Bordeaux Flashcards
1997
Size:
An exceptionally abundant vintage
Important info:
User friendly, soft (low acidity)vintage that will have broad appeal because of the wine’s preciousness.
Maturity status:
A quickly evolving vintage that’s pasts its prime in 10-12 years
March 1997 was extremely hot, hitting mid 80s and sometimes 90s. This hot weather jump started the vineyards. The flowering process occurred too early, which lead to uneven ripening. July was cool and wet. August saw record breaking levels of humidity as well as high temperatures.
1996
Size:
An exceptionally large crop
Important info:
The most expensive Bordeaux vintage in history. This is a great vintage for the Medoc and Cab Sauv based wines.
Maturity status:
Wines from the medoc will require 10-15 years of cellaring, following bottling. The wines from Graves and the right bank are more acceptable at a younger age and only need 7-10 years to age.
The weather was great and lead to uniform flowering.
1995
Size:
A huge harvest, however, most major chateaux crop thinned their selection process was severe. This lead to modest yields.
Important info:
A consistently top notch vintage. Almost all major appellations turned in exceptional wines of uniform quality.
Maturity status:
These wines have considerable tannin and require serious age. Reached maturity in 2005.
1994
Size:
Exceptionally large crop, but top properties had to be exceptionally sever in their selection process.
Important info:
A hot, dry summer provided the potential for a great vintage, but the weather deteriorated in September with a large amount of rain. Producers who were unwilling to declassify 30%-50% of their harvest were incapable of making top quality wines. Merlot was the most successful grape in this vintage. Even the most successful Medocs employed a higher percentage of merlot than Cab Sauv. The best drained vineyards (those lying next to the Gironde in the medoc and Graves) tended to produce very good wines.
Maturity status:
Slow to evolve and require a lot of age.
1993
Size:
A very large crop
Important info:
Deplorable weather conditions. Wines have an unripe Cab Sauv character with some evidence of dilution.
1992
Size:
A large crop was harvested, but the top properties implemented a ruthless selection.
Important info:
The heavy rain cause even the top wines to taste diluted.
Maturity status:
Most wines are past their prime by 2002.
1991
Size:
A very small crop, largely because of the killer freeze in April which destroyed most of the crops in Pomerol and St.Emilion.
Important info:
A disaster in the right bank appellations of Pomerol and St. Emilion.
Maturity status:
These wines mature quickly and are past their prime after 2001. These wines are usually very cheap
1990
Size:
Enormous, one of the largest crops ever harvested in Bordeaux.
Important info:
The hottest and sunniest year since 1940s.
Maturity status:
Exceptionally low acid wines. The wines have high tannins and will be best in 2015
