VINES.ORG Vintage Charts

Vintage assessments for Bordeaux from 1988 to 2007
Year	VINES.ORG	Wine Spectator	Broadbent	Wine Report	Details
2005	94				Hot conditions throughout the growing season and an excellent warm end with no rain produced red wines with concentrated fruits and ripe tannins that should drink well from early on in the style of 1982 and 2000. The year was the driest on record (556 mm of rainfall at Mouton compared with the average of 894 mm), but not especially hot (half a degree below average), but there was 20% more sunlight than normal. Sugar levels are high. The season started late because the vines were still reacting to the summer freeze and the lack of moisture; after late budding, the vines did not really start growing until a burst of rain in April. After a rapid flowering, some coulure and millerandage occurred (especially with Merlot), reducing the number of berries. Steady sunshine, wind, and generally dry conditions then kept the berries small. Overall harvest size was average. The vintage is more consistent on the Left Bank than on the Right Bank. A very extended dry period allowed producers to choose their harvest time over a period of 3 weeks, giving considerable control over the ripeness level of the grapes (for example, the first Merlots were picked at Pétrus on September 7, the last at Pavie on October 7th). Because the grapes had high sugar and readily-extractable tannins, there was more pre-fermentation maceration and less post-fermentation extraction (especially given high alcohol).
2004	88				The natural consequence of the very small harvest of 2003 was a large harvest in 2004, in fact approximately double the size of 2003. After the extremely early 2003, this was a late season: budding was a week later than average, veraison occurred slowly, and harvest was 9-10 days later than average. The crop was very large, recovering from the small yields caused poor flowering in 2002 and drought in 2003. The season was relatively cool, not very sunny, but hot during June, a bit damp during August causing some swelling of the grapes, with good weather at end of season giving to large "classical" harvest of wines with good freshness and tannins. The good weather lasted through September until rain returned on October 9. There was more rain during the season on the Right Bank, which was less successful than the Left Bank. The main general problem was dilution caused by the August rain, and where the grapes had not returned to normal size by harvest, saignée was used to increase concentration.
2003	90				Widely praised for its rich alcoholic wines in the United States, but less well received in Europe, this was the vintage of the massive heat wave and drought across Europe. Crop size was half of normal. The record heat led to an exceptionally early start of harvest in Bordeaux on August 13 at Haut Brion in Graves (the earliest start since 1893). Extreme heat caused berries to become desiccated, increasing concentration, but also creating problems with low acidity. It turned out that those who acidified the musts did less well than those who did not, because the acidity tended to correct itself and return to normal during the course of fermentation. The wines are rich, but for the most part show a lack of the concentration of a really top vintage; they will drink extremely well for a decade, but are unlikely to be classically long lived.
2002	90				The wines are quite classical and elegant, although not especially concentrated. Considered to be a difficult vintage because of poor climatic conditions throughout the growing season, but rescued on the Left Bank by hot weather in September. Spring was mild and dry, but cool, so that flowering was upset and yields were reduced by coulure and millerandage, especially for the more sensitive Merlot. A glorious Indian summer persisted through September and October, giving a small crop but of high quality. The fine weather came too late to save the Merlot on the Right Bank, which was less successful.
2001	88A				An illustration of the adage that there are no bad vintages any more. Weather was not very good during the growing season. The winter was warm and wet, providing enough water to last through the summer. Bud burst was 1-2 weeks earlier than usual, creating concern about frosts, which caused some problems in April. Growth was slowed by a cool April, and by May the vines were a week behind usual. Hot weather in June caused growth, but the grapes swelled due to the good supply of water; then July was cool and rainy. Heat waves alternated with cool weather during August. A major consequence of this erratic weather was to create uneven sizes of grapes in each bunch; growers who thinned out did much better than those who did not. September was cool (2ºC below normal) but dry, and the dryness saved the vintage by allowing some recovery of normal size in the grapes. In the end the harvest was quite late harvest (end September on the Right Bank, early October on the Left Bank). 2001 is an old-fashioned vintage with freshness and purity in the fruits, with good finesse although not the weight or opulence of the 2000s (but better than 1999). It was most successful for chateaux making "traditional" Bordeaux rather than New World style wines, where high extraction and use of new oak led to over extracted and sometimes green fruit flavors.
2000	99A		* to ***		Considered to be universally exceptional with record prices set en primeur for the leading chateaus. There was a poor start because a wet, warm winter led to mildew breaking out in the Spring. Some hot flashes in May and June helped to dry it out, but the weather was not especially warm through July, although it was dry. Thirty years ago, the vintage would have been written off at this point. However, then there was hot, dry weather right through August until October 10, temperatures above average, and from mid-July to mid-September virtually no rain. The Merlots were picked in late September, there was storm over September 30th-October 1, and then the Cabernets were picked after the storm. The Merlots had thick skins from the summer drought, and were concentrated by a very hot week immediately before the harvest, but did best ion the most water-retentive (clay) soils. The Cabernets ripened perfectly. Quality is consistent across the Left Bank and Right Bank. Somewhat in the style of 1982 but richer and deeper, the wines are expected to be long lived but to drink well from an earlier stage than normal. Yields were lower because the vines had been prolific in 1999.
