Bordeaux Stands Firm
Wine Spectator|March 31, 2023
The ups and downs of the 2020 vintage continue a trend of extreme growing conditions and mixed results
BY JAMES MOLESWORTH
Bordeaux Stands Firm

Throughout the 2020 vintage, France’s most prominent wine region dealt with the types of extreme weather conditions that have become commonplace in recent years. After a very wet spring that showed touches of frost and hail along the way, a warm and excessively dry summer led to one of the earliest harvests of the past 20 years. Heavy rains in August broke the drought, but the downpours were of varying intensity around the region, resulting in heterogenous veraison and ripening depending on the location and terroir.

The spring was perhaps the most difficult time, with the heavy rains leading to extra work in the vineyards (particularly early on and even more so for producers who work organically) and the onset of the pandemic causing logistical issues. But despite the range of challenges, Bordeaux produced another outstanding, albeit inconsistent, vintage. Though the 2020s are more variable than the flamboyant 2018s and well-defined 2019s, the vintage delivers a number of compelling wines, earning a rating of 93 points on the Left Bank and 92 points on the Right Bank.

Denne historien er fra March 31, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra March 31, 2023-utgaven av Wine Spectator.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA WINE SPECTATORSe alt
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
Wine Spectator

Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden

It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 15, 2024
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Wine Spectator

Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting

Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:

time-read
1 min  |
December 15, 2024
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
Wine Spectator

War in Middle East Affects Vintners

The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 15, 2024
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Wine Spectator

Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court

Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.

time-read
1 min  |
December 15, 2024
Savoring Persimmon Season
Wine Spectator

Savoring Persimmon Season

For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"

time-read
2 mins  |
December 15, 2024
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Wine Spectator

Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack

Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 15, 2024
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Wine Spectator

Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!

Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"

time-read
3 mins  |
December 15, 2024
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Wine Spectator

Kistler's DARKER SIDE

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built

time-read
6 mins  |
December 15, 2024
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
Wine Spectator

THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE

THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES

time-read
9 mins  |
December 15, 2024
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Wine Spectator

MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman

Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 15, 2024