Vintage 2014

In Europe, 2014 was a climatically challenging year. In most of France, a cool, wet spring and early summer brought disease pressure in the vineyard. Fortunately the vintage was saved by ‘Indian Summer’ conditions in late August and early September.

With hindsight, it was a vintage of surprises in both Bordeaux and Burgundy: while was not particularly heralded at the time, a decade on many of the wines from these regions offer strikingly good value. Cabernet-dominant Médoc appellations such as Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac and Saint-Julien produced red wines of a refreshing ‘classicism’ and aromatic freshness, in contrast to the opulence of 2009 and the power of 2010, for example.

In Burgundy, 2014 was undoubtedly a white wine vintage, proving highly successful for Chardonnay from both the Côte d’Or and Chablis. Mirroring Bordeaux, the 2014 red wines of Burgundy were of a ‘classical’ stripe. The best domaines produced elegant, fruit-forward Pinots whose firm tannins have resolved well in bottle.

While unremarkable for much of Champagne, Alsace and Beaujolais, 2014 brought welcome improvement for the appellations of the Loire Valley, where vignerons produced poised, pure white wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé to Muscadet.

To summarise, 2014 was a vintage for early to medium-term drinking, apart from certain stellar performers, in Bordeaux and Burgundy for example, for whom hard work in the vineyard helped them to produce a good crop for classically styled wines that continue to shine.