Illustration: Cabernet Sauvignon grapes under the chamber's light

Illustrations: the crop under the chamber’s light, and how it arrives (packaging render).

Packaging render

Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Pauillac · Médoc, Bordeaux · France

Bordeaux's dry, cool-nighted classic.

A critics' year: its standing is published consensus.

$190per 6 kg crate · $250 after harvest

0% reserved · 120 of 120 leftPlants at 70% · closes 7 December 2026

Nothing is owed unless this lot reaches 70% reserved by 7 December 2026. If it doesn't, your reservation is released.

A dry summer with unusually cool nights built thick skins, deep colour and high acidity together. Critics placed 2010 alongside 2005 and 2009 among Bordeaux's great modern vintages.

193
days replayed

1 Apr – 10 Oct

17.6°
mean temperature

4° to 35°

1480
degree-days of heat

warmth accumulated

287 mm
rain

75 mm in the final weeks

11.4 h
sun a day

estimated from the reanalysis

8.8°
day–night swing

in the final weeks

42
mol/m² of light a day

calculated

What this weather does to the fruit.

Five readings from the recorded season, each against the band the crop does best in (painted green on the dial). The meanings are what growers and agronomists expect of weather like this, not a tasting note.

Heat over the season · in balance

Enough heat to ripen fully without tipping into heaviness.

Day–night swing while ripening · ideal

Cool nights after warm days keep acidity and aroma while sugar builds — the signature of a classic year.

Rain in the last 45 days · wet

Late rain swells fruit with water and tends to dilute flavour; it also brings rot pressure.

Sunlight · brilliant

Light builds colour, skin ripeness and sugar.

Days above 36° · none

No heat stress: the plant never shut down to protect itself.

The season, as it happened.

1 April 2010 to 10 October 2010, recorded daily at 45.20°, -0.75° (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo historical archive). Choose a chapter to mark it on the paper.

Point at the paper to read any day. Arrow keys step a day.

Air temperature, day high to night low · °C0–38
Rain, given as water at the roots · mm0–41
Daily light · mol/m² · calculated0–73
Peak UV · index · calculated0–10
Humidity · %39–95
Soil temperature, top 7 cm · °C7–28
Soil water · m³/m³0.11–0.46
AprMayJunJulAugSeptOct

Burgundy ink: the recorded day. Blue: rain. The dashed line is where the chamber is today. Light and UV are calculated from the recorded sunshine.

The ground, and what stands in for it.

