Note that these generalized table figures are NOT cast in cement. The intent is merely to "indicate" the vintage years that have most likely allowed creation of well-balanced wines, in a particular region, with minimal human "adjustment" intervention.
The following tables cater to the reader interested in "drinking" wines, not investment-grade "fine wines". For the benefit of the latter group I have included links to specialist wine purveyers or information sites at the bottom of the relevant table. In the final analysis it is up to the individual to make his or her own choice depending on personal perceptions. Vintages ranked as average (or below) indicate that the consumer should be "trying before buying" not least because the ranking can still encompass excellent individual wines benefiting from special climatic or winemaking circumstances.
Modern wine science, where practiced, ensures that *every* years growth will produce a drinkable wine. "Off" years may require "chaptalization", (ie: addition of some sugar to bring the wine to optimum alcohol content), or perhaps the addition of crystallized tartaric acid recovered from previous vintage wine-barrels to increase desirable acid content (etc).
These methods are ways of enhancing certain deficient natural elements by the addition of those same elements in isolated form although it should be pointed out that these techniques are being declared illegal for use in wines designated as "quality wines", and so only permissable in the lower grade designation of "table wines", in many of the countries associated or aligned with the European Union rules governing denominated "quality wine" regions.
Historically - (aprox pre-1950's) - winemakers were at the mercy of Nature. Unaware of present-day techniques it was natural that vintages were tracked by empirical methods in order to give some guidance about probable condition over the short term. The wheel seems to have come full-circle in that many consumers prefer a 100% natural wine with minimal or no additives....which necessarily requires a knowledge of the best vintage years.
Readers interested in historical trivia can access Peter Jordan's "Chronicle" of German vintage information, dating back to late Roman times, by clicking on the following link URL and cursoring down to the listing:
A = California Red (Napa/Sonoma Cabernet) B = California White (Napa/Sonoma Chardonnay) C = Erie, Finger Lakes *Whites* (W. NY, USA) D = Long Island, Hudson Valley *Reds* (E. NY, USA) E = Michigan, Ohio (USA) F = Niagara Peninsula *Whites* (Ont., Canada) G = Okanagan (Brit. Columbia, Canada) H = Oregon (Pacific N.W. USA) I = Washington (Pacific N.W. USA)
A B C D E F G H I
-------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | |
2003 - - - - - - - - -
2002 t >4 >4 5 1 - 5 - 5 5
2001 t 5 >4 >4 >4 4 >4 3 3 3
2000 t 4 4 4 >3 4 4 >3 5 >4
1999 t >3 >3 >3 >2 4 >4 >4 >4 5
1998 2 >2 5 5 5 5 4 >4 >4
1997 4 4 >3 4 >3 >4 >4 3 >3
1996 >3 4 >2 3 2 >2 3 3 2
1995 5 3 5 5 5 5 3 >2 2
1994 >3 >4 4 >4 1 3 3 3 3
1993 2 2 4 4 >3 >3 3 2 3
1992 4 4 1 1 2 >2 3 3 3
1991 5 5 4 5 4 >4 3 4 3
1990 >4 4 4 >4 4 4 3 3 3
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Canada, carries a WWW page dealing with
North American "Quality Wine" vintages at the URL:It is under continual construction, so occasional periods of shutdown should be expected.
