2010, 2015, 2016: three vintages you'll never regret buying
Start here, because this is what matters most: if you have bottles from any of these three years in your cellar, don't open them too soon. 2010 is probably the most complete Bordeaux vintage of the entire decade. The reds are dense and built on a fresh acidity that gives them remarkable length — the kind of structure that keeps wine interesting for twenty years or more. We opened Pauillac 2010s recently (Pauillac is one of Bordeaux's most prestigious appellations, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, known for long-lived Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines), and they are only just beginning to open up. There's easily another ten years ahead of them.
2015 is far more approachable right now. The wines are fleshy, with rounded tannins and ripe fruit that makes them genuinely pleasurable to drink today. This is a generous, sun-soaked vintage that doesn't demand years of patience. If you want to drink well without waiting an eternity, 2015 is your answer.
2016 occupies a category of its own. Wine professionals frequently rank it among the greatest Bordeaux vintages since 2009. The tannic structure is remarkable, and the balance between concentration and freshness is rare even by Bordeaux standards. The Saint-Émilion and Pomerol 2016s — appellations on Bordeaux's right bank, where Merlot dominates — are particularly successful. These are bottles worth keeping. That said, if you give in to temptation and open one today, you won't be disappointed either.
To understand which specific appellations made the most of these exceptional years, our guide to the Bordeaux grands crus classés will give you the reference points to guide your purchases. The classification system — which ranks châteaux by historical reputation rather than any annual reassessment — helps explain why some names consistently outperform their neighbours in great vintages.
2018, 2019, 2020: a warm trilogy that divides opinion
These three vintages share one defining characteristic: they were shaped by hot harvests, under a sun that rarely gave the vines time to breathe. The result is wines that are generous — sometimes very generous — with higher alcohol levels and a ripeness that leaves no room for ambiguity.
2018 was saved from overripeness by useful rainfall late in the growing cycle. The reds are full-bodied, with volume and good aromatic persistence. They're pleasant to drink young on the more approachable appellations — Entre-deux-Mers, for instance, a large inland appellation producing mainly everyday Bordeaux, or the entry-level Médoc (the Médoc is the long peninsula north of the city of Bordeaux, home to most of the region's most famous châteaux). On the grands crus, you'll want to give them a little more time.
2019 may be the most harmonious of the three. It has a tension — a kind of freshness — that warm years don't always deliver. The red Graves in particular (Graves is an appellation directly south of the city of Bordeaux, producing reds and dry whites on gravelly soils) come off very well. If you're hesitating between 2018 and 2019 from the same producer, the 2019 is often the better bet.
2020 is the most divisive. The wines are rich and concentrated, with firm tannins. Fans of a modern, full-throttle style love them. Others find they lack something of the classic Bordeaux elegance — that interplay of fruit, structure and restraint that defines the region's greatest bottles. We appreciate them for what they are: generous wines that will pair beautifully with a rib of beef or a slow-roasted leg of lamb. If you're shopping online, you'll still find reasonable prices on 2020s before they become harder to find.
2011, 2013, 2017: the vintages people underestimate
We won't pretend otherwise: 2011 and 2013 don't sit at the top of any critic's list. But writing them off entirely would be a mistake. Vintages labelled as difficult often produce lighter, more digestible wines — which is precisely what you want when you reach for a bottle on a Tuesday evening with no particular ceremony in mind.
2011 suffered through an unpredictable summer, but serious producers sorted their fruit rigorously. The result is wines to drink now, on their fruit, without any expectation of long keeping. They are often more enjoyable than their reputation suggests — and the prices reflect that reputation, which means they're very accessible.
2013 is the decade's most misunderstood vintage. A wet year, certainly. But Pessac-Léognan (a prestigious appellation within the Graves, directly south of Bordeaux, known for both red and white wines of real depth) and certain Saint-Émilion producers made wines of unexpected freshness and finesse. If you come across a 2013 from a reliable producer at a gentle price, don't walk past it.
2017 deserves a separate mention for one painful reason: the April 2017 frost devastated a large part of the Bordeaux vineyard — some parcels lost up to 80% of their crop. Volumes are small, but what survived is often of genuine quality. Seek out 2017s from the best Bordeaux producers: they're worth the curiosity, and the scarcity keeps the conversation interesting.
2021, 2022, 2023: the recent vintages, somewhere between caution and enthusiasm
These three years illustrate how complex Bordeaux has become in the face of a changing climate. You can no longer speak of a single Bordeaux vintage character — each year has to be read appellation by appellation, producer by producer.
2021 started badly: a freezing spring, a wet summer. But a late-season recovery saved the vintage for growers who had the patience to wait. The wines are fresh, with marked acidity, in a style that recalls Bordeaux from the 1990s — leaner, more classically structured. Fans of older-style Bordeaux will find much to enjoy. For long-term cellaring, be cautious; for medium-term drinking, the pleasure is real.
2022 is hot and sun-driven, close in profile to 2020. The drought was intense, but the oldest, deepest-rooted vines handled it best. Early tasting reports are enthusiastic, particularly for the Médoc and the Graves. To understand why these two appellations respond differently to extreme heat — one on gravel over clay, the other on a more varied mix of soils — our Médoc vs Graves comparison lays out the key differences.
2023 is simply too young for firm conclusions. The en primeur tastings — the annual Bordeaux tradition of sampling barrel samples before the wine is bottled, in order to buy at an early price — showed uneven results across the region: some fine successes in Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, more inconsistency across the Médoc. If you're buying 2023 en primeur or at its initial release, focus on producers whose track record you already trust. Our page on Bordeaux wines covers the fundamentals to help you avoid the common pitfalls.
Common questions
What is the best Bordeaux vintage between 2010 and 2023?
If we had to pick one, it would be 2016 — closely followed by 2010. The 2016 combines concentration, freshness and structure in a way that's rarely matched. The 2010 is slightly more austere but potentially the longer-lived bottle over decades in the cellar.
Which Bordeaux vintages can I drink now without waiting?
2015, 2018 and 2019 all drink very well today. For the more accessible appellations — Entre-deux-Mers, which produces everyday drinking reds and whites from the area between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, or Blaye on the right bank of the Gironde — almost all recent vintages are already open and ready.
Is it better to buy Bordeaux en primeur or wait for the bottle?
En primeur (also written 'in-bond' in the UK trade) means buying wine as a financial contract while it's still in barrel, typically 18 to 24 months before it's bottled and delivered. For great vintages like 2016 or 2022, buying en primeur can offer real opportunities on the grands crus whose prices tend to rise once the wine is released. For the more affordable appellations, there's little advantage — you're better off waiting for the physical bottle and tasting before you commit.
Do warm vintages like 2020 or 2022 age well?
That's the central question. Past experience with 2003 and 2009 — both very warm years — shows that the best producers know how to manage high alcohol and heat, and those wines have aged better than early sceptics predicted. On the grands crus from the historic appellations, the answer is yes. On entry-level wines, it's safer to drink them within 5 to 8 years.
Which vintage should I choose when giving a bottle of Bordeaux as a gift?
For something to drink within the next 3 to 5 years: a 2019 or a 2015. For a bottle to put away in the cellar: a 2016 or a 2010. On a tighter budget but looking for a genuine surprise: find a 2013 from a serious producer — it will almost certainly be priced well below its actual quality.