VINTAGE CHART In general — for the best producers — it is almost only the great wines which are most influenced by the effects of vintages (and they are usually not produced in weaker vintages, which helps to improve the quality of all the other wines in such years), while the majority of the wines usually present a very good consistency in quality, year after year. For everyday wines produced by reputed wineries, the vintage is usually not very relevant. For less reputed producers, however, the difficult vintages in general have a more negative impact. SCORES EXCELLENT: 10 - 9 | VERY GOOD: 8 - 7 | GOOD: 6 - 5 | AVERAGE: 4 - 3 | POOR: 2 - 1 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00
FRANCE Bordeaux (Médoc/Graves Red)
9
9
8 10 9
8
6
8
8 10 10 8
7
8 10 8
9
7
8 10
Bordeaux (St. Emilion/Pomerol)
9
9
8
9
9
8
6
8
8 10 10 8
7
8
9
8
8
7
8 10
Bordeaux (Graves White)
9
8
8
8
9
9
7
8
8 10 10 7
8
7
9
8
8
7
8
Bordeaux (Sauternes/Barsac)
8
7
8
9
9
8
8
6
9
9 10 8
9
8
9
6
9
8 10 5
Bourgogne (Côte d’Or Red)
9
9
8
9 10 8
8
9
7
9 10 8
6
7 10 7
9
9
6
Bourgogne (Côte d’Or White)
9
9
8
8
8
8
9
8 10 8
8
7
8 10 7
9
9
8
8
Bourgogne (Chablis)
9
8
8
8
8 10 7
9
8
8
6
8 10 7
8
9
5
9
Beaujolais (Crus)
8
9
8
8 10 9
7
8
9
8 10 7
7
8
9
6
9
6
7
8
Rhône (North)
9
8
8
9 10 8
7
8
8
9 10 7
8
8
9
7
9
6
7
8
Rhône (South)
9
7
9
9 10 8
7
8
8
9
7
8
8 10 8
8
4
8
8
Champagne (Millesimé)
9
9
5
8
9
7
7
9
8
8 10 8
7
8
7
8
6
9
5
8
Alsace (White)
9
9
8
8
8
8
6
8
6 10 8
8
9
6
8
7
6
7
8
8
Loire (White)
9
9
8
9
8
8
6
7
7
8
8
7
6 10 7
7
8
8
8
Loire (Sweet)
9
8
9 10 9
8
6
5
8
8 10 7
7
6 10 6
8
9
8
5
Loire (Red)
9
9
8
8
9
8
7
7
8
8 10 7
6
7 10 7
8
7
8
8
Provence
8
7
8
8
8
8
7
8
8
9
8
Languedoc-Roussillon
9
8
9
9
9
8
8
8
7
Sud-Ouest
8
8
8
9
8
7
6
7
8
9
9
8
9
9
8 7
9
7
8
6
8
6
5 10 9
9
8
8 10 8
9
8
9
6
9
9
8
9
7
6
7
9
7
7
7
8
8
9
A Importadora dos Melhores Vinhos
RUA ROCHA, 288 SÃO PAULO SP 55 11 3372 3400 WWW.MISTRAL.COM.BR
ITALY Piemonte (Barolo)
10 8
7 10 10 7
8
9
8 10 9
8
9
8 10 7
Piemonte (Barbaresco)
10 8
7 10 10 7
8
9
8
9
7 10 9
8
9
9
7
5 10 9
8 10 10 10 5
8
9
8
8
9
9
7
8
8
6 10 10
8
7
8
9
6 10 10 10 7
9
Piemonte (Barbera d’Alba/B. d’Asti) Toscana (Chianti Classico)
10 8
7 10 9
Toscana (Brunello)
10 8
8 10 10 6
Toscana (Vino Nobile) Veneto (Amarone)
5
8
4
9
8
8 10 10 8 10 8
4
9
6
8 10 8
8
9 10 10 8
8 10 9
8 10 9 10 9
8 10 10 6
8
8
6
5
8
8 10 6
8
7
8
7
7
8
9 10 8
6
Friuli (Colli Orientali/Collio Pinot Grigio)
9
8 10 8 10 8
10 10 8 10 6 6
9
5 10 9
Abruzzo (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo)
9 10 6
8
8
8
4
9
8
8
9
6
3
6
9
7
8 10 7
9
5
8
9
8
Campania (Taurasi)
10
6
8 10 5
8
7
8
Campania (Fiano di Avellino)
10
6
8
9
6
8
9
7 10 6
-
10
-
-
-
-
9
10 9 10 7
7
8 10 7
8
9
8
9
4
6
9
7
8
9
7
9
5
8
8 10 9 10 9
8
7
9
6
8
7 10 8
4
8
7
7
8
5
6
8
8
7
8 10 7
8
9
8
8 10 8
7
8 10 7
9
5
9
8
8 10 4
8
8
8
8
9
7
9
8
9
9
8
6
8 10
8
7 10 9
8
6
7
7
6 10 6
8
3 10 8
9
7
PORTUGAL Lisboa (Ex-Estremadura) Douro Dão
8
Bairrada
9
8
Alentejo
8
9
Porto (Vintage)
8
7
8
9
9 10 7
7
8
8
GET THE TEMPERATURE RIGHT It is impressive the difference it makes to serve wines at the right temperature. When too cold, wines get closed and don’t show their aromas and qualities — only their defects. When too warm, they seem to be alcoholic, heavy and unbalanced. Served at the right temperature, they get much better! In general, when one is talking about the right temperature for wines, it is not so much a question of one or two degrees, but often of many degrees. Many white wines, for example, get to be served simply 10ºC below the most adequate temperature! In such conditions, of course they will not show their aromas and their best qualities.