In Pauillac
Deep beds of Günz gravel over clay: so free-draining the vine has to root deep and stays a little thirsty.
In the chamber
A coarse, fast-draining substrate and short irrigation pulses — Cabernet does its best work slightly stressed.
The ledger: every day and the chamber’s settings for it (193 days)
DayDateHigh °CLow °CRH %Rain mmSun hLight hDLIPPFDUVSoil °CSoil water→ Water L/m²→ Mist min
11 Apr11.83.9780.512.012.641.19105.19.141%2.9—
22 Apr12.36.4824.15.112.619.24233.28.941%5.68
33 Apr13.27.3848.36.512.724.95473.89.442%1017
44 Apr12.15.8761.212.212.742.29225.39.941%3.72
55 Apr14.13.6760.012.212.836.98044.99.739%2.4—
66 Apr20.75.4680.012.212.849.610755.911.538%3.7—
77 Apr14.48.5801.810.012.933.87294.811.638%4.14
88 Apr14.64.6790.011.412.935.17544.910.838%2.4—
99 Apr16.66.4760.06.513.028.46074.311.237%2.3—
1010 Apr19.87.4720.012.713.050.610796.213.336%3.8—
1111 Apr16.08.2630.012.213.150.810796.312.835%3.9—
1212 Apr14.65.8580.012.913.150.910766.311.334%3.8—
1313 Apr14.04.9700.013.013.245.39555.910.834%2.9—
1414 Apr15.84.1690.012.613.240.38455.610.834%3—
1515 Apr17.46.0670.013.213.350.510546.412.033%3.8—
1616 Apr17.86.8620.013.413.347.59896.212.432%3.8—
1717 Apr19.87.8620.013.413.454.711346.813.731%4.3—
1818 Apr21.17.4640.013.513.454.611276.914.431%4.2—
1919 Apr19.38.2741.112.913.544.29106.114.631%4.42
2020 Apr19.18.8790.012.313.548.79986.515.031%3.5—
2121 Apr22.39.6680.012.113.651.010426.715.830%4.3—
2222 Apr17.912.4752.60.813.619.13883.714.931%4.75
2323 Apr17.011.2750.38.013.727.95674.714.633%2.5—
2424 Apr20.79.7750.012.913.745.19106.315.632%3.4—
2525 Apr18.810.2790.013.413.836.57345.615.531%2.8—
2626 Apr20.17.9740.011.013.848.89796.715.330%3.7—
2727 Apr22.29.0630.013.913.956.111217.315.929%4.6—
2828 Apr26.79.6580.014.013.957.811527.517.328%5.2—
2929 Apr20.614.2650.611.814.038.57655.917.127%4.3—
3030 Apr18.612.1760.011.114.034.96905.616.127%2.9—
311 May16.511.3710.07.214.126.45204.714.827%2.5—
322 May16.310.6740.313.714.147.19266.814.728%3.7—
333 May14.18.8700.214.014.243.78566.513.228%3.4—
344 May13.26.5621.05.514.230.45945.210.927%42
355 May14.07.0692.40.414.320.53994.210.331%4.45
366 May15.07.5660.011.414.336.47065.911.930%2.8—
377 May14.68.7802.89.714.431.76145.413.030%5.16
388 May17.18.7791.413.114.447.19096.914.631%4.73
399 May15.510.88820.42.114.411.32182.913.337%21.541
4010 May18.910.8770.513.314.552.910157.515.238%4.3—
4111 May16.18.6832.910.914.537.07076.013.937%5.56
4212 May12.27.8750.04.314.625.64884.912.437%2.1—
4313 May12.76.0721.013.514.644.58476.811.936%3.92
4414 May14.55.7690.013.814.644.88506.812.435%3.1—
4515 May15.56.2710.014.014.752.69957.512.834%3.6—
4616 May15.47.0750.013.314.744.48386.812.833%3.1—
4717 May16.88.7760.213.914.844.88446.913.633%3.3—
4818 May19.57.6750.013.514.853.09967.614.532%4—
4919 May20.610.2670.012.714.846.18637.015.731%4—
5020 May21.58.0600.014.014.964.111988.616.030%5.2—
5121 May24.110.2550.014.014.963.711888.617.128%5.8—
5222 May25.513.2560.014.114.963.811878.618.827%6.3—
5323 May27.414.5540.014.115.063.511798.620.125%6.3—
5424 May30.214.1520.014.115.064.111878.721.024%6.3—
5525 May27.714.8691.014.015.051.79557.621.323%5.72
5626 May20.215.0781.913.715.142.57846.819.024%5.34
5727 May19.313.7751.214.015.145.48367.117.826%4.72
5828 May20.011.1710.014.115.142.87886.917.126%3.5—
5929 May18.111.0793.03.315.122.64144.715.826%5.26
6030 May19.115.8882.22.215.218.83454.216.730%3.94
6131 May19.816.0810.08.015.233.56135.917.830%2.9—
