Vintage History Flashcards
Northern Rhone - 2011
Warm start, cool wet second half. Late harvest, and consistent. WS92
Northern Rhone - 2010
Cool wet spring -> Low yields. Some September rain. Indian summer -> late harvest. Excellent. WS98
Northern Rhone - 2009
Warm, dry season -> early harvest. Mid-August rain and cool nights kept grapes fresh. Reds are rich and whites are round. WS96
Northern Rhone - 2008
Cool, gray season made ripening reds difficult. Some successes, but many lean, herb-inflected wines; whites are excellent, with ripe tropical fruit flavors and tangy acidity. A tough year, but better than ‘02
WS86
Northern Rhone - 2007
Erratic growing season, followed by a perfect September that saved the harvest. Reds and whites fresh, aromatic and forward in style; similar to 2001, more consistent than 2004. Strongest in Côte-Rôtie and Cornas
WS91
Northern Rhone - 2006
Ripe, fresh reds with open-knit structures and fine balance; whites are classics, combining best of 2005 and 2004
WS92
Northern Rhone - 2005
A drought-influenced vintage, though cool nights helped maintain freshness. Reds have the structure for long-term cellaring; whites also dense and concentrated
WS94
Northern Rhone - 2004
Controlling yields was key for reds, with some variable results; best are fresh and balanced, others are crisp and green. Whites, particularly Condrieu, are superb
WS90
Northern Rhone - 2003
Torrid heat wave produced a small crop with wide-ranging quality, from exotically ripe to acid-deficient. Whites show lots of tropical fruit, oily textures
WS94
Northern Rhone - 2002
Rain made it hard to pick ripe and clean reds; many show herb and tobacco notes with tough tannins. Whites harvested in time though; some are outstanding
WS82
Northern Rhone - 2001
Great racy, rich whites in Condrieu and Hermitage; elegant reds
WS89
Northern Rhone - 2000
Clean and pure with good structure, but without the depth of top years
WS88
Northern Rhone - 1999
Voluptuous, silky vintage with stunning quality for Côte-Rôtie
WS96
Northern Rhone - 1998
Very structured reds with good fruit, balance and concentration; now approaching their peak
WS90
Northern Rhone - 1997
Reds framed by burly tannins; starting to soften. Best in Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage
WS88
Northern Rhone - 1996
Big crop with high acidity; best are refined and elegant
WS90
Northern Rhone - 1995
Unheralded year but red wines offer concentration and length; whites are also very good to outstanding
WS91
What are generally considered the best recent vintages in Northern Rhone?
2010, 2009, 1999, 2005, 2003
Southern Rhone - 2011
Warm spring, but cool, wet weather in July and August led to uneven ripening; Indian summer saved the vintage. Grenache is light, but Syrah and Mourvèdre strong, so blending key; there will be some excellent wines, but heterogenous from domaine to domaine
WS91
Southern Rhone - 2010
Cool, windy spring led to a drastically reduced crop; growing season marked by warm days and cool nights, with a late harvest stretching into October, resulting in beautifully ripe, racy, terroir-driven wines for aging. The spine of 2005 with extra flesh
WS98
Southern Rhone - 2009
Warm, dry growing season, with heat wave arriving after veraison so ripening was fast but even; grapes retained acidity thanks to cool nights. Reds have pure fruit and polished tannins
WS94
Southern Rhone - 2008
Cool, wet spring and humid growing season saved by the mistral; a small crop, with many producers eliminating cuvées. Quality very heterogenous, but some excellent wines were made
WS88
Southern Rhone - 2007
Ripe, rich, powerful reds thanks to long Indian summer at harvesttime. Grenache is heady and rich, so Mourvèdre and Cinsault key for balance. Best wines are classic hedonistic delights, though some are over-the-top
WS95
Southern Rhone - 2006
Ripe, pure and balanced reds, with fresh flavors and bright finishes. In the mold of 2004/1999 but slightly more concentrated; whites superb
WS93
Southern Rhone - 2005
Third straight year of drought, with well-timed rain and mistral. Great concentration, purity and structure; great cellaring potential. Should rival ‘98 and ‘90
97WS
Southern Rhone - 2004
Another dry year, but not as hot as 2003. Small crop of balanced and very pure wines; far more consistent than 2003
WS93
Southern Rhone - 2003
Hot, dry year made powerful, ripe reds. Rugged tannins need time, but best are superb; some inconsistency
WS93
Southern Rhone - 2002
Tart, dilute wines due to torrential rain at harvest. Many producers declassified their crop
WS76
Southern Rhone - 2001
Great vintage of racy, structured reds in Châteauneuf-du-Pape that have continued to put on weight as they evolve. Best are just starting to open up now
WS94
Southern Rhone - 2000
Powerful and rich; plump and ripe reds with silky tannins. Big crop, so not the structure of classic years
WS93
Southern Rhone - 1999
Syrah- and Mourvèdre-based wines offer lovely balance and length; Grenache-based wines less successful
90WS
Southern Rhone - 1998
Dense and rich; superb Grenache harvest led to blockbuster reds with ripe tannins
WS97
Southern Rhone - 1997
Soft, easy early-drinking wines
WS81
Southern Rhone - 1996
Light, fruity, pleasant, early-drinking reds; some excellent whites
WS80
Southern Rhone - 1995
Many tough, tannic reds, but Châteauneufs are improving beautifully; rich whites
WS90
What are generally considered the best recent vintages in Southern Rhone?
2010, 2005, 1998, 2007, 2001, 2009
Southern Rhone - 2013
Coulure was this year’s bugbear for the vignerons of the Southern Rhône, drastically reducing the Grenache crop: 2013 Côtes du Rhône may well be in short supply. As is often the case where low yields are matched by careful selection, overall quality is good.
Southern Rhone 2012
Much more successful than 2011. It was a low-acid year in both the northern and southern Rhône. Alcohols are roughly average, but volumes are down by up to 15% on 2011. Clement weather late in the season made for relaxed harvesting however, and vignerons are optimistic about the results which seem to combine ripeness with some freshness.
Northern Rhone 2013
Despite a slow start and problems with mildew in June, the 2013 growing season came good with fine warm days and cool nights throughout the summer. Rain prompted a speedy harvest (one of the latest ever) but most producers seem content with the results.
Northern Rhone 2012
Looks good for the Rhône, against the trend of the year in Europe at large. It is defined by lower than average potential alcohol – indeed some chaptalisation was practised. Acidities are also generally below the norm, while tannins are more pronounced than in 2011.
