We bid farewell to the year-end festivities, and almost immediately, are gearing up to welcome the auspicious Chinese Zodiac of the Wood Dragon in 2024! Symbolising power, nobility, honor, luck, and success, the Dragon's energy, infused with the Wood element, promises a year of tremendous potential and opportunities for those embracing change. To toast to the Dragon in your life, we present a selection of perfectly aged wines ready to be savoured. Years of the Dragon, including 2012, 2000, and 1988, span Bordeaux, Champagne, Rhone Valley, and Napa Valley.
2012
The 2012 vintage stands out for the quality of the Champagnes, despite low yields thanks to frost, hail and disease early in the season. August saw conditions improve dramatically resulting in exemplary maturity, acidity and grape health at harvest. It was a relatively good year for white wines in Bordeaux. For the reds, it was a Merlot year due to the delayed season which compromised the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon. The late arrival of the rains limited treatment against rot, which resulted in many vintners opting for early harvesting before full phenolic maturity could be achieved. The best of these wines have lovely fruit structure, real definition and excellent balance. Surpassing initial expectations, 2012 reveals itself as a vintage of unexpected excellence.
Browse 2012 vintage wines here.
2000
The Bordeaux vintage of 2000 shines brilliantly, with some wine enthusiasts categorising it as nothing short of "legendary." From July onwards, a spectacular summer dominated with hardly a drop of rain until mid-September when the skies finally opened. Interestingly, this rainfall was likely a welcome sight in certain areas. Sunny weather then returned and graced the October harvest, interrupted only briefly by a solitary day of rain — an unexpected blessing for the thirsty vines. The resulting wines were rich and ripe with great structure, depth, complexity and tannins, and are now ready to drink!
