Bordeaux 2016 is being described in the most glowing terms. But – reading between the lines – there is some worry that in the end it might be generous and ripe, but lack staying power, especially in the whites.

The established facts are as follows: 2016 started badly and, so far, has ended well; the early summer was cold and wet but it was followed by a full 10 weeks of glorious summer. Temperatures in Bordeauxdidn't abate until well into September, which had winemakers praying for rain. Then there was a drenching rainstorm on Tuesday 13 September, depositing up to 30mm of water on the vines and lowering temperatures significantly.

The rain was a godsend for the older vines with deeper root systems. Younger vines, with roots nearer the surface, sucked up enough moisture to engorge the grapes, thinning and splitting the skins. Similarly, those vines on clay-based soils have fared best in the hot summer, those soils better retaining the moisture from the early summer rains.

The last 10 days or so of sunshine have been a winemaker's delight. They like nothing more than a relaxed, unhurried pick, what Château Angélus's latest harvest newsletter calls "a serene, à la carte harvest".