The 2011 vintage in Bordeaux was a challenging one due to several factors: hot weather in springtime, an early harvest, lack of sunshine in July, a month of August with above-average precipitation, and the return of summer weather in early autumn.

The quality of the 2011 wines is variable; it was therefore more imperative than in a homogenous vintage, like 2009 and 2010 were, to be at the Primeurs tastings in Bordeaux. We tasted some great wines and many very good ones as well; overall the right bank is more consistent in quality than the left bank in 2011.

More on this--and the trip overall--later

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

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