2021 St. Estephe wines across the board are quite strong. Almost every producer was able to make some very good wine. In fact, as a generalization, Saint Estephe is perhaps the most homogenous appellation in the Left Bank in this vintage. But that is an oversimplification and as I said, it is a generalization of other producers, especially in the northern Medoc. For an overview of the entire Bordeaux region in 2021, please read 2021 Bordeaux Complete Guide to the Vintage
2021 Saint Estephe Growing Season and Harvest information.
The winter months experienced a healthy amount of rain. On average, the appellation experienced close to 600 mm of rain. Interestingly, that was almost 15% lower than what the appellation at large had in 2020. By the middle of February, climatic conditions were sunny and warm. But things changed rapidly in April. Overnight and early morning temperatures on April 7 and 8 were below freezing, and the risk of frost was an issue for vineyards not located on slopes, or close to the water.
Flowering was fast, but, uneven, setting the stage for a cool, wet summer, with risks of mildew and a lack of sunshine. The newfound warmth that started in the middle of August helped the vines dramatically. Not enough to turn things around completely, but enough to improve the grower’s gloomy outlook on the vintage.
Depending on the date of harvest, conditions were reasonably pleasant with warm days and cool nights. For an extensive, detailed look at the weather that shaped the entire vintage in both, the Left Bank and the Right Bank: For a more detailed report on the weather that shaped the vintage: 2021 Bordeaux Growing Season and Harvest Report
The following 2021 Saint Estephe wines were all tasted in Bordeaux in April in non-blind conditions.
2021 Beau-Site – Peppery, with a spicy, leafy edge to the bright, crisp, chewy, floral red fruits. The wine is medium-bodied, forward, fresh, and loaded with sweet, chalky, spicy, juicy, red currants. Drink from 2024-2037. 89-91 Pts
2021 Bernard Magrez – Medium-bodied, round, fruity, forward, currant, and spice-filled palate that already serves up plenty of sweet, ripe, juicy, earthy currants in the mid-palate and in the round, soft-textured finish. The wine blends 67% Merlot with 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2023-2036. 88-90 Pts
2021 Calon Segur – Dark garnet in color, tobacco leaf, spicy currants, dried flowers, and blackberries are found on the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, and lifted, the fruit is on the elegant, classic side with good sweetness and should be relatively precocious. The finish delivers a nice, spicy, minty, uplifted endnote. The wine was produced from 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, 12.9% ABV, 3.65 pH. The harvest took place on September 28, finishing on October 13. Drink from 2025-2047. 94-96 Pts
2021 Calon Segur Le Marquis de Calon Segur – Spicy black raspberries, thyme, and cherry aromatics start off the wine. Medium-bodied, fresh, soft, silky, and already seemingly drinkable, this should be easy to enjoy on release, with its soft, cherry, spice, mint, and plum finish. Drink from 2023-2034. The wine is a blend of 58% Merlot and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.2% ABV. Drink from 2023-2034. 89-91 Pts
2021 Capbern – Flowers, spicy red berries, and savory underbrush notes open the wine. Medium-bodied, soft, vibrant, and crisp, with hints of spice and olives to accompany the red currants in the finish, this will drink well young. The wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, 12.8% ABV. Drink from 2024-2038. 89-91 Pts
2021 Cos dEstournel – Earthy, spicy, black raspberries, blackberries, flowers, and black currants create the nose and the core of its medium/full-bodied palate. Soft, silky, fresh, and polished, there is a nice sweetness and refined edge to the fruit on the palate, finishing with layers of vibrant, peppery, tea-stained, black currants with a gentle hint of herbs on the backend. The wine was made by blending 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, with 13% alcohol, pH of 3.7. The yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place from September 23 to October 7. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. The wine is going to be approachable early in its life. Drink from 2025-2055. 95-97 Pts
2021 Cos dEstournel Les Pagodes de Cos – Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, soft, and sweet, the wine is focused on its core of spiced red fruits with its hints of cigar box and savory notes on the nose, palate, and dark red pit fruit-filled, round, polished finish. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2023-2038. 90-92 Pts
2021 Cos dEstournel Blanc – Honeysuckle, lemon peel, flowers, marshmallow, banana and a hint of pineapple create the enticing nose. On the palate, the wine is creamy, fresh, and fruity, finishing with waves of lemon curd, honeysuckle, orange rind, and meringue in the endnotes. The wine blends 71% Sauvignon Blanc and 29% Semillon. Drink from 2023-2032. 94-94 Pts
2021 Cos dEstournel Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc – Bright, crisp, fresh, and juicy, the wine leans to its yellow citrus side with a nice bite of pomelo and lemon curd in the light, but vibrant finish. This is fully ready to go. Drink from 2023-2027. 91-91 Pts
2021 Cos Labory – Black currants, tobacco leaf, herbs, forest floor, and coffee bean on the nose are what you find before reaching the medium-bodied, round, currant-filled palate. Forward, fruity, and ready to go early in life, give it just a year or two before pulling a cork. Drink from 2024-2040. 89-91 Pts
2021 Haut Marbuzet – Round, polished, fruity, and forward, the soft, smoky, dark red fruits with their espresso tinted accent are going to be easy to enjoy on release and over the next decade or so. Drink from 2023-2034. 90-92 Pts
2021 La Croix de Pez – Medium-bodied, round, soft and vinified to enjoy its polished red fruits on release, drink from 2023-2028. 85-87 Pts
2021 Laffitte-Carcasset – Spice, currants, and tobacco leaf lead the way before you find the medium-bodied, piquant, bright, fresh, crisp palate. This will be easy to enjoy in its youth. Drink from 2023-2033. 87-89 Pts