A = Barossa Red (S.Australia) B = Barossa White (S. Australia) C = Coonawarra Red (S. Australia) D = Coonawarra White (S. Australia) E = Hunter Red (N.S.W) F = Hunter White (N.S.W) G = Yarra Red (Victoria) H = Yarra White (Victoria) I = Tasmania Red J = Tasmania White
A B C D E F G H I J
------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | |
3004 - - - - - - - - - -
2003 - - - - - - - - - -
2002 t - - - - - - - - - -
2001 t >4 4 >3 >3 4 4 4 >4 >3 3
2000 t 4 >3 4 4 >3 >3 >4 4 >4 >3
1999 t 3 3 >4 >3 3 3 3 3 4 4
1998 >4 >4 5 >4 5 5 >4 4 >4 >4
1997 >4 >3 >4 4 4 >2 >4 3 3 >3
1996 4 >3 3 >3 >3 3 2 >1 1 >1
1995 5 5 >2 3 >4 4 5 5 5 5
1994 >4 >4 >4 4 >3 >2 4 4 - -
1993 3 2 3 2 >1 >2 3 >2 - -
1992 4 3 3 3 >1 >1 4 4 - -
1991 >4 4 >3 4 4 4 4 4 - -
1990 >4 >3 >4 >3 >2 >3 4 >2 - -
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario Canada carries a WWW page dealing with
Australian "Quality Wine" vintages at the URL:A = N.E. Bulgaria B = S. Bulgaria C = N. Romania D = S. Romania
Bulgaria Romania
A B C D
------ ------
| | | |
2003 - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 2
2001 t - - - -
2000 t >4 >4 4 4
1999 t 5 5 >4 >4
1998 4 4 4 4
1997 - - - -
1996 - - - -
1995 - - - -
1994 - - - -
1993 4 4 - -
1992 >3 >3 - -
1991 2 2 - -
1990 5 5 - -
A = Bordeaux Red B = Bordeaux White (Dry) C = Bordeaux Sauternes (Late Harvest Sweet) D = Burgundy Red E = Burgundy White F = Loire Red G = Loire White (Dry) H = Alsace I = Champagne J = Rhone (Red) K = Rhone (White) L = Languedoc-Roussillon
A B C D E F G H I J K L
--------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | |
2003 - - - - - - - - - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 5 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2001 t >3 >3 >4 >2 4 >2 3 >4 1 >4 4 4
2000 t 5 >4 >2 4 >4 >4 >4 >3 3 >4 >4 4
1999 3 3 3 4 >4 3 3 3 >2 >4 >4 2
1998 >3 3 >3 >4 >3 >2 2 >3 3 4 >4 >4
1997 3 >2 >4 >3 5 5 5 4 3 4 3 4
1996 >3 >3 >4 5 5 4 4 4 4 >2 3 2
1995 4 4 >4 4 >4 4 4 >4 5 >4 4 >4
1994 >3 4 3 3 3 2 >2 3 >3 >3 3 4
1993 3 >3 1 4 >2 4 3 4 >2 >2 3 >4
1992 >2 >3 >1 >3 3 >3 3 >3 3 >3 3 >1
1991 >1 2 >2 2 1 1 1 >1 2 >2 3 >4
1990 >4 5 >4 5 >4 5 5 5 5 >4 4 4
1989 5 4 5 >4 4 5 5 5 5 >4 5 4
1988 >3 3 5 >4 >3 3 4 >4 >4 4 4 4
1987 3 2 1 3 * * * * 1 >2 * >1
1986 4 4 >4 2 * * 3 * >3 >3 * *
1985 4 4 3 >3 4 4 >4 4 5 >4 * *
Readers interested in "Quality Wine" vintages can access a link to a UK site
at the URL:A = Rheingau B = Rheinhessen C = Mosel-Saar-Ruwer D = Pfalz E = Baden
A B C D E
-------------------------------------
| | | | |
2003 - - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 2 2
2001 t >4 >4 >4 4 4
2000 t >3 >3 >3 3 3
1999 4 4 4 >3 >3
1998 2 >2 >1 4 4
1997 >4 4 5 >3 >3
1996 3 3 4 4 3
1995 >3 4 >4 >2 2
1994 4 4 >4 4 >3
1993 >3 3 4 3 3
1992 >3 >3 >2 3 3
1991 >2 >3 3 3 >2
1990 >4 >4 >4 >4 5
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Canada, carries a WWW page dealing with
