Yeah, you read me correctly.
Here’s what I would do with the bottom portion of your post, if opening this year:
Region Vintage Orientation for 2025
| Region | Varietal | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux (Left Bank) | Red Bordeaux Blend | 2014 or 2019 | 2000 or 2001 | '89, '90, '95, or '96 | 1982 |
| Germany | Riesling (Kabinett) | 2023 | 2019 | 2013 or 2015 | 2001 or 2010 |
| Germany | Riesling (Spatlese) | 2019 | 2009 or 2010 | 2001 or 2002 | |
| Champagne | NV | 2023 | 2021 or 2022 | 2019 | 2012 or 2013 or 2014 |
I hand-picked particular vintages for tasting this year — tried to pick vintages that would both be showing well now and would provide meaningful contrast to the other three or two bottles. I didn’t do a 4th bottle for Spatlese not because there shouldn’t be a fourth bottle — there should (moreso than Kabinett and NV Champagne, imo) — but rather because my pre-2001 experience is so limited that I don’t feel comfortable making general vintage calls as I did elsewhere in this chart. But definitely find yourself an old Spatlese to try. Columns 3 and 4, in particular, kind of require a fairly high-quality wine; Columns 1 and 2 will see you have success with a wider range of selections.