Beginning of the harvest at Château Guiraud, in Sauternes.

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M.Bosredon / 20Minutes

  • While the harvest has started in the Bordeaux region, we are interested in the 2020 vintage.

  • A hot summer does not necessarily portend a great vintage, according to oenologist Antoine Médeville.

  • Conditions are still favorable for a good vintage, comparable to 2011.

While the harvest began a fortnight ago in Bordeaux, after a summer marked by heat, oenologist Antoine Médeville, from Oenoconseil, shares his first impressions of the future 2020 vintage.

Was the harvest particularly early this year?

If we look at the last 20 years, 2003 remains earlier and after that arrive 2011, 2017 and yes 2020. That is to say that, depending on the properties, within one or two days, in one direction or the other , we are on the same harvest dates for these vintages.

The very first ones started cutting grapes a fortnight ago.

In the Médoc, the earliest terroirs attack Cabernet Sauvignon and the late ones Merlots.

How is this 2020 vintage shaping up in the Bordeaux region?

For now, it looks pretty good, although we should not jump to a conclusion.

The conditions are rather favorable so that we are well balanced wines, rather on the fruit, which are not too alcoholic but with good acidity.

Do the scorching episodes necessarily presage interesting wines, such as the very good 2009 vintage?

I think there are warm years which do not necessarily give the best vintages for aging.

2016 is a very late vintage and it is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the Bordeaux region.

For red wines we need cool nights and hot days, this produces stress on the vine which allows structured wines, while keeping freshness.

From what we know for now, what year would you bring 2020 closer to?

We are in a vintage like 2011, it was a little criticized at first but it is a very good vintage which simply made the mistake of arriving after 2009 and 2010 and he said to himself that could not make three good vintages in a row in Bordeaux.

Some people talk about a future 2016, I don't really believe it.

For me 2016 remains a reference.

But it's looking pretty good, we'll see more clearly in three weeks to a month.

I prefer to say a good before saying a very good vintage.

The harvest is not yet over.

Could heavy rains be a game-changer?

If we have between 5 to 15 ml, it is not a problem and [it would be] even good for the Sauternes.

But for the reds, if we could not have any, that would be better.

If it rains a lot, it may even be necessary to speed up the harvest.

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