621 Jun19.215.5820.03.915.220.53744.417.429%2—
632 Jun21.515.3700.010.415.250.29167.618.828%4.3—
643 Jun25.413.1640.014.515.364.711798.919.726%5.7—
654 Jun27.613.8650.014.515.363.611578.821.724%5.8—
665 Jun29.414.8680.013.315.361.511178.623.022%5.6—
676 Jun21.215.7718.110.515.337.66826.420.029%11.516
687 Jun23.514.1680.014.015.348.68817.519.830%4.1—
698 Jun18.915.5822.80.015.316.22933.918.030%4.56
709 Jun23.014.9804.610.915.438.77006.519.133%7.99
7110 Jun23.316.9733.111.215.444.58047.119.535%7.36
7211 Jun20.715.4768.513.215.438.16886.518.536%11.817
7312 Jun23.114.5720.513.415.441.87546.919.134%4.2—
7413 Jun22.315.5810.814.315.445.08117.219.833%4.4—
7514 Jun17.914.1734.010.415.438.36906.517.633%7.18
7615 Jun19.311.98112.58.115.433.05946.016.635%15.125
7716 Jun16.412.99037.40.015.43.9701.715.243%25.860
7817 Jun20.712.5822.012.815.442.27596.917.441%5.44
7918 Jun19.115.0820.37.815.424.04324.917.639%2.5—
8019 Jun19.514.0852.75.015.424.34375.017.139%4.85
8120 Jun16.311.5640.011.815.441.27416.815.538%3.5—
8221 Jun18.29.4680.014.715.551.09187.815.836%3.9—
8322 Jun22.610.4670.014.815.461.411048.717.335%4.9—
8423 Jun24.312.0650.014.715.466.011869.118.833%5.6—
8524 Jun26.713.8610.015.115.465.611809.020.332%6—
8625 Jun28.715.0630.015.115.465.111729.021.730%6.1—
8726 Jun30.016.2640.015.015.464.911689.023.329%6.1—
8827 Jun29.917.3650.014.315.460.010818.624.027%5.8—
8928 Jun28.019.0753.814.515.456.510188.224.427%8.98
9029 Jun27.518.7760.414.615.452.79507.924.229%5.2—
9130 Jun29.018.6680.014.915.455.410008.124.928%5.2—
921 Jul32.419.2630.014.615.462.711318.825.926%6—
932 Jul30.019.7730.313.815.451.89367.825.625%5.3—
943 Jul26.319.3757.012.815.445.38197.224.030%11.214
954 Jul26.717.8680.014.815.358.710638.423.729%5.4—
965 Jul24.815.6710.013.015.349.28917.622.127%4.5—
976 Jul25.917.1630.014.815.361.411138.622.925%5.5—
987 Jul29.415.0600.014.815.365.911969.023.123%6.1—
998 Jul35.318.0550.014.015.361.511198.625.022%6.8—
1009 Jul28.621.6640.414.315.352.89627.926.120%6.1—
10110 Jul29.518.4690.014.715.261.511218.625.919%5.6—
10211 Jul27.818.7713.014.615.248.78897.525.020%7.66
10312 Jul25.320.0720.811.315.237.76906.423.822%4.6—
10413 Jul24.817.6780.49.315.231.65795.722.621%3.4—
10514 Jul21.618.68013.76.415.122.94194.720.932%16.227
10615 Jul23.916.4650.014.015.143.58017.020.932%4.2—
10716 Jul23.717.3720.213.015.143.17946.920.830%4—
10817 Jul23.716.0690.013.015.150.49307.621.028%4.4—
10918 Jul26.513.3620.014.515.062.811618.621.326%5.8—
11019 Jul29.615.1550.014.415.063.411758.723.024%6.1—
11120 Jul28.016.3640.014.215.061.411408.523.622%5.8—
11221 Jul22.318.1742.68.014.927.55115.221.523%5.45
11322 Jul22.716.6680.012.314.942.57936.820.924%3.9—
11423 Jul22.314.9710.414.014.945.68527.020.123%4.4—
11524 Jul23.714.3740.012.914.841.27726.620.323%3.7—
11625 Jul21.915.7781.26.314.822.64254.619.722%3.62
11726 Jul25.216.6750.012.114.844.18316.921.422%4.1—
11827 Jul27.616.7750.014.014.748.29107.222.921%4.5—
11928 Jul28.816.9690.014.014.754.410307.724.120%5.4—
12029 Jul23.817.5710.211.914.636.46906.122.519%3.9—
12130 Jul26.415.1710.014.014.651.09717.422.619%4.7—
12231 Jul28.815.5670.014.014.657.911058.023.917%5.4—
1231 Aug22.317.07816.513.914.539.07466.322.024%19.933
1242 Aug23.415.0740.013.914.544.48526.820.933%4—
1253 Aug24.815.5710.014.014.455.710727.721.429%4.9—
1264 Aug22.516.1801.18.914.433.36435.620.528%4.22
1275 Aug23.215.5680.014.014.451.710007.320.627%4.6—
1286 Aug24.214.0670.014.014.356.711027.720.725%4.8—
