Alcohol will be lower than previous vintage and the acidity will be good. The 2011 style would be tougher than its peers. It will probably be very classic, with a nice freshness and a less exuberant taste.

The 2011 Bordeaux growing season was crazy! The opposite of a normal year. But the vines went through it quite well.

2011 set a modern day record for an early start to their harvest at Chateau Cos d’Estournel. Jean Guillaume Prats said, “This was the estates second earliest harvest on record. To find an earlier date, we needed to back to 1893!”

Fruit for their white Bordeaux wine is often picked before the sun rises. According to Jean-Philippe Delmas, “This ensures the fruit remains cool which helps the berries retain their unique, fresh aromas.”

The vines were helped with much needed moisture when they received rain in mid and July. The rain at that time sped up the ripening process. Summer rains can be a problem. Heat and moisture could lead to the development of rot if precautions are not taken.

Friday, September 2, a massive storm slammed into the Northern Medoc just before noon. Torrential rains were accompanied by fericious hail. Reports are circulating that over half an inch of rain fell in a 20 minute period in the area’s Bordeaux wine vineyards!

2011 Bordeaux, for many chateaux will be the earliest harvest on record since 1893! However, growers situated in some parts of Bordeaux have moved up their time tables are harvesting even earlier than they previously expected.