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The Blatch report, Part 1 – growing bordeaux 2004

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Jancis Robinson
Tuesday 18 January 2005

Bordeaux wine merchant Bill Blatch, always so generous with his knowledge and experience, sends his fascinating preliminary report on Bordeaux’s most recent harvest. I have put the phrases I found particularly illuminating in bold.

Bordeaux 2004 – setting the scene

After the freakishly early 2003 vintage, the earliest harvest since 1893, we now have 2004, the latest harvest since 1988. Budding was a week later than the 30 year average, flowering two weeks later, the long spun-out véraison approximately 1½ weeks later, and the harvest nine days late for the Merlot and 10...