Comptoir des Millésimes presents you with its selection of great wines of the 2017 vintage in the vineyards of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. Here you'll find information on the different appellations and the quality of the wine produced in the 2017 vintage. We also offer you our selection, by region and appellation, of the finest successes of this astonishing vintage. If you're looking for vins de garde 2017you're sure to find what you're looking for.
2017 wine review
2017 has been a complicated year, but there are some excellent wines! Expect plenty of freshness and tastiness thanks to wines offering excellent value for money and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and viability. But they are likely to be the exception, not the rule, if you select wisely. Here are all our tips and findings on the conditions of 2017 vintage wines by region. We'll be highlighting the best of them.
Bordeaux 2017: a vintage 7 spared
Let's face it. Long before 2017 began, the spectre of two great vintages was hovering over the heads of Bordeaux winemakers. It has to be said that we're coming off two great vintages, each different from the other, but all very qualitative in their own way. As a result, this vintage was already shaping up to be a difficult one. Mother Nature was unwilling to respect the saying "never two without three", so she decided to take her toll on the vineyard. April sounded the gong for a stressful and difficult year, with 2 heavy frosts destroying more than 35% of the vineyard's entire surface area. 35% may seem like a lot, but it has to be said that the winter was very mild and the vines developed much faster than usual, which accentuated the frosts in April.
After this catastrophe, the months of June, July and August passed off in "standard" fashion, with sunshine, some light rain and a good quality vegetative cycle. However, it was too good to be true, and September spoiled the previous three months' icy difficulties. Heavy rains fell on the vineyards, making the task even more complicated. As a result, disease and rot set in, and the Châteaux that had not harvested before the rains had to be very selective in order to be sure of producing a quality wine. In spite of this, the quality is not as good. The wines did not achieve the same organoleptic quality as in 2015 or 2016.
The best-performing appellations are undoubtedly those of the Médoc. Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac and Saint-Julien are the best among them. Wines from Margaux and Pessac Léognan join those from the right bank of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion in the family of fine wines.
As far as the white wines are concerned, the dry ones are of good quality. The Sauvignon wines are lovely, fresh and citrusy, with a long finish.
For sweet wines, the vintage is currently tasting better than the 2016 vintage. With more humidity, botrytis has developed very well to give all the noble rot needed to produce super sweet wines.
We have a very fine selection for this 2017 vintage
- Saint-Estèphe - Château Meyney 2017. Powerful and opulent, this Saint-Estèphe grand cru offers aromas of red fruits and spices. A wine to be enjoyed between 2024 and 2030 with fine red meats.
- Saint-Emilion - Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 2017. Surely one of the best value for money, if you can call it that, on the Right Bank. Rated 96+/100 by Parker, this Grand Cru Classé offers the full range of Merlot aromas. Black fruit, velvety and round on the palate.
- Sauternes - Château Yquem 2017. For sweet wine lovers, there's nothing like Château Yquem to satisfy you. However, you shouldn't expect just sugar, but rather very complex aromas of white fruit, apricot and quince.
Below is our selection of Great Bordeaux wines of the 2017 vintage by appellation :
St Emilion 2017
Below is our selection of Saint Emilion wines 2017 :
- Château Pavie
- Château Ausone
- Château La Mondotte
- Château Bellevue Mondotte
- Château Belair Monange
- Château Tertre Roteboeuf
Pomerol 2017
Below is our selection of Pomerol wines :
- Château Lafleur
- Château L'Eglise Clinet
- Château Hosanna
- Château Trotanoy
- Old Chateau Certan
Pauillac 2017
Below is our selection of Pauillac wines 2017:
St Estephe 2017
Below is our selection of Saint Estèphe wines :
Pessac Leognan 2017
Below is our selection of Pessac Leognan wines :
- Château Haut-Brion White
- Château Smith Haut Lafitte White
- Château La Mission Haut-Brion White
St Julien 2017
Below is our selection of Saint Julien wines :
Margaux 2017
Below is our selection of Margaux wines :
- Château Margaux
- Château Palmer
- Château Rauzan Segla
Sauternes 2017
Below is our selection of Sauternes wines :
- Château Yquem
- Château Rieussec
Burgundy 2017: a generous vintage
The 2017 vintage will not be as marked in Burgundy as in Bordeaux. It has to be said that Burgundy winegrowers have already suffered enough from several frosts in previous years that it's not their turn to be quiet for one year. In the end, the 2017 vintage went off without a hitch. A few frosts slowed vine development in April, but had no direct impact on quality. The following months made up for lost time and enabled the vines to develop really well. The summer was fine, without too much sun or water stress. The grapes reached a good level of ripeness, but not too high. Even during the harvest, both the weather and the vines behaved well, so healthy grapes returned to the winery. Red wines are of average quality, as the lack of abundant sunshine will result in grapes that are a little diluted and "soft", although the best estates will manage to produce great wines. As for whites, Chardonnay is faring much better, with Chablis wines topping the list. The freshness provided by the limestone soils of Chablis will enable us to produce very mineral and fruity Premier and Grand Crus.
