Its very early and a lot of wines are still in the midst of the malolactic fermentation. So bear in mind that the impressions below are very early initial impressions – based on approx 35 wines tasted in March 2014.
I will not try to asses the quality of the vintage – merely give some impressions on the style and character of the vintage. That being said – there have not been a poor vintage in Burgundy since the 1994 – and 2013 is not changing this tendency of higher more stable quality.
While the quality seem more stable – the style of the vintages seem to continue its variable nature – in my view one of the finest qualities of Burgundy. I love the variation … the different qualities that can be found in each vintage. It would in my view be a great loss if all vintages were alike style wise … especially if they resembled hot vintages like 2003!
The 2013 vintage really underline the variability in style – as they seem to be quite different from the previous two vintages.
Red Burgundy 2013 – very early impressions
The first impressions of the 2013 vintage are that its a vintage with aromatically rich reds with a classic character. The acidity is crisp and fresh and the fruit is cool and pure.
The reds are aromatically powerful with plenty of structure … the acidity is quite powerful and so are the ripe but sturdy tannins. The wines are in that sense darker and more serious than the 2012s and the 2011s … with less extrovert charm at this time.
They don’t seem to match the transparency of the 2010 or the 2012s for that matter, and the fruit is also lacking a bit of the vibrant energy found in many wines from these magnificent vintages.
I would – so far – not call the vintage rustic … but the wines are sturdy with a slightly introvert well structured nature. The fruit is not as filigree and delicate as in the 2012s … but its pure and quite intense.
Sounds somewhat negative … but its not – the 2013s offer classic well structured red Burgundies – they are pure, focused and aromatically rich. I clearly prefer this style of Burgundies to some of the very hot vintages we have seen during the last decade.
Quality wise I’m so far positive … and while its not the vintage of the century, I’m confident it will give us some lovely classic red Burgundies.
A word of warning – the hail and rain storms that struck especially parts of Cote de Beaune in 2013 can give a higher variation in quality – and as always be careful with the less serious producers in vintages with conditions like this.
White Burgundy 2013 – very early impressions
The whites seem to share the style of the reds – i.e. aromatically powerful wines, with plenty of structure and stuffing. The are not as harmonious and delicate like the 2011s and they are perhaps lacking a bit of the outgoing charm found in the 2012s. They do however have plenty of intensity and a fine backbone of crisp acidity – in other words a quite classic vintage in the making.
Quality wise I’m pretty optimistic about the 2013 whites – they have all the elements to produce some fine quite classic whites – and that’s a very good start.
Also here a word of warning – the hail and rain storms that struck especially parts of Cote de Beaune in 2013 can give a higher variation in quality.
Vintage Charts Red and White Burgundy
Vintage reports
- Bourgogne 2019: A Second View July 15, 2020
- Burgundy 2019: A first look March 19, 2020
- The 2015 vintage – variations of greatness June 22, 2016
- Frost damage – one devestating night May 4, 2016
- Vintage Report – Burgundy 2013 vintage – update March 2015 March 22, 2015
- Vintage Report Burgundy 2013 – Update November 2014 November 8, 2014
- Initial impressions of the Burgundy 2013 vintage May 11, 2014
- Vintage Charts – update April 2013 April 27, 2013
- Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2012 March 20, 2012
- Tasting – Burgundy 2009 February 8, 2012