Our Bordeaux 2021 En Primeur Report is now available to download. Read our full analysis of the new 2021 vintage which is considered to be an approachable, good quality one that differs in style to the wines from the three previous years.
2021 was the coolest and second wettest vintage in the past decade with frosts, rain and mildew. This meant yields were down significantly in some appellations. Meticulous sorting in both the vineyard and the winery enabled producers to select only the best fruit and this created the finest wines possible.
Critic reports suggested that quality was better than expected and there is a selection of outstanding wines on offer that will bear comparison with the very best and various châteaux have produced some of their highest ever rated wines.
Prospective buyers have been expectantly waiting for the 2021 vintage’s scores and prices. Release prices were expected to be lower than those of the top rated trilogy of 2018, 2019 and 2020 as this is a different style of vintage from a challenging year. However, there were economic reasons that could justify price rises such as inflation, wine shortages and the US dollar’s appreciation against the Euro.
In general, wines have been released at the same price as 2020 – just 1% lower on average. However, some châteaux released at up to 15% discounts, while others at up to a 15% premium with lower scores than last year.
Discover our analysis and the fine wines we recommend fully in this report. While it was a mixed vintage, there are some excellent wines on offer at attractive prices.