In Côte de Beaune, the wines of Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault are also doing very well. Then, further south, the wines of the Mâconais region, which can also look forward to a good vintage with livelier, more opulent wines.
Here are our well-chosen wines from the 2017 vintage that are sure to please.
- Volnay 1er Cru Cailleret 2017 by Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils. This Côte de Beaune appellation will show you how a "complicated" vintage can produce fine, fruity Pinot Noir.
- Meursault Les Chevalières 2017 from domaine Anne Boisson. In a more complex register, this Meursault is full-bodied and round, with good tension. Perfect with white-fleshed poultry.
- Auxey Duresse 1er Cru En Reugne 2017 by Domaine Pierre Boisson. This time, we're on a tighter white. It retains the complexity and buttery character of the Beaune whites, but with a finish that's a little more "fruity".
Below is our selection of Great Burgundy wines of the 2017 vintage on the greatest appellations :
Pommard 2017
Our selection of Pommard wines 2017 :
- Domaine Comte Armand - Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux
- Domaine de Montille - Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens Cuvée Hubert
Nuit St Georges 2017
Below is our selection of Nuit St Georges 2017 wines :
- Domaine Méo-Camuzet - Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots
- Domaine Henri Gouges - Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers
- Joseph Drouhin - Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Procès
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
Gevrey Chambertin 2017
Discover our selection of Gevrey Chambertin wines 2017 :
- Domaine Dugat-Py - Chambertin Grand Cru
- Domaine Dugat-Py - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques
- Domaine Ponsot - Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
- Armand Rousseau - Chambertin Grand Cru
- Domaine Denis Mortet - Chambertin Grand Cru
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
- Domaine Trapet - Chambertin Grand Cru
Beaune 2017
The finest vintages of the Beaune wines 2017 :
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus
- Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches
- Louis Jadot - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Clos Saint-Landry White
- Domaine de Montille - Beaune 1er Cru Grèves
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse
Meursault 2017
Our selection of Meursault wines 2017 :
- Domaine Roulot - Meursault 1er Cru Perrières
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
- Domaine Chavy-Chouet - Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes
- Domaine de Montille - Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
Chablis 2017
Here is our selection of Chablis wines 2017 :
- Domaine Raveneau - Chablis Grand Cru Clos
- Domaine Vincent Dauvissat - Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
- Domaine Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin - Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
- Domaine William Fèvre - Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
- Domaine William Fèvre - Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
Puligny Montrachet 2017
Our selection of Puligny Montrachet wines 2017 :
- Domaine Hubert Lamy - Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots High Density
- Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot - Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts
Corton 2017
Below is our selection of Corton wines 2017 :
- Domaine Ponsot - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
- Faiveley - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
- Bouchard Père & Fils - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
- Méo-Camuzet Estate - Corton Clos Rognet Grand Cru
- Louis Latour - Château Corton-Grancey Grand Cru
- Domaine de Montille - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
- Louis Latour - Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Rhône 2017: a successful vintage
If there's one wine-growing region that stands out in the 2017 vintage, it's the Rhône Valley. Climatic conditions are very different from the rest of the vineyard, which will offer great prospects for producing great wines.
There were no weather problems to disrupt the vegetative cycle, although a few hailstorms and frosts did occur, but without disturbing the grapes. Then, the months of June to August went really well. Little rain and lots of heat. No disease or rot will appear. Summer will be accompanied by very hot sunshine, which will allow the grapes to develop gently and undergo a slight hydric stress, perfect for helping the vines to reach in-depth ripeness.