1999	80C		****		Not a good year, with a large crop of relatively light wines. Too much rain during the growing season caused a tendency to dilution, and quality is rather inconsistent. The first half of August was generally stormy, though the second half was hot and dry. There was a hailstorm in St. Emilion on September 5th, followed by heavy rain on Right Bank when the Merlot reached ripeness. In the Médoc fared better, with most Cabernet Sauvignon was picked during dry weather in the final week of September.
1998	80C		***		After a cold and wet spring, there was good weather throughout May and June. July and August were exceptionally hot and dry; many vines suffered from heat stress. September was dry, but heavy rain in September caused problems with Cabernet Sauvignon in the Médoc, marring many wines with under-ripe flavors and high tannins. The vintage was better in Graves, but the great success was on the Right Bank, where the Merlot was successful and the wines are as good as 1995.
1997	80C		***		1997 was a difficult year. Warm weather in the Spring caused flowering to occur nearly 3 weeks earlier than normal, but then the wines were badly affected by cold and damp weather during May. Intermittent rain during June and by storms at the end of August further affected the uneven ripening of the grapes.
1996	90A	84-88	****		A classic vintage with well structured wines in the Médoc, but relatively weak and dilute wines on the Right Bank. The weather pattern was unusual, starting early with a very hot Spring. After a cold period, there were very high temperatures in June. There were outbursts of rain in August, but September was dry and windy, drying out the vineyards, and leading to high sugar accumulation, especially in Cabernet Sauvignon. The vintage is dominated by the success of Cabernet Sauvignon over the Merlot. Crops on the Right Bank were smaller, the Merlot was less successful, and the wines are not as good as 1995.
1995	92A	90-94 / Hold	****		Good weather persisted through the summer, with an especially hot June, although it rained in September. Rich and opulent wines were produced everywhere. Cabernet Sauvignon ripened well and has fruit to balance the tannins, Merlot is fat. Best wines from St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estèphe in the Médoc, and Pomerol on the Right Bank.
1994	85D	85 / Drink/Hold	***		Medium bodied wines, with good tannins. Fruit is relatively fragile, can be outbalanced by the tannins. Heavy rains in September diluted the wines. The best wines are those where there was enough Merlot to counterbalance rather austere Cabernet Sauvignon. Best in Pomerol.
1993	80D	82 / Drink	***		Decent medium wines with reasonable balance. A terrible September with 3 times the normal amount of rain spoilt the vintage. Many wines are vegetal and dilute, and under-ripe Cabernet Sauvignon contributed harsh tannins.
1992	72D	72 / Drink	*		Light, simple, and often dilute as the result of 3 times the usual rainfall in August. The best appellations were Graves (where good drainage ameliorated the problems of the rain) and Pomerol (where the Merlot was able to ripen). Decent wines were made only where very strict selection was practiced.
1991	70D	72 / Drink	* to **		Lean and tough; light wines. A freeze in April destroyed most of the buds. The new (second generation) buds that then developed gave a small crop. This made for a late vintage, which was spoiled by heavy rain in September. It was poor in the Médoc and a disaster in Pomerol and St. Emilion.
1990	93A	97 / Hold	****		Rich wines with good structure. The second hottest vintage of the century (after 1947). Second sunniest vintage (after 1949). Dry during July-August, hot in August, there was rain in September, but this was not a problem because the grapes were still very small as a result of the previous conditions. Some of the best wines emerged from vineyards where drainage is not so good. There was an enormous crop size. The wines have low acidity (lower than 1989), high tannins (higher than in 1989), and very ripe, sometimes over-ripe flavors, but the wines are very concentrated.
1989	92A	98 / Hold	*****		Lots of fruit, rich and tannic. The earliest vintage since 1893. There was perfect weather, allowing picking over a protracted period from August to October. It is a very alcoholic vintage, with low acidity and high, but ripe and soft, tannins. The parallel was often drawn with 1982.
1988	89B	93 / Hold	****		Classic structure with good fruit and lots of tannins, but some of the tannins are green and astringent. Cabernet Sauvignon was often picked too early in the Médoc. Drought conditions, especially on the Right Bank, gave Merlot that was unusually tannic and hard.
2003				98
2002				88
2001				98
2000				85
1999				92
2005					Harvest size is above average, but this is a very good to excellent year for dry whites and for desert wines as well as for the reds.
2002				90
2001				90
2000				92
1999	89C			88
1998	87C
1997	88C
1996	86C
1995	87C
1994	80D
1993	80D
1992	70D
1991	70D
1990	93B
1989	89C
1988	90C

Vintage assessments are also available for:
Médoc
Right Bank
Sauternes
Graves