8
10 9 NV NV NV NV 10 NV NV NV 9 NV NV NV 9 NV NV 9
SPAIN Rioja
10 6
8
8
6
6
8 10 10 8
8
8
8 10 10 6
6 10 6
Ribera del Duero
10 8
8
8 10 8
6
8 10 10 10 8
8
6
8 10 8
Toro
10 10 10 10 8
8
8
8 10 10 10 10 8
8 10 10 10 10 10 10
Rueda
8
8 10 8
Catalunha (Priorato)
8
Catalunha (Penedès)
8
Catalunha (Monsant)
8
8
8
8 10 8
8
6
6 10 8
8
8
8
8 10 8
8
8
6 10 10 8
8
8 10 10 8
8
6 10 10
8
8
6
6
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
10
-
6
8
6
8
8
8
8 10 10 8 10 8
8
8
Navarra
8
6
8
8
8
6
8
8 10 8
8
Rías Baixas
8
8
8 10 8
6
8
8
8
6 10 10 10 10 8
8
8
8
8
8
8 10 10 6
8
6 8
6 8
8 ND ND 8 10 8 6
6
6 6
EUROPE Germany (Rheingau)
10 10 9
8 10 8
8 10 10 8 10 9 10 7
8
8
Germany (Mosel)
10 10 9
8 10 8
8 10 10 8 10 8 10 7 10 8 10 8
Germany (Pfalz)
10 10 9
8 10 8
8 10 10 8 10 8 10 7
Austria (Wachau/Kamptal Riesling)
10 6
8
8 10 5 10 10 9
Hungary (Tokaji)
8
9
6
5
6
9
5
5
Greece (Red)
9
9
7
8
7
6
5
8
8
9
8
9
9
6
9
7
6
7
8
4
8
9
9
9
9
9 10 5
9
7
6
9
9
9
9 10 9
5
5
7
9
9
6 10 9
8
8
8 10 5
8 10
NEW WORLD USA (California Cabernet Sauvignon)
9
9 10 10 9 10 10 7
9
9
9 10 9
9
8
8
9 10 7
USA (California Chardonnay)
9
9
9 10 9
9
8
9
9
9 10 8
8
9
8
9
9
8
USA (Oregon Pinot Noir)
9
9
9
9
9
8 10 8
8
9
9
7
8
9
8
9
8
8
Argentina (Mendoza)
9 10 9
8
7
8
9
8
9 10 9
8
8 10 8
9
9 10 8
8
Chile (Valle Central)
10 10 9
8
9 10 9
8
8
Uruguay (Canelones)
9 10 9
8 10 8
Brazil (Serra Gaúcha)
7 10 6
5
5
9
7 10 6
Australia (Barossa Valley Shiraz)
9
7
8
9
7
8
Australia (Coonawarra Cabernet)
10
7
9
9
8
9 10 6
Australia (Hunter Valley Sémillon)
9
9
7
6
7 10 7
9
New Zealand (Central Otago Pinot Noir)
7
9
9
5
7
8
7
4
8
7
8
9
8
9
5
8 10 7
9
9
9
9
9
8 10 8 10 9 10 7
9
8 10 9
9
9
8 10
9
4
8
8
8 10 6
9
6
9
7
9 10 9
5
9
3
6
8
7
9
7
9
8
4
9
7
8
9
7
8
8
8
9
7
8
8 10 7 10 7
9
8
9
9
8
9
8
7
6
8 10 9
5
9
7
6
7
8
8
9
8
8 10 7
7
New Zealand (Marlborough Sauvignon)
7
6
7
9
6
6 10 7
South Africa (Red)
9
10 9 10 8
8
9
8
8 10 10 9
7
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00
Source: Compiled by Mistral In great vintages, wines last longer and need more time to develop. To drink young, the wines from smaller vintages are often more appropriate. When used sensibly and with intelligence, vintage charts can present a good guideline for wine lovers, but you should not limit yourself unnecessarily. It doesn’t make sense to only want to drink wines from spectacular vintages — you would certainly be depriving yourself from many excellent and delicious wines!
19º-20ºC
Lighter teds
16º-18º C
Rosés and structured white wines
11º-13ºC
Light and aromatic white wines, Jerez
9º-11ºC
Champagne and structured sparkling wines
7º-9ºC
Sweet wines and lighter sparkling wines
7º-8ºC
8
6 10 7 9
Structured teds
Vintage charts can be very useful, but it is necessary to use them in a sensible manner. The scores represent only regional averages, but the majority of the wines produced by good wineries do not present major variations in quality from year to year — except for the most prestigious cuvées. In general, the best producers can make good wines even in smaller vintages. The can considerably limit the production, or they might have harvested before the bad weather and so on. There are many things a good producer can do to guarantee his quality standards.