VINTAGE....Greatest and Worst?

[John_Fagan]

Worst: 1951 My birth year. My earliest wine recollection was looking at bottles in my father’s cellar–1945, '47, 49, 53–and asking how come there weren’t any '51’s. He put his arm around me and “Sorry, son, but will probably never a bottle of wine from your birth year.” So far, he’s been right and the odds are getting longer the older I get.

[Thomas_Keim]

@Mark Golodetz

@Kirk.Grant

Worst: 1962…no one’s mentioned it yet. However, I haven’t been able to find anything from that year that’s drinkable. It’s a close friend’s birth-year and I’ve been hunting to find something…anything that’s palatable. No luck.

Best: I’ll agree that 2010 could be epic in time. However, I’m going with 1990. It was great collectively across Europe…but also here in the US. I had a bottle of 1990 Elk Cove Reserve Pinot Noir that still haunts me when I think I’m not waiting long enough for the wines I love in my cellar. Heck…even some of the Stony Hill whites were good that year in California.

1962 can be a great Burgundy vintage (DRCs in particular are legendary and command incredible prices) an excellent one in Bordeaux, although completely overshadowed by 1961. Try Gruaud Larose if you can find it.

I agree with Mark - the '62 La Tache is one of the greatest Burgundies I have ever had. Also a great sleeper in Bordeaux - Mouton, Latour and Palmer are all highlights for me -

[Dennis_Kanagie]

Guess I’m lucky being born in 1966. Got a nice bottle of Graham’s VP from that year hiding in the back of the wine fridge for next May.

[Brad_B_a_l_l_i_n_g_e_r]

@D@vid Bu3ker

Is there anything good to say about 1973?

1956 is too early for me to comment.

Didn’t a 1973 Stag’s Leap Cab place first at the Judgment of Paris?

[Dennis_Kanagie]

@Brad B a l l i n g e r

@D@vid Bu3ker

Is there anything good to say about 1973?

1956 is too early for me to comment.

Didn’t a 1973 Stag’s Leap Cab place first at the Judgment of Paris?

It did - just barely: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judgment_of_Paris_(wine)

[Chris_Seiber]

@Thomas Keim

@Robert Broder

Worst 1969-still can’t forget the half bottle a of ducru a somm at a famous NYC restaurant palmed off on me when I was a newbie.

One of the greatest vintages for red Burgundy over the last 50 years -some of the most amazing Burgs I have ever had were from '69 -

Given when I got seriously into wine, 1969 (my birth year) might as well be the worst. Everywhere else is lousy, except Burgundy was great, but by then 69 Burgundy was so expensive and rare that it does me no good.

I did have two bottles of 1969 BV Pinot Noir Carneros, one of which was old and tired but still interesting, the other of which was very good. In 2009. And I think they cost less than $50 on Winebid. So something good was left, I guess.

[NoahR]

1977 was crap except for Port and I hate port.

1980 - was it good anywhere??

[Neal.Mollen]

@Kirk.Grant

Worst: 1962…no one’s mentioned it yet. However, I haven’t been able to find anything from that year that’s drinkable. It’s a close friend’s birth-year and I’ve been hunting to find something…anything that’s palatable. No luck.

Best: I’ll agree that 2010 could be epic in time. However, I’m going with 1990. It was great collectively across Europe…but also here in the US. I had a bottle of 1990 Elk Cove Reserve Pinot Noir that still haunts me when I think I’m not waiting long enough for the wines I love in my cellar. Heck…even some of the Stony Hill whites were good that year in California.

I had an absolutely delicious 62 Mouton. If I could find another at a reasonable price I wouldn’t hesitate

[Josh_Schwartz]

@Brad B a l l i n g e r

@D@vid Bu3ker

Is there anything good to say about 1973?

1956 is too early for me to comment.

Didn’t a 1973 Stag’s Leap Cab place first at the Judgment of Paris?

Doesn’t mean it was good…it was just better than the rest of the crap from the vintage on the tasting.

[Brad_B_a_l_l_i_n_g_e_r]

@Josh Schwartz

@Brad B a l l i n g e r

@D@vid Bu3ker

Is there anything good to say about 1973?

