1961 Bordeaux wine is one the legendary Bordeaux vintages of all time and for several good reasons. Of course, that all starts with the perfect growing season and harvest. The spring frost conditions naturally reduced crops, lowered yields and concentrated the already intense flavors.  The summer was for the most part, warm, sunny and dry.

The only break from the excellent summer weather occurred in July, when the summer rain fell, which proved to exactly what the grapes needed. August was extremely hot and dry, which was followed by a close to perfect September, which was warm and dry. These conditions produced small, ripe, sweet, ripe, thick-skinned berries with almost unseen levels of concentration of intensity and flavor.

The 1961 Bordeaux harvest officially began September 22 and the rest was history. Now think Burgundy.