UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes. This was clearly the best wine of the tasting. In a year that certainly favors the Right Bank, this was the only wine that had good substance, ripe and round tannins, and beautiful harmony without any flaws. At the core, there is a fascinating red fruit core that was the highlight. A good wine, but not one to chase, with so many better, more interesting vintages still widely available. 94+pts.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes. I'm usually a big fan of this winery. Especially in a world where climate change often pushes ripeness too far, Barton's classic, cooler, more rustic style works quite well. Unfortunately, in this slightly cooler and wetter vintage, the tannins showed a bit green(-ish) - a flaw that no amount of aging can correct. While it's still a nice wine with the typical fresh blue and black fruit, it's probably the weakest vintage for Barton since 2013 and not one to chase. 88/89pts.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. I usually prefer Leoville Barton to Poyferre, as the latter's more ripe and flamboyant style doesn't work for me as well as Barton's cool, classic style in the mostly hot vintages that are more or less the norm these days. In this cooler, rainier vintage, however, the Poyferre outshines the Barton with fully ripe tannins, a good, seductive fruit core and better balance.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. This is the best Left Bank wine I've had at this tasting. Classic, cool and fresh Pauillac with strong graphite and slate minerality wrapped around a core of fresh blue and red fruit. Quite harmonious and round already, but the ripe tannins will need a few years to get rounder. 92pts with some upside.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. Clinet was often a bit too ripe and flamboyant for my taste in the last few hotter vintages. In 2021, however, this style worked quite well. This is a nice, round and harmonious wine with enough ripe red and dark red fruit to draw you in. But it's clearly not at the level of the 2016. 90/91pts.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. Same as Clinet or Poyferre, the often a bit too ripe and extracted Gazin should have worked well in this cooler vintage. However, the balance was a bit off, the fruit wasn't as fresh as in the other two wines, and the tannins weren't at the same quality level. Not a bad wine, but nothing to write home about. 88pts.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. As always, Brane Cantenac delivers. This is a charming, round, well-balanced wine with a good fruit core. It is a bit simple, yes, but still a success. 91pts.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. The two Pessac-Leognan wines present, the SHL (90pts) and the DDC (88pts), were quite similar: both had nice dark red berries in the center, were a bit simple and had slightly drying tannins. While certainly ok, these are definitely not wines to chase.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. The two Pessac-Leognan wines present, the SHL (90pts) and the DDC (88pts), were quite similar: both had nice dark red berries in the center, were a bit simple and had slightly drying tannins. While certainly ok, these are definitely not wines to chase.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. Guiraud didn’t produce a 2021, so the Chateau decided to show the lovely 2016. And to no surprise, this was the best wine of the tasting. I’m a huge fan of 2016 Sauterne wines. They’re so light and airy, so fresh and without any excess weight, they’re not as sweet as more lauded (and more complex) vintages (09/15) and have a purity that is exceptional with the finest saffron botrytis notes you can imagine. This Guiraud is no exception. I don’t doubt that this 2016 can reach the heights of the big vintages but right now, it is just so delicious – a Sauternes you could drink as before, during and after a meal.

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. This is a superb, pure, fresh and elegant Sauternes with a beautiful clarity. The wine is well balanced with good acidity and a herbal and mineral component that counterbalances the sweet fruit and keeps the wine from being too sweet. For me, De Fargues is one of the top 3 Sauternes today (after Yquem and just ahead of Suduiraut).

UCG Arrivage Tasting of just a handful of 2021 Bordeauxs. Some thoughts: 1) It's a very mediocre vintage. There is not enough substance, many wines seem simple. Especially on the Left Bank, the balance was a bit off (too much acidity, too many herbal notes, not enough fruit... and some showed greenness and drying tannins). 2) 2021 is being promoted as a vintage for "classic" Bordeaux lovers, a vintage for those who liked 2014 and 2017. In my opinion, 2021 does not come close to those vintages. 2014 is more structured, with better balance and often more depth. 2017 is much rounder, more balanced and a bit more polished. 3) We all know the high prices for 2021, so there's no need to chase them (they'll probably only get cheaper in the next few years). Here are some impressions on a few selected wines.

TN: Brief comment, no detailed notes taken. I didn’t like the nose here at all. Not much expression, no saffron but some green asparagus notes (maybe decanting would have changed that). The palate was better with fresh and sweet fruits and some botrytis notes. But Lafaurie doesn’t have the aroma profile I like in Sauternes.