St Emilion is a large and diverse appellation. There are the well-known limestone côtes that surround the town of St Emilion where some of the finest properties lie, then there are the clay and clay limestone soils found various areas, the gravels [most notably around the Figeac sector] and sandier soils on the lower slopes of the appellation. Then there are variations in aspect, geography and winemaking too. 2019 is an excellent vintage in St Emilion. The wines are in various stages of development however [a result, in part, of the variations above]. Some have already opened up [maybe it’s just that they never closed down]. In this bunch are Château Cheval Blanc [heavenly], Château Canon La Gaffelière [plush], Château Larcis Ducasse [textured and plummy], Clos de L’Oratoire [super flattering] and Château Figeac [a serious beauty]. Others that are closed but can be coaxed out of the glass. In this group are Château Canon, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, Château Troplong Mondot, Château Pavie Macquin and Château Trottevieille. A few hours in a decanter would do the trick. There are others that feel firmly shut, including several that were stellar during primeurs like Château Angélus and La Mondotte. These still need time.

There is no doubt that 2019 is an excellent vintage in St Emilion. There are many fabulous wines displaying beautiful fruit, concentration and supple tannins. Alcohols are high – fifteen degrees is not uncommon – but many wines still retain surprising freshness. With potentially high tannin levels, the foot has been held off the gas in the cellar by many properties, showing a more nuanced approach to winemaking here than perhaps a decade ago. It shows how the heady days of over-extraction appear to be behind us in the appellation. If 2019 doesn’t quite have the exuberance of 2018, or the heavenly balance of 2016, it could be seen as a hypothetical blend of the two, or a combination of 2009 and 2010, but without the late picking and extractive practices that characterized that period.

For a full analysis of the growing season and my first thoughts on 2017 St Emilion during primeurs week in April 2018 you can click through to the full report here. As is well known, the devastating frosts of April 2017 sealed the fate of some producers in St Emilion entirely. They were a few unable to make wine at all. For others it substantially reduced yields and affected their blends. Some were left unscathed. Nature can be cruel and unfair, though not obviously in an intentional way [just leave that to us!]. Given this, you’d expect there to be considerable variation in quality in St Emilion. Ironically, judging from the wines lined up by the Union des Grands Cru de Bordeaux last October, the appellation has produced some of the most appealing Bordeaux in the region with a reasonable degree of consistency. The notes below are limited to those who are members of the UGCB so this is a comparatively small snapshot clearly. In this case, a dozen wines. The stand outs for me were Clos Fourtet, Château Figeac, Château Larcis Ducasse, Château Pavie Macquin and Château Valandraud which have all produced superlative St Emilion. Just a notch below these are Château La Gaffelière, Château Troplong Mondot and Château Trotte Vieille who also impressed with complex and satisfying wine.