German "Quality Wine" vintages at the URL:A = Great Plain (S.) Hungary B = Northern Massif (N.E) Hungary C = Sopron (N.W) Hungary D = Transdanubia (S.W) Hungary E = Tokaji Late Harvest F = Lower (N.W) Austria G = Burgenland (W) Austria H = Styria (S.E) Austria I = Vienna
Hungary Tokaji Austria
A B C D E F G H I
------------------- - ------------------
| | | | | | | | |
2003 - - - - - - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2001 t - - - - - 4 4 4 4
2000 t 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 >3
1999 t 4 4 4 4 >4 4 5 4 >3
1998 >2 >2 >2 >2 3 3 3 3 3
1997 >1 2 2 >1 >1 >4 4 >4 4
1996 >2 3 3 2 >3 3 >2 3 >2
1995 >3 3 3 >3 4 >4 >3 4 3
1994 - - - - 1 4 >4 4 4
1993 - - - - 5 >2 3 >2 3
1992 - - - - 2 >2 3 >2 >3
1991 2 2 2 2 2 2 >2 >1 >1
1990 4 4 4 4 4 4 >4 5 >4
A = Friuli (N. Italy) B = Piemonte ( " " ) C = Veneto ( " " ) D = Toscana (N. Central Italy) E = Latium/Abruzzi (Central Italy) F = Calabria/Apulia (S. Italy)
A B C D E F
-------------------------------
| | | | | |
2003 - - - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 2 2 2
2001 t - 3 - 3 - -
2000 t 2 4 2 4 >2 >2
1999 t 4 >4 3 4 4 4
1998 3 4 >3 3 4 4
1997 4 >4 >4 >4 >4 4
1996 >3 3 >3 3 >2 3
1995 3 >4 3 >3 3 3
1994 3 3 4 4 3 >3
1993 >2 3 >2 3 3 3
1992 3 >2 3 3 2 3
1991 3 >3 3 2 2 >2
1990 >4 >4 >4 >4 3 3
1989 >4 4 4 3 3 3
1988 >3 4 >4 >4 2 4
1987 * * * * 2 2
1986 >4 4 4 4 3 3
1985 4 4 4 >3 4 4
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Canada, carries a WWW page dealing with
Italian "Quality Wine" vintages at the URL:A = Auckland B = Gisbourne C = Hawkes Bay D = Martinborough E = Marlborough/Nelson F = Canterbury G = Central Otago
N.Z Red N.Z White
A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
------------------------- -------------------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2004 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2003 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2002 t - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2001 t - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2000 t - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1999 t 4 4 4 >4 >4 >4 >4 >4 3 >4 3 >3 4 4
1998 4 4 >4 >4 5 5 >4 >4 >4 >4 4 5 >4 5
1997 t >3 >2 >3 5 >4 3 3 4 3 >3 >4 >4 4 3
1996 >2 >1 2 5 >3 2 3 3 >3 >3 >4 >3 3 >2
1995 2 3 >3 >3 >2 >4 3 2 3 >3 >3 >2 >4 3
1994 4 >4 4 4 >4 >3 3 4 >4 4 >4 4 >3 >3
1993 >4 >1 >1 2 3 >2 >3 >4 2 2 >2 3 >1 >3
1992 3 3 3 >2 3 >3 3 3 4 4 3 >3 3 >2
1991 >3 >3 >4 4 4 >3 2 >3 3 5 5 5 >3 >2
1990 3 >3 >3 >3 4 >3 >3 >3 3 >2 >2 >2 3 >3
A = Rioja - N.N.E. Spain (nr. Haro, Rioja)
B = Penedes/Priorat (aka "Panades" - N.E. Spain (nr. Barcelona, Catalonia)
C = Ribera de Duero - N. Central Spain (nr. Valladolid, Old Castile)
D = Valdepenas - S. Central Spain (south of Madrid, La Mancha)
E = Rueda - N. Central Spain (nr. Valladolid, Old Castile)
F = Rias Baixas (Galicia)
G = Navarra
H = Portugal Red (Douro, Dao averaged.)
