Bordeaux | 2001 vintage
An extraordinary vintage for sweet wines. The vintage produced good quality reds and dry whites, which were probably better than those of 1988 and 1995. A very mild winter, followed by a very rainy July, resulted in a late harvest. Harvesting continued up until mid October for the red wine, and not all of the grapes were ripe. 2001 is a classical vintage, more tannic than 2000 and with a long cellaring capacity. It was also more heterogeneous, so it is important to be selective when choosing your wines. The dry white wines are superb. Most of these wines are a beautiful combination of acidity, richness and fruit ripeness. As for the red wines, the Saint Emilions are exceptional, possibly better than in 2000. Pessac-Léognan distinguishes itself with its perfect balance. In Médoc, the Cabernet Sauvignon is not always at optimal maturity. There are some very good wines at Saint-Estèphe and Pauillac, but the Margaux requires more selectivity. The Sauternes are sublime ¿ rich, complex and well-balanced ¿ possibly one of the greatest vintages of the century.
