2008 Vintage Wine Guide

Find out more about 2008 vintage for French wines? We share our opinions on this year's wines, a wine news not to be missed! Here's our complete guide to the wines of 2008.

> See all our 2008 wines in stock

 

• THE 2008 BORDEAUX VINTAGE

Vines are complex and difficult to understand. From one year to the next, from one climate to the next, each vintage has its own style and typicity. The 2008 vintage is no exception, offering some interesting twists and turns. The year got off to an auspicious start, with weather that was ideal for vine development. The vines ripened without too much difficulty and quietly took their course. But then, once again, things got a little complicated. The weather was too wet and cool for good flowering, resulting in a slight delay and, above all, uneven vine development. Aided by a dry, hot July, the vines were able to begin their transformation and achieve a good veraison. Unfortunately, August brought everything to a halt as cold weather set in, accompanied by a little rain. And September, especially the second half, was hot and sunny. The vines will then complete their ripening process. Once again, winegrowers will have to use their common sense and keep only the best grapes. 

On the whole, 2008 is a good vintage, without being exceptional, but it's better than the two previous years. More complete than 2006 and more powerful than 2007. It should be noted that Bordeaux whites this year do not offer great ageing potential. 

If you'd like to taste good Bordeaux wines from the 2008 vintage, we've got just the thing. 

Château Léoville Poyferré 2008 - Saint Julien - Grand Cru Classé Le Château is a great success in this vintage. It expresses all its richness and finesse.

Clos du Clocher 2008 - Pomerol In a completely different register, Clos du Clocher offers a smoother, more opulent wine on the palate. 

 

• THE 2008 BURGUNDY VINTAGE

The 2008 vintage is not an easy one for Burgundy winegrowers. Mother Nature is going to play with their nerves, with weather that varies greatly from one year to the next. There's no better example than the 2008 vintage to illustrate the yo-yo nature of weather. April is going to be a difficult month, with a lot of rain, which is going to delay the vines. May will be sunny and dry, perfect for making up for April's delay. June, July and August were catastrophic, with heavy rainfall and even hail, with part of the vineyard destroyed by the cold. Once again, it was September that saved the region. It was sunny and dry, giving the grapes all the ingredients they needed to reach their full potential. Due to the vagaries of the weather, the grapes will be small and thick-skinned, so yields will be low for the vintage. In the end, for those winemakers who carry out strict sorting, the 2008 vintage will be a good one. The white wines are straightforward, with good length, while the reds are fruity and supple. 

However, the wines of Chablis are particularly successful, offering without doubt the finest maturity in the region. 

If you'd like to taste Burgundy wines from the 2008 vintage, here's our selection:

Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 2008 - Daniel-Etienne Defaix Almost still "too young", Grand cru Blanchot offers a fine tension on the finish. It goes very well with white fish and butter sauce. 

          Volnay 1er Cru 2008 En Chevret - Louis Latour House For lovers of red wines, Volnay 1er Cru may be just what you're looking for. Its silky texture and delicate nose will go perfectly with poultry and roasted meats. 

 

•  THE 2008 RHONE VALLEY VINTAGE

The Rhône Valley will not be spared for the 2008 vintage. It's all down to very difficult weather conditions. At different times in the vegetative cycle, rain or hail will hit the vines. In these conditions, it was going to be complicated to achieve perfect ripeness. As you can see, the 2008 vintage won't be remembered, but that doesn't mean it should be underestimated. For even if the sun fails to shine, the winemakers who have made a drastic selection will be able to lay claim to some fine wines. Of course, we shouldn't expect to find wines with great ageing potential or very powerful young wines, but rather supple, fruity juices, some with an interesting elegance. 

For lovers of red Rhône wines, we still have a few bottles to suggest:

Côte Rôtie - La Mouline 2008 Guigal The wines of Guigal, a veritable emblem of the northern Rhône Valley, need no introduction. Located on the Côte Blonde, it is the only one of the three cuvées to contain more than 10% of Viognier, giving it a fine finesse.

Ermitage 2008 Les Dionnières - Ferraton Pere & Fils It's interesting to taste this cuvée because the Syrah will be more mature, releasing notes of leather and tobacco. Perfect with mature meat. 

 

• THE 2008 VINTAGE IN THE REST OF FRANCE

2008 was a year of contrasts, with great successes in some regions and lesser successes elsewhere. Whatever the case, it's essential to choose your bottles carefully to be sure of getting a good wine. 

In Alsace, for example, 2008 is a good vintage, like 2007. It's a cool year in which the grapes reach maturity slowly. In this type of vintage, the wines are aromatic when young, but will soon focus on the mineral side. Fine terroirs are to be preferred after a few years. 

Like Alsace, Loire wines are going to face more difficulties. The very difficult, rainy and even stormy weather will not help the vines to develop well. September helped to limit the damage. In the end, dry whites are doing not too badly, although you'll have to select your wines carefully. As for the reds, fruit and suppleness will be the order of the day. 

Champagne, too, is about to suffer the effects of Mother Nature. While the 2008 vintage seems to be over, the last two weeks of September will help the vines to catch up, finally producing concentrated, interesting juices. Some houses will even make vintage Champagnes, proving that you can never give up.