nuance. 

While we’re excited to find gorgeous wines in 2021 that are worth many collectors’ attention, the fact remains that this is a unique vintage that any collector should consider with care.  It is a vintage where the best vignerons toiled endlessly to craft something that will probably live in the shadows of other bigger vintages.  We often adore those vintages at K&L, where sneaky-good finds sometimes outshine the more obvious picks.  But it is also a refreshing vintage, one that stylistically speaks to vintages past that folks have deeply enjoyed over the years.  If anything, the trio of famous vintages that we just finished (2018-2020) were defined by largely homogeneous styles, a consistency that makes it easy and simple to find great wines.  And sure, we will probably spend more time visiting those wines over the next few years than on the 2021s.  But for those that adore the region, it will be a useful vintage – one of discovery, one that tells a story about the region, and one that uses classically styled wines to speak to unmistakable terroir and the perseverance of today’s most talented producers.