For us, the wine is perfect or not. We decided not to pick the 2012 Bordeaux vintage. The grapes did not reach the level of phenolic ripeness we need to produce the best Liber Pater possible.

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage was the most complicated harvest that I have experienced at Chateau Brown . In fact, the cellar master refers to the vintage 1992 as a comparison.

2012 Bordeaux harvest continues in the Medoc. Alcohol levels look to be moderate, which should produce a classically, styled Bordeaux vintage in the Left Bank.

The 2012 Bordeaux harvest in Pessac Leognan is late. For some vintners, they need another few weeks to finish the Cabernet Sauvignon.

To give you an idea on how late the 2012 Bordeaux harvest is running at Petrus, last year, for the 2011 Bordeaux vintage at Petrus they started picking their 2011 fruit September 12 and finished by September 22. Keep in mind, Petrus is often one of the earlier Pomerol estates to harvest.

Early reports from some producers say the seeds are getting there, the pulp is ripe, but the skins are not getting ripe. Clearly, this is going to be a vintage where intensive selection and sorting is mandatory for producers hoping to make the best wines.

The 2012 Bordeaux harvest is on the way to setting a record for the latest harvest on record for the red wines. But the harvest for the grapes used to produce dry, white Bordeaux wine is over. In fact, most of those grape are being vinified at this very moment.