Spain Portugal
A B C D E F G H
------------------------------------- -
| | | | | | | |
2003 - - - - - - - -
2002 t 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2001 t >4 4 >4 >4 >3 3 >3 >2
2000 t >3 3 >2 >2 2 2 >2 4
1999 t 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2
1998 t >4 >4 >3 - - - - 2
1997 4 >3 2 >3 >3 2 3 4
1996 >2 3 >4 >3 3 >2 >2 2
1995 >3 4 >3 3 3 4 >3 3
1994 >4 4 4 4 >4 >3 4 >3
1993 >2 3 2 >1 2 2 >2 1
1992 3 >3 >3 2 >2 2 3 4
1991 2 >2 2 3 3 >2 2 4
1990 3 4 >4 4 4 >3 4 3
Notes on wines of Spain.
Readers interested in looking at a comprehensive set of
vintage tables should access the URL:
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Canada, carries a WWW page dealing
with Portuguese "Quality Wine" vintages at the URL:
A = S. Africa (Reds) B = S. Africa (Whites) C = Argentina (Reds) D = Argentina (Whites) E = Chile (Reds) F = Chile (Whites)
S. Africa Argentina Chile
A B C D E F
------- ------- -------
| | | | | |
2004 - - - - - -
2003 - - - - - -
2002 t - - 3 3 >1 >1
2001 t - - - - - -
2000 t >2 >2 >2 2 2 2
1999 t >2 2 2 2 >2 >2
1998 t 3 2 2 >1 >1 >1
1997 t 4 3 >4 3 4 4
1996 >2 2 4 >3 >4 4
1995 >4 >3 5 - 4 >3
1994 4 3 >3 - 2 3
1993 3 4 >4 - 3 >3
1992 5 * >3 - >3 3
1991 4 * 3 - - -
1990 * * >4 - 4 -
The New York State (USA) information is derived from various publications by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, 350 Elm St., Penn Yan, NY 14527 Tel. No: (315) 536-7442 ... Fax: (315) 536-0719.
For pre-1995 vintage information I am indebted to Daniel Lopez Roca for the vintages of Argentina, Simon Goldberg for the S. African vintage information, Tom Beard for some vintage conditions in New Zealand, Daniel Caballero for the Spanish vintages and comments, Jean Michel Cazes of Pauillac, France for info. on the Hungarian Tokaji sweet wines plus some earlier Bordeaux modifications and James Manning of Cambridge, UK, for Loire and Bordeaux dry whites info. Other information has been obtained over a period of time from subscribers to Usenet groups and WWW sites with a wine-info content.
Most people seriously interested in vintages know that most dated table wines are vinified to be consumed immediately after release or, at most, within about three to seven years from the harvest date. For example, only red or sweet white wines from the greatest sites in Bordeaux are expected to consistently improve while aging and then only from the best vintages, properly stored. Great vintage 1st growth Cru's will generally require a minimum of ageing for 10 to 20 years, the lesser Cru's for 8 to 15 years and Bourgeoise Cru's for about 3 to 10 years. Most Bordeaux VDQS reds from better vintages will often keep for extended periods without much, if any, noticeable improvement.
Aging improvement can also be expected from the finest french Loire Chenin Blanc sweet white wines, fine Burgundy reds and whites, California northern county produced wines, Italian Piedmont Nebbiolo-grapewines and also some Australian red and white wines, especially Penfold's "Grange".
Riesling grapewines from Germany, especially "eisweins" (aka "ice-wine") and the Pradikat rated Auslese series of sweet wines, notable for high sugar content and low alcohol, can generally be kept for at least 20 years with expectations of considerable improvement potential. Most high-grade Spanish red wines, the Gran Reserva's, have already been aged prior to release date so are often drinkable at that time or can be kept longer. Otherwise the vast majority of both red and white wines found in retail stores are designed to be consumed shortly after release and may deteriorate somewhat from their best if stored for long periods. The "star" (*) character, where used in the above tables, usually indicates that this style of wine vintage has "peaked" and is now past its best.
For that reason, vintage judgements are not included at present, for whites from Italy, Portugal or Spain; and only briefly for New York and S. African and some other white tablewines. There are exceptions of course - (eg: the great French, German, Hungarian and other sweet wines) - but not enough others to currently merit a full-length column.
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Disclaimer: The views/opinions expressed above are solely those of the writer.