1956 is too early for me to comment.

Didn’t a 1973 Stag’s Leap Cab place first at the Judgment of Paris?

Doesn’t mean it was good…it was just better than the rest of the crap from the vintage on the tasting.

Ahem, the Stag’s Leap Cab was the only red from 1973. All other red wines were from 1969-72.

[alan_weinberg]

@NoahR

1977 was crap except for Port and I hate port.

1980 - was it good anywhere??

80 red Burgs quite good.

[ericskitei]

Best: 1990, 2010
Worst: 1981 (Birth Year) other than Rioja and a few others was not very good. I’m sure many other years are far worse, but I’m pretty bitter.

#WishIwasborn3monthslater

[Dennis_Kanagie]

@ericskitei

#WishIwasborn3monthslater

Funny! #weallwanttobeyounger

FYI: 1981 was the year MTV started.

[Ed_Kurtzman]

@alan weinberg

@NoahR

1977 was crap except for Port and I hate port.

1980 - was it good anywhere??

80 red Burgs quite good.

'77 and '80 were very good in California. '77 was the 2nd year of a major drought (nothing compared with the present 4 year drought), and there wasn’t a lot of wine made, but if you can find any, it’s a killer vintage.

Not a single mention for my birth year, '64. So many regions in Europe had a great vintage. Maybe because it was just a good but not excellent year in Bordeaux, it gets overlooked. 1989 is probably my favorite all around year for Europe.

Hard to single out a worst vintage. I’ve never had a '51 or a '56. I’m guessing 1960 was nothing to write home about either. Since the time I’ve been in the wine business, 1988, I don’t think there’s been a worldwide bad vintage. Possibly 2011 in some regions, but definitely not all.

[Thomas_Keim]

@ericskitei

Best: 1990, 2010
Worst: 1981 (Birth Year) other than Rioja and a few others was not very good. I’m sure many other years are far worse, but I’m pretty bitter.

#WishIwasborn3monthslater

'81 was not a bad year at all. Faiveley made some of the best wines of the vintage, if '82 hadn’t come around, '81 would have been considered a great sleeper vintage for Bordeaux (I’ve had some wonderful '81s - La Mission and Latour are studs) - You should still be able to find many drinkable '81 Bordeaux - Ducru and Leoville Las Cases also excelled in '81 -

[Rick_Smith]

Rhone, champagne, and Cali all were good too.

[Richard_Albert]

1977 turned out some decent Napa Cabs, Heitz Bella Oaks was outstanding, Diamond Creeks, Monte Bello
1973 Heitz Martha’s, Mt Eden Vineyards Cab(still kickin’)
1951 BV Private famous Cal Cab

Worst Candidates1946, 1956, 1965
Best 1945, 1959, 1985, 1990(pattern of hot years in Europe–grapes actually ripened, eh?)

[Dennis_Kanagie]

@Richard Albert

Best 1945, 1959, 1985, 1990(pattern of hot years in Europe–grapes actually ripened, eh?)

Could it have something to do with botrytis when it comes to whites?

[Eric_Ifune]

NoahR wrote:1977 was crap except for Port and I hate port.

1980 - was it good anywhere??

80 red Burgs quite good.

And Port. Seriously.

[ericskitei]

@Thomas Keim

@ericskitei

Best: 1990, 2010
Worst: 1981 (Birth Year) other than Rioja and a few others was not very good. I’m sure many other years are far worse, but I’m pretty bitter.

#WishIwasborn3monthslater

'81 was not a bad year at all. Faiveley made some of the best wines of the vintage, if '82 hadn’t come around, '81 would have been considered a great sleeper vintage for Bordeaux (I’ve had some wonderful '81s - La Mission and Latour are studs) - You should still be able to find many drinkable '81 Bordeaux - Ducru and Leoville Las Cases also excelled in '81 -

Fair enough. I’m prob just bitter as the 82’ vintage was so historic. I have an 81’ Latour which I plan to drink in the coming months. I’m more excited based on yuour note.