The harvest is going well, with the grapes being picked under a blazing sun. The crop is rather small because the berries are relatively small, but they are very concentrated with thick skins. Perfect for producing highly aromatic, complex wines with good tannins. A great vintage!
This suits red wines, which love the heat. And if we have to separate the wines of the north from those of the south, it's true that the appellations of the northern Rhône Valley fared better. Syrah loves very high temperatures to produce great vintages.
From Côte-Rôtie to Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Cornas, ALL the reds are fabulous. In the south, you can count on the classic Châteauneuf du Pape, which will be very pleasant, softer and easier than 2016, but accessible more quickly.
White wines, on the other hand, are more complicated. Too much sun will mean a lack of freshness and balance. They should therefore be enjoyed young and fruity.
2017 offers a wide range of quality red wines from which we have made a selection.
- Côte-Rôtie Cuvée du Plessy 2017 - Domaine Barge. This cuvée of less than one hectare is composed of 95% of Syrah and 5% of Viognier. It spends 2 years in demi-muids to round out all its tannins. Finesse and delicacy are the watchwords of this cuvée.
- Châteauneuf du Pape - Château de Beaucastel 2017. With this 2017 vintage, the Perrin family offers everything they know about the appellation. Part of the vineyard is located on sandy soils, which completes the powerful palette of this wine.
Below, our selection of Great Rhône Wines of the 2017 vintage by appellation:
Chateauneuf du Pape 2017
Our selection of Chateauneuf du Pape wines 2017 :
- Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Tribute to Jacques Perrin
- Clos des Papes 2017
- Clos Saint Jean Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina
- Domaine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Sabon's Secret
- Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve
- Bosquet des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Chante le Merle Vieilles Vignes
- Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
- Domaine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige
- Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes
- Domaine la Barroche Chateauneuf du Pape Pure
- Mr Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac
Côte-Rôtie 2017
The most beautiful Cote Rotie wines 2017 :
- Domaine Stéphane Ogier Cote Rotie La Cote Blonde
- Jean-Paul & Corinne Jamet Cote Rotie Cote Brune
- Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Brune
- Domaine Stéphane Ogier Cote Rotie La Belle Helene
- Domaine Stéphane Ogier Cote Rotie Launch
- M. Chapoutier Cote Rotie la Mordorée
Hermitage 2017
Our best Hermitage wines 2017 :
- Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite White
- Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite
- Chapoutier Ermitage le Meal
- Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon
- Chave Hermitage White
- Chapoutier Ermitage le Meal White
- Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle
- Chave Hermitage
- Domaine Belle Hermitage
Saint Joseph 2017
Discover our selection of St joseph wines 2017 :
- Chapoutier - Saint-Joseph Le Clos
- Chave - Saint Joseph
- Domaine Coursodon - Saint Joseph la Sensonne
- Domaine Coursodon - Saint Joseph le Paradis Saint Pierre
- Courbis - Saint Joseph La Cote Sud
- Ferraton Pere et Fils - Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Paradis
- Guigal - Saint-Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint-Joseph Blanc
Cornas 2017
Here are the best Wines of Cornas 2017
- Vincent Paris - Cornas la Geynale
- Courbis - Cornas la Sabarotte
- Courbis - Cornas Champelrose
- Ferraton Pere et Fils - Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou
- Chapoutier - Cornas Temenos
Vintage 2017 in the rest of France
Visit Loire has not escaped the difficult vintage that was 2017.
Mild temperatures in December helped the April frosts to do their dirty work. As a result, winegrowers in the Loire region will suffer heavy losses. For the best white wines, those harvested before the rains will have more fruit than tension. They should therefore be enjoyed younger rather than later. As for the reds, they will be easy to enjoy, with supple tannins.
We would like to mention the Languedoc in the success stories of the 2017 vintage. Better quality than the 2016s, the heat and well-controlled water stress will help winemakers produce wines with good ageing potential.
Alsace, too, is not to be overlooked. The 2017 vintage is one of the earliest in the region, which didn't help when frost unfortunately set in and caused heavy losses.
However, the rest of the vegetative cycle went well on the best terroirs and will produce great white wines in a few years' time.
We'll be updating this ranking constantly. Please come back from time to time to see what's new in 2017 vintage wines. Check out our selection of great 2017 wines on Comptoir des Millésimes.