En Primeur 2025 — Not a vintage you understand in one glass

If someone asks me,“How is Bordeaux 2025 ?”

I would not answer right away.

Not because I don’t have an answer,but because this is not a year you can explain in one sentence.

It needs time.

Because some things in this vintageare not clear from the first glass.

They become clear slowly after many tastings, many places, and many conversations.

Over the past four days,I moved from one château to another,from one tasting to the next.

The rhythm was not fast,but not slow either.

A continuous movementthat slowly made something… clearer.

What I brought backis not a list of wines,not scores,

but a certain feelingthat is starting to move in the same direction.

And this feeling shows itself differently across each side of Bordeaux.

Right Bank — Saint-Émilion

The first impression is calmness.

Clear structure. Sharp, precise lines.

But nothing is trying too hard.

Everything feels already in place, not made to stand out.

Pomerol

A different expression.

More depth in texture,more weight in the mid-palate. But not heavy.

There is softness, and a quiet freshness that keeps the wine moving.

Left Bank

Not a fully clear picture yet.

Some wines are still coming together,some are starting to settle.

Like an image in focus —not blurry,but not fully locked yet.

It is not immediate clarity, but a sense that everything is slowly aligning.

Pessac-Léognan

Perhaps the most accessible feeling.

There is energy, but it does not press.

Freshness,but without tension.

A style of wine that does not need to explain itself too much.

Across these four days,from large tastings at Place de la Bourseto more private visits at different châteaux,

one feeling kept coming back:

👉 This vintage is not trying to show off.

There is no need to impress.No need to prove anything.

Instead, these are wines that seem to know exactly what they are.

Another interesting point this yearis something we did not expect.

2025 was a relatively warm year.

Normally,we would expect higher alcohol levels,often around 14–15%.

But what we see is different.

Most wines I tastedare around 13–13.5%.

Not a dramatic number,but a meaningful one.

It suggests that producers did not let the heat drive the wine,but chose to control the paceand keep the balance.

Looking at the bigger picture,

2025 is a strong vintage for Bordeaux.

Many wines show precision,balance,and clear structure.

It is already possible to see that some wines may go very far in the future.

At the same time,production is not high.

In some areas,it is quite limited.

So when quality is there,but quantity is not,

the next questionis not only about the wine,

but about price and access.

For those following En Primeur,

sometimes decisionsare not made after the price is released,

but before.

Wines from well-known châteauxalready have some allocation in place.

And in many cases,they are reserved in advance —even before the official price is announced.

Because some winesare simply not available for long.

And each places limited quotas.

What remains after these four daysis not a list of wines,not scores,

but a clear feeling:

👉 Bordeaux is not trying to change itself.It is becoming more precise.

And this kind of change —quiet,unrushed,almost invisible —

is often the one that lasts the longest.

From the Glass

Calm structure,freshness without tension, and a balance that does not try to stand out.

After the Glass

Some vintagesneed time to explain.

Othersonly need time to be observed.

And slowly,they will tell you what they are.

If 2025 is starting to say something,it is not speaking to be understood quickly,

but to be heardby those who are willing to listen.

For me,this is not only about selecting wines.

It is about following the movement of each châteauand choosing the right partnerat the right moment.

If you are looking at the 2025 vintage —for drinking, collecting, or investment —

I can help you understand the directionand access the right opportunities.

Because in the end,some winesare not only about choosing well,

but about choosing in time.

Uncork & Unlock the World of French Wine