2021 Lafon Rochet – Cedar, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppery spice, and black raspberries. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, energetic, and fresh, with a lifted, red currant, and leafy endnote. The wine was made by blending 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 13% ABV. This is the final vintage for the Tesseron family. Subsequent vintages will be produced by Jackie Lorenzetti, along with the team of Emmanuel Cruse, the new owner of the property. Drink from 2023-2035. 91-93 Pts
2021 Le Boscq – Flowers, tobacco leaf, dark cherries, and leafy herbs with a touch of cocoa hit you in the nose and on the medium-bodied, classic, bright-edged palate. Drink from 2024-2036. 89-91 Pts
2021 Le Crock – Flowers, black raspberries, espresso, and a nice touch of cocoa are easy to find in the background of the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, and fruity, with a softness to the tannins and a nice bite of savory-edged Cabernet in the polished finish. This will be simply delicious on release. The wine is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2023-2035. 89-91 Pts
2021 Lilian Ladouys – Spice, smoke, red pit fruits, and cocoa form the nose. On the palate, the wine is forward, soft and vibrant, with a cherry-filled, medium-bodied, fresh, creamy finish. The wine blends 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. and 1% Cabernet Franc. 12.9% ABV. Drink from 2023-to 2035. 90-92 Pts
2021 Martin – Short and sweet with a strong herbal accent to its crisp red fruits, the wine needs to be consumed in its youth before it fades. Drink from 2023-2026. 82-84 Pts
2021 Meyney – Dark red fruits, tobacco, spearmint, espresso, currants, and cranberry on the nose. Forward, bright, medium-bodied, fresh, and savory with an herbal, spiced edge on the mid-palate and in the chewy, peppery finish. The wine is produced from a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 12% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2040. 90-92 Pts
2021 Meyney Prieur de Meyney – Medium-bodied, bright, vibrant, earthy, savory, and with a cedar, herbal, and leafy tobacco accent to the crisp red fruits, this will be easy to enjoy on release. Drink from 2023-2030. 86-88 Pts
2021 Montrose – Deep in color, especially for the vintage, you find tobacco leaf, black cherry, pencil shavings, cedar, spice, and dark fruits appearing in the perfume with no effort at all. There is a richness in the palate. The fruit is ripe, fresh, vibrant, and chewy, with lift and energy in the mouth that carries through to the finish. As all fans of Montrose know, the wine more often than not requires decades of age before it is ready to taste, but 2021 is a different beast, allowing you to enjoy it with just a few years before it begins to be fun to taste. The wine was made by blending 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 13.1% ABV, 3.7. Yields were 38 hectoliters per hectare, with 40% of the harvest going into the Grand Vin. The harvest took place from September 21 to October 6. Drink from 2028-2055. 94-96 Pts
2021 Montrose La-Dame-de-Montrose – Tobacco leaf, currants, forest floor, and cherries on the nose move you quickly to the medium-bodied, soft, fresh palate, finishing with all of its sweet, polished, red fruits with touches of peppery cherries in the finish. The wine is a blend of 53% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2023-2038. 89-91 Pts
2021 Ormes-de-Pez – Medium-bodied, the wine is fresh, juicy, sweet, and vibrant with a complex finish loaded with round-textured, herbs, black raspberries, menthol, and plums that last through to the endnote. Drink from 2024-2043. 90-92 Pts
2021 Petit-Bocq – Leafy red fruits, tobacco wrapper, spice, and red currants pop effortlessly into the nose and crisp, crunchy palate. The savory finish is bright and chewy. Drink 2024-2036. 89-91 Pts
2021 de Pez – Earthy clay and red fruits with touches of spice and leafy herbs on the nose lead you to a medium-bodied, earthy, chewy, savory, edged, dark red berry-filled wine with an olive accent in the round, fruity finish. The wine blends 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2024-2035. 90-92 Pts
2021 de Pez 2nd Pez – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, fruity, and already open, you can enjoy this early-drinking charmer on release. Drink from 2023-2027. 86-88 Pts
2021 Phelan Segur – Smoke, dark chocolate, flowers, and espresso-tinged black cherry notes are in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, forward, soft, round, and fruity, with cocoa overtones to accompany the black cherry and espresso-oriented finish. This should be quite enjoyable on release. The wine blends 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. This interesting blend represents the highest percentage of Cabernet ever placed into Phelan Segur. They have been on a non-stop roll here and 2021 continues that streak! Drink from 2023-2037. 92-94 Pts
2021 Tour Saint-Fort – Light, fresh and bright, with a floral and spiced edge to the red fruits. the wine is soft, medium-bodied, and ready for consumption on release. The wine blends 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2023-2028. 85-87 Pts
2021 Tour de Pez – Medium-bodied, bright, crisp, and chewy, here you find ample, crunchy, fresh red berries along with cedar, tobacco, underbrush, cranberry, and a touch of spice. Drink from 2024-2032. 87-89 Pts
2021 Tour des Termes – Medium-bodied, vibrant, fresh and spicy, ripe, energetic, crisp, and chewy red fruits with tobacco leaf come through easily on the nose and palate. Drink from 2024-2038. 89-91 Pts
2021 Tronquoy Lalande – Spicy, peppery currants and flowers are on the nose. On the palate, the wine is bright, fresh, forward, fruity, and sweet, with a slight green-olive edge to the spicy fruit in the red berry-packed finish. The wine blends 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 12% Petit Verdot. 13.1% ABV. Drink from 2024-2039. 90-92 Pts
Up next, we will take a detailed look at all the best 2021 Pauillac Wines followed by 2021 St. Julien and 2021 Margaux wines.
