An unmissable vintage: Bordeaux 2019

Having exceptional, cellar-worthy Bordeaux vintages in your portfolio is not rocket science, but identifying these vintages at a moment before the market catches up takes more thought. Sandwiched between the “rich, sumptuous” (Galloni) wines of ‘18 and the excellent – albeit less homogenous – ‘20s, the wines of 2019 complete a trio of significant vintages in Bordeaux. Critically though, ’19 sets itself apart, with the major commentators highlighting its remarkable consistency and the beauty of the wines made across the board.

Usually, one hears exceptional vintage and expects monumental price increases. The 2019 vintage had the potential to be met with an underwhelming response when it released in the grips of a global pandemic; however, the Bordelais read the room, and the discounts we saw across the board set the 2019 on another course and will remain long in the memory of collectors as a vintage where quality and affordable pricing collided. Three years on from their En Primeur release, the value to be found in these wines is still evident now.

As with 2018 and 2020, 2019 was a solar vintage. 2019’s edge comes from the cooler evenings experienced in the September before harvest, which has given the wines a fresher touch than their neighbouring vintages. This, balanced against the ripe and round tannins from the summer heat, makes for particularly age worthy Bordeaux – something we always get excited about.

Following the annual Southwold blind tasting last month, reports and data are beginning to suggest that Bordeaux 2019 could be one of the truly great vintages. Master of Wine Thomas Parker writes of the tasting that, along with 2016, 2019 “may be the best vintage of the modern era”. Jancis Robinson concurs this sentiment, revealing that the 2019s are “perhaps the best [she] has ever tasted at this stage”.

In addition, Liv-ex has already recorded that 2019 has been the most traded vintage from Bordeaux so far this year, yet prices for many estates remain compelling and there are a number of opportunities to be had. As the graph below shows, the 2019 wines from Chateaux included in the Bordeaux 500 have the highest average Benchmark Critic score across vintages from 2011-2021.

As Pomerol received a 2019 appellation vintage summary of ‘excellent (legendary)’, one does not have to look far before finding some seriously impressive wines. For example, Chateau L’Eglise Clinet 2019 has been described as “a true masterpiece” (Antonio Galloni, Vinous). The 2019 vintage is especially poignant for L’Eglise Clinet, as it was the last vintage overseen by Denis Durantou before his untimely passing the following year. Having received 100-point scores from both Jane Anson and James Suckling – placing it just behind Chateau Lafleur and tied with Petrus for scores – this wine stands out as a true testament to Durantou and his legacy.

When using the Liv-ex Fair Value tool, one of the best value 2019 wines from Bordeaux comes from Chateau Haut-Brion. This Pessac-Leognan based estate was the only one outside of the Medoc to be designated as Premier Grand Cru Classe in the 1855 classification and produces four different wines from its 51 hectares of vines planted over mostly gravelly soils. For Pessac-Leognan the 2019 vintage is ranked as ‘good (excellent)’, which is mirrored in the wine produced at Haut-Brion that received two 100-point scores from Suckling and Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Further, with 98 points from Galloni who believes “It is also very clearly one of the standouts of the vintage”, the Chateau Haut-Brion 2019 would make an excellent addition to any cellar.

Chateau Lynch-Bages 2019 is another 100-point scoring wine (Jeb Dunnuck). Overlooking the Gironde estuary which, along with the Atlantic Ocean and the neighbouring Landes forest, has great influence in these Pauillac vineyards, Chateau Lynch-Bages is certainly an estate to keep your eye on – and in particular the 2019 vintage. Whilst prices for Lynch-Bages have increased by 16.6% on average over the last two years, high scoring vintages like the 2019 remain well below Liv-ex’s Fair Value line (see graph below) and offer an outstanding price to score ratio. Having “hit a home run” with the 2019 vintage, Dunnuck sings this wine’s praises along with Galloni (97 points).

As one of only five estates to receive two 100 point scores – from Suckling and William Kelley – for the 2019 vintage, it would be amiss to ignore the offering from Chateau Lafite Rothschild. With 112 hectares of vineyards planted on deep gravel mixed with sand above tertiary limestone, Lafite Rothschild has an average vine age of 39 years (n.b. vines younger than 10 years old are not used for the Grand Vin). As with Lynch-Bages, this Pauillac estate made the most of the appellation’s ‘excellent’ ranking for this vintage, producing a wine that “simply has it all” (Galloni).

On the other side of the Gironde, Saint-Emilion also has an ‘excellent’ rating for the 2019 vintage and the newest estate to become Premier Cru Classe A, Chateau Figeac, did not disappoint. Its 54 hectares cover Gunzian gravel, as well as blue clay subsoil, help to give its wines the freshness that is now synonymous with Figeac. Since the estate’s promotion, as with many of its other vintages, the 2019 has broken previous pricing records. Galloni scores the wine 98 points and posits that the 2019 Figeac “may very well turn out to be one of the wines of the vintage”.