Bordeaux 2013 – AOC Bordeaux and Côtes

For a list of all our articles, see Bordeaux 2013 – a guide to our coverage.

Driving around Bordeaux at primeurs time is a stark reminder of the haves and have-nots. The former are flawless châteaux with hired beauties to greet you at the gates, handing out lavish literature and well-honed hyperbole. The latter are numerous but essentially invisible, struggling to sell entry-level wine with very little money to spend on viticulture and winemaking – and still less on marketing.

Sadly, a poor vintage like 2013 will not make for enjoyable drinking at the lower end of Bordeaux. There is some...