Bordeaux 2013: ‘Not the most difficult vintage’

(TDB) - The trials of the 2013 vintage were not as great as years such as 1987 or 1991 according to Mouton’s managing director Philippe Dhalluin as he revealed the “likely” composition of the 2013 blend.

Dhalluin was speaking at a tasting organised by the Institute of Masters of Wine to look at the constituent parts of the 2013 vintage as well as a vertical of Mouton from 2011 to 2003.

“I have read a lot that it was a ‘difficult’ year,” he said, “But since 1982 others were more difficult such as the 1987 and 1991.”

He went on to describe the climatic conditions of the year, noting the “huge hydric reserves” left by the winter rains and how the late sunshine in July and August was not enough to completely dry out the soil, leading to less hydric stress for the Cabernet Sauvignons and Francs than they generally need.

Nonetheless, he said it was clear that Cabernet Sauvignon was the “winner” of the year.

The potential composition of 2013 Mouton is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc – which Dhalluin said had a “salty, mineral” character.

Petit Mouton meanwhile will roughly be 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot.

Although the percentages of Cabernet are high they are not as elevated as the 2011 (90%) or the 2010 (94%), which had the highest ever amount of Cabernet in a Mouton blend.

He also said, stressing that the calculations had not yet been fully made, that Mouton’s grand vin would likely account for 40% of production, which is lower than the 1991 vintage and, he said, “more like a ‘60s vintage size”.

Production of Petit Mouton would go up from around 25% of production to 30% or even 35%.

The 2013 assemblage brought along for the tasting showed no hint of greenness, something remarked upon by the tasters and Dhalluin reported that even he and the winemaking teams at the Rothschild properties had been “surprised” that that was the case.