VINES.ORG Vintage Charts

Vintage assessments for Loire from 1988 to 2007
Year	VINES.ORG	Robert Parker	Broadbent	RVF	Details
2005					Total heat for the growing season was only just behind 2003 and 1976, with acidity better than 2003. It was a good vintage all along the Loire, giving more powerful Muscadet, ripe Chenins, and quite powerful Cabernets.
2004				***	Cool Spring and large flowering looked set to generate a large crop, but then there was a summer drought and cool August, leading to late harvest. The probem was obtaiming maturity, which was achieved by growers who had reduced yields earlier in the season. Muscadet, Cheinin, Sancerre are close in quality to 2002; Vouvray was more difficult.
2003	91B			***	Considered to be a great vintage, with ripe grapes but sufficient supporting acidity.
2002	88B			****	Poor summer followed by great Indian summer which saved the wines. Expected to be best since 1997.
2001	83A			****	Lighter vintage produced wines for drinking in the short term.
2000	95A			****
1999	90A			**()	Potentially good year spoiled by rain in September.
1998				***	Wet and cool, reds had difficulty ripening.
1997	89B			***	Hot year produced forward wines, will not age as well as 1996.
1996	95B			*****	Considered to be a classic vintage that will age well. Best since 1990.
1995	95B				Excellent
1994	90B				Disastrous
1993	85B				Good
1992	80B				Average
1991	75C				Average
1990	97B				Considered by some to be the vintage of the century.
1989	95B
1988	90B
2005					High acidity has cut the sweetness of the passerillé wines and there should be top quality, very long lived sweet wines.
2004				**	Botrytis was good in Layon, quality is not far behind 2002.
2003	95B			***	Considered to be a great vintage with the unusual heat pushing ripeness.
2002	89B			***()	There are some excellent sweet Chenin Blancs.
2001	87B	82C		****	Botrytis produced the best year for sweet wines since 1997.
2000	83B	84R		**
1999	83B	84R		***
1998	85B	84R		**
1997	88B	88R		*****	Not as good as 1996 because the hot dry Autumn did not favor botrytis
1996	90B	91R		*****
1995	88B	88R		****
1994	86B	87R		**
1993	85B	86R
1992	80C	80R
1991	75C	75R
1990	92B	90R
1989	92B	92R	*****
1988	88B	88R	***