Recent Vintages

Question 1

Describe the 2016 Burgundy Vintage.

Answer 1

• Worst frost since 1981
• Hail in Chablis and Beaujolais
• Virtually no wine from Musigny, Echezeaux, Montrachet
• Collective Montrachet year

Question 2

What regions in France suffered a early season freeze in 2017?

Answer 2

• Loire

* Champagne

Question 3

Describe the 2016 Bordeaux Vintage.

Answer 3

2 halves
•March, May, June - extremely wet/mildew pressure
•Drought at harvest - lower acids/green tannins

Question 4

What are the only two regions in Italy that received above average scores for the 2014 vintage?

Answer 4

• Sicily - red/white
• Sardinia - reds

*Everything else was 87 pts or lower

Question 5

Categorize the last 7 vintages (2017-2011) in Argentina.

Answer 5

• Cool/Damp - ‘11/12, ‘14, ‘16
• Warm/Damp/Rot - ‘15
• Hail - ‘15/16
• Healthy/Dry - ‘13, ‘17

*Last “great” vintage was 2009

Question 6

Describe the 2016 vintage in the Rhone.

Answer 6

• North - Excellent Vintage, some hail in Hermitage that only affected yields. Abvs are lower than 2015.
• South - Classic vintage. Some say it is the best weather since 1998.

Question 7

Describe the 2016 Northern California Vintage.

Answer 7

• Classic vintage, higher-than-average natural acidity.

* Heavy rainfall in Autumn caused some flood damage.

Question 8

Describe the 2017 Australia vintage.

Answer 8

• Cool, wet start.

* Dry weather for most of harvest ensured quality and quantity were generally high.

Question 9

Describe the 2016 Australia vintage.

Answer 9

Warm, early vintage.

Question 10

Describe the 2015 Australia vintage.

Answer 10

High quality across the board, except for Adelaide Hills which resulted in smoke-tainted wines from bush fires.

Question 11

Describe the 2016 German vintage.

Answer 11

Good quality, lower alcohol and higher acidity.

•Heavy early rainfall created serious disease pressure in the Mosel and Nahe.

Question 12

Describe the 2016 Piedmont vintage.

Answer 12

Excellent quality

•Higher tannin and acidity than 2015s

Question 13

Describe the 2016 Tuscany vintage.

Answer 13

Good vintage

•Perfumed, deep color, less structure than 2015s

Question 14

Describe the 2016 New Zealand vintage.

Answer 14

Excellent vintage

•Larger berries - emphasis on thiols (passionfruit flavors) over methoxypyrazines.

Question 15

Describe the 2017 New Zealand vintage.

Answer 15

Wet, cool

Question 16

Describe the 2016 Port Vintage.

Answer 16

Rich, complex, intense wines
•Cold and wet spring
•Dry autumn allowed for a long harvest to ensure maximum ripeness

Question 17

Describe the 2016 South Africa vintage.

Answer 17

Hot - sunburn issues in some regions
•Small crop = concentrated, ripe wines
•Early harvest = lower alcohols

Question 18

Describe the 2017 South Africa vintage.

Answer 18

Very good quality

•Drought conditions = small crop = concentrated, ripe wines

Question 19

Describe the 2016 Catalunya vintage.

Answer 19

Drought = small crop/berries = high intensity

•Better for local grapes

Question 20

Describe the 2016 Rioja and Ribera del Duero vintages.

Answer 20

Both are Excellent

•Abundant crop, modest alcohol, relatively ligh tannins