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What is the vintage of a wine?
The vintage of a wine is the year in which the grapes were harvested. It is important not to confuse it with the date of bottling or marketing. The vintage of a wine can have a major influence on its taste and quality, mainly due to the climate that affects the vines throughout the growing season.
What is the vintage effect?
Wines produced in the same appellation, from the same vines and using the same winemaker’s know-how, never have the same organoleptic characteristics and qualities from one year to the next. This is linked to the climate of the year in question and the weather conditions during the vine’s growing season.
Spring frosts, prolonged periods of drought, hail, too low or too high temperatures – these are just some of the weather conditions and events that influence the quality of the grapes harvested and the final wine produced. This explains the difference in taste and quality of the wines from one year to the next.
Top vintages by region
5 = Excellent; 4 = Very good; 3 = Good; 2 = Average vintage; 1 = Small vintage
Mill |
Bordeaux red |
Bordeaux dry white |
Bordeaux sweet white |
Burgundy red |
White Burgundy |
Northern Rhône |
Southern Rhône |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 2016 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 2015 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 2014 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 2008 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2007 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 2006 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 2005 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 2004 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2003 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 2002 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 2001 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2000 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Mill |
Loire rouge |
Loire blanc moelleux |
Loire dry white |
Champagne |
Beaujolais |
Alsace rouge |
Alsace white |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 2008 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2007 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 2006 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2005 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2004 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2003 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 2002 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2001 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2000 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Mill |
Languedoc red |
Languedoc white |
White Jura |
Red Jura |
Provence/Corsica |
Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 2014 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 2013 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| 2011 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| 2009 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2007 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 2005 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 2004 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 2003 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 2002 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2001 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 2000 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
What are the best vintages of Bordeaux wines?
The best years for Bordeaux red wines
The 2019 vintage presents fresh, well-balanced wines of superb quality, following in the footsteps of recent great vintages in the region.
2018 was a great vintage for Bordeaux, with a rare homogeneity across all Bordeaux appellations, for both red and white wines. The red wines are of excellent quality, made from perfectly ripe grapes despite the extreme weather conditions that the winemakers had to contend with over the course of the season.
2015 is a remarkable vintage for the region. The most exceptional wines, on both right and left banks, reveal supple tannins, perfect balance and incredible elegance.
2010 is one of the Bordeaux wine region’s finest successes for red wines. The fruit is fresh, explosive and perfectly ripe. Its tannic structure augurs well for long ageing.
2009 and its sunny summer climate enabled superb ripening of the berries and the production of high-quality, highly concentrated fruit. The grapes were harvested at the right date, producing wines with a perfect balance of acidity, fruitiness, alcohol and tannins. A fine vintage.
The best years for Bordeaux dry white wines
2010 has produced dry white wines of great elegance and incredible freshness.
2017 is a vintage characterized by very low yields but great quality! It is undeniably one of the great vintages for the region’s white wines. Expressive, fresh and aromatic, these wines have good ageing potential.
The best years for Bordeaux sweet white wines
2003 is an exceptional year for Bordeaux sweet wines, with great aromatic purity and an incredible richness reminiscent of the 1989 and 1990 vintages.
The 2019 vintage lives up to the expectations of lovers of Bordeaux sweet wines, ranking one level above 2018. Smoothness, richness, acidity and complexity characterize this vintage.
2015 is an exceptional vintage, full of balance and elegance for sweet white Bordeaux wines. Freshness and acidity are the hallmarks of this vintage.
What are the best vintages for Burgundy wines?
The best years for Burgundy red wines
2019: Despite yields limited by harsh weather conditions, quality is there! 2019 presents red wines with lots of freshness, good acidity and exceptional balance.
2015: This exceptional vintage produced colorful wines with superb balance and ideal acidity.
2010: The red wines display superb concentration, refinement, freshness and elegance, as well as beautiful textures.
1996: Structured wines, fine tannins, perfect balance between fruit and acidity, great fullness and elegance.
The best years for Burgundy white wines
2017: A clearly qualitative year for white Burgundy wines, particularly in the Mâconnais and Chablis regions. Superb successes, lots of freshness and great aromatic purity.
2015: a vintage of great purity, ten years after the mythical 2005 vintage. This vintage is spectacular for its earliness, and the quality and deliciousness of the wines produced.
2010: 2009 was a superb vintage for all Burgundy appellations, for both reds and whites. The whites are incredibly concentrated and expressive. 2010 is considered by some to be the best vintage for Chablis in the last twenty years.
2002: Ideal climatic conditions enabled the production of incredibly aromatic, round and fresh white wines.
1996: a superb harvest, both in terms of quantity and quality. A dry, sunny September ensured excellent berry ripening. The 1996 white Burgundy wines are exceptional, offering a superb palette of aromas and plenty of freshness and elegance.
What are the best vintages of Rhône wines?
The best years for Northern Rhône wines
2016 followed in the same footsteps as 2015, producing top-flight white wines, particularly in Saint-Joseph. Red wines have nothing to be ashamed of in terms of performance, even if their success is more heterogeneous than in 2015.
The 2015 vintage joins the list of the finest years for the Northern Rhône Valley, particularly for red wines. The year’s hot temperatures were offset by the rains at the end of August, accompanied by a wind that helped dry the vines before harvesting. These conditions produced healthy, ripe grapes. The red wines are simply exceptional, revealing superb power, concentration and luscious fruitiness. Alcohol levels are not excessive and tannins are silky and refined.
2009: concentration, balance, gourmandise, power… these are the words that could define the wines of this vintage. The quality of both the red and white wines is on target for 2009.