1297 Aug27.414.8650.014.014.357.411187.722.523%5.3—
1308 Aug26.514.9690.014.014.257.611247.722.921%5—
1319 Aug23.915.8740.013.214.242.88406.422.020%3.8—
13210 Aug24.115.3710.013.314.143.88616.521.619%3.9—
13311 Aug23.016.6823.55.414.121.04144.220.320%5.67
13412 Aug22.514.9710.013.914.042.68446.320.422%3.9—
13513 Aug22.816.3670.012.614.037.67475.920.720%3.7—
13614 Aug21.914.2680.113.713.940.58076.119.820%3.9—
13715 Aug21.013.9741.712.413.940.68136.119.521%5.13
13816 Aug24.013.6710.013.413.846.39286.520.120%4.1—
13917 Aug24.513.3740.013.213.847.49556.620.419%4.1—
14018 Aug21.416.4750.68.413.723.04654.320.019%2.9—
14119 Aug28.014.1680.012.913.745.99316.421.818%4.1—
14220 Aug29.518.8700.013.413.650.910366.824.717%4.9—
14321 Aug33.816.3650.013.713.652.210666.825.416%5—
14422 Aug30.121.1671.19.913.541.88576.026.016%5.62
14523 Aug24.820.1771.912.213.532.86765.124.117%5.14
14624 Aug22.716.7630.512.313.448.39976.422.818%4.9—
14725 Aug28.514.2660.013.213.447.79906.322.617%4.5—
14826 Aug32.418.7680.39.613.339.58225.624.216%4.9—
14927 Aug23.218.4807.512.213.334.37165.122.621%10.615
15028 Aug22.416.5670.010.713.230.46384.720.622%3.1—
15129 Aug22.613.1620.013.013.250.410616.420.121%4.6—
15230 Aug21.712.5660.012.913.144.79455.919.319%3.9—
15331 Aug24.112.2520.012.613.151.110856.319.218%5.3—
1541 Sept27.913.6440.012.213.049.410526.220.617%5.7—
1552 Sept28.615.6550.010.513.046.59955.922.416%4.8—
1563 Sept25.615.2700.012.412.947.810285.922.515%4.2—
1574 Sept26.015.2730.010.312.939.88585.321.814%3.4—
1585 Sept30.315.4590.012.112.844.79685.623.314%4.6—
1596 Sept26.417.0684.17.512.832.57084.622.914%7.68
1607 Sept19.415.68414.94.512.715.93483.019.632%16.530
1618 Sept19.515.5817.911.912.730.26634.318.535%10.516
1629 Sept20.814.7810.912.012.637.58264.918.834%3.9—
16310 Sept22.813.5770.010.212.638.98615.019.131%3.1—
16411 Sept27.013.5670.011.112.541.69255.119.928%3.9—
16512 Sept24.015.5740.012.012.441.59275.120.226%3.7—
16613 Sept22.211.8660.012.012.441.99395.018.925%3.6—
16714 Sept24.013.5680.012.012.341.89415.019.424%3.5—
16815 Sept24.814.0670.012.012.342.59615.019.522%3.7—
16916 Sept18.215.0820.00.012.27.11611.717.722%1—
17017 Sept20.310.9660.011.312.235.78154.417.121%3.2—
17118 Sept20.313.0590.011.012.137.88674.517.421%3.6—
17219 Sept20.38.8620.012.012.142.39754.816.420%3.4—
17320 Sept23.89.3610.012.012.040.59364.616.819%3.6—
17421 Sept27.214.3660.012.012.036.78534.319.518%3.6—
17522 Sept27.814.2740.09.711.935.98374.220.518%3.2—
17623 Sept23.916.5730.011.911.931.67403.820.917%2.9—
17724 Sept19.015.1765.711.811.828.26653.518.721%8.411
17825 Sept17.912.3690.011.511.732.17603.816.823%2.9—
17926 Sept14.99.8610.011.111.728.56773.515.122%2.5—
18027 Sept17.210.6660.010.611.623.85683.115.022%2.1—
18128 Sept17.911.4690.07.011.623.35603.015.221%1.9—
18229 Sept20.89.8730.011.711.534.18213.716.120%2.6—
18330 Sept18.113.4773.910.011.526.66433.216.324%68
1841 Oct20.911.6750.26.711.422.75532.916.024%2.5—
1852 Oct26.814.1690.011.011.431.77753.418.023%3.3—
1863 Oct25.016.3630.18.311.322.65562.818.522%3.9—
1874 Oct19.515.18110.92.311.310.82661.817.328%12.522
1885 Oct22.314.5730.06.111.217.34282.317.032%2—
1896 Oct21.714.9680.010.811.227.06733.017.929%2.9—
1907 Oct26.214.2750.010.811.131.17793.218.427%3—
1918 Oct26.416.4660.010.811.030.87733.119.826%3.7—
1929 Oct26.317.5690.010.211.028.47182.920.324%3.4—
19310 Oct20.016.58919.00.010.95.21331.118.335%19.938
Download the chamber recipe (CSV)