The best years for Southern Rhône wines
2016: A superb vintage for wines from the southern Rhône Valley. Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas are excellent examples, with the reds combining power, finesse, freshness and depth. A great success.
2015: concentrated red wines with exceptional fruit and perfect balance. The tannins are supple and velvety, promising excellent ageing potential. Despite a hot year, alcohol levels are not too high, and the wines show great finesse.
2010: Ideal weather conditions produced perfectly ripe grapes, despite low yields. The wines are dense and concentrated, with powerful yet elegant tannins. The white wines have nothing to envy of the reds, with great purity and freshness, revealing intense notes of fresh fruit. It’s a success in all the region’s appellations, particularly Châteauneuf du Pape in the reds.
What are the best vintages for Loire wines?
The best years for Loire red wines
2015: This is an excellent vintage for the Loire, of great quality, surprisingly gourmand, elegant and round.
2009 was a very fine vintage for Loire red wines. Bourgueil, Saumur-Champigny and Chinon are the best examples of high-quality wines with good ageing potential.
2018 saw a quantitative and qualitative harvest, which has not been the case for many years. This vintage offers magnificent red wines for laying down, round, velvety, with concentrated aromas. Alcohol content is higher than average due to heat waves.
The best years of Loire mellow wines
2015: A superb vintage for the Loire’s sweet and syrupy wines, which benefited from top-quality Botrytis, putting them well up with the greatest.
The 2005 vintage is a fine year for the Loire’s sweet and syrupy wines, offering a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, promising long cellaring. A superb vintage!
1996 was a year of small marvels: the sweet wines were rich and concentrated, incredibly fruity and generous. Wines with a long shelf life.
The best years for Loire white wines
2018: Superb successes, particularly for the Muscadets, whose quality continues to improve with each passing year.
2016: The two heavy frosts towards the end of April took their toll on the Loire Valley vineyards, destroying a large part of future harvests. This has not prevented certain appellations from producing superb wines with intense fruit and dazzling freshness, notably Sancerre.
2005: The white wines of this vintage show superb ripeness and a fine balance between acidity and sugar, and are destined to age for a very long time.
What are the best Champagne vintages?
2015: Pinot Noir clearly stands out in this vintage. The combination of high temperatures and low rainfall made for a rather exceptional 2015 campaign.
2012: Despite adverse weather conditions, harvests fell sharply. This was a very good vintage for the Champagne region. The beautifully ripe grapes produce superb Pinot Noirs of great purity.
2008: Surprisingly, despite heavy rain, the grapes harvested showed good ripeness and aromatic concentration.
2002 was a fine vintage, particularly for Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grown in the north of the region.
What are the best vintages of Beaujolais wines?
The 2015 vintage is a vintage of excellence for Beaujolais. This vintage is superbly balanced, rich, concentrated and generous, thanks to the perfect ripeness of the berries. Yields, on the other hand, were very low due to the heat waves.
2010: grapes ripened beautifully, producing fresh, classic wines of excellent quality.
2009 produced atypical, complex wines with dense body and dazzling fruit. They appeal to Beaujolais skeptics because of their less punchy acidity.
What are the best vintages for Alsace wines?
2019 was an exceptional vintage, producing very fruity Sylvaner, perfectly balanced Pinot Blanc, full-bodied Pinot Gris and structured, perfectly balanced Gewurztraminer. Sublime Rieslings have also emerged.
In 2010, we were able to produce some fine, fresh, fruity wines despite the difficult weather conditions: Pinot Gris and Rieslings of excellent quality.
2000 is a vintage of high-flying Rieslings and rich sweet wines: a very good vintage for Alsace.
What are the best vintages for Languedoc wines?
2017: The success of this vintage varied from one appellation to another, but some very fine, rich and fragrant vintages were produced in certain appellations: Terrasses du Larzac, Saint-Chinian, Pic Saint-Loup and Faugères are the best examples.
Languedoc Roussillon wines produced in 2013 display finesse, structure, elegance, freshness and balance. What’s more, they are low in alcohol. In short, this is a superb vintage for the region.
What are the best vintages for Jura wines?
The best years for Jura white wines
2016: Despite a major attack of mildew, the fine end of summer enabled the production of concentrated, well-balanced grapes. The white wines made from Chardonnay and Savagnin have superb finesse and balance.
The best years for Jura red wines
2017: The April frost claimed 50% of the Jura vineyards, as in many French vineyards. Despite the low production, this is a very fine vintage, with high quality, dense and concentrated red wines, deep and well-balanced.
What are the best vintages for Provence and Corsica wines?
2015: severe heat and drought in both regions, but vines held up well in most Provençal vineyards. The red wines are rich and powerful, with a fine tannic structure. White wines are round and full-bodied, but sometimes lack freshness and tension in Provence. In Corsica, white wines are dense and taut. A vintage that doesn’t disappoint!
2012: rich, fragrant whites of great purity
2010: lovely natural freshness, good balance between acidity and fruitiness, alcohol levels not excessive.
What are the best vintages for wines from the South-West?
The 2016 vintage is a wonderful surprise for the vineyards of southwestern France. Despite difficult ripening conditions, a quantitative and qualitative harvest was achieved. Superb white and red wines were produced that year.
2018: general success for almost all types of wine: the combination of cool nights and fine weather enabled the grapes to reach perfect ripeness and a good balance between acidity, sweetness and aromatic concentration, particularly for sweet AOC Jurançon wines.
2015: A superb vintage for the South-West, Cahors shows delicious aromatic concentration and excellent balance. The dry whites from Saint-Mont are exceptional, and the Bergerac is perfectly balanced and opulent. A great success!
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