Vintage rating wine 90s
With the 90s, something changes in the wine world. The wineries are making a much higher effort than before. - In the past, the focus was on yield. Grape ripeness and grape health received less attention. In recent decades, unhealthy and unripe grapes have been consistently selected from the higher-quality wines. So you will actually find interesting wines in every vintage. Unfavorable individual reviews are often complaints at a high level.
The wine year 1990 *****
The third major Bordeaux vintage in a row. The first months of the year were exceptionally warm. Fortunately, the warm, sunny weather, punctuated by little beneficial rainfall, continued in the spring. The Merlot vines ripened under ideal conditions, with Cabernet Sauvignon small, thick-skinned grapes were harvested.
The great Merlot-influenced wines of the right bank shine in the 1990 vintage. Particularly striking are the Saint-Emilion wines Chateau Figeac, Magdelaine, Beausejour-Becot and La Conseillante and L'Evangile from Pomerol.
Italian wines are also exceptionally good in 1990. It is often spoken of the best vintage since 1945. Very good next to Barolo is Barbaresco.
Wine vintage rating 1990 - Wine 1990
The wine year 1991**-***
In Bordeaux, April frosts decimated the vines. In summer humid weather changed with hot weather, late summer was very good, but then came 8 days of rain in September.
A difficult year for Piedmontese wines - with exceptions. Late harvested and strictly selected vines resulted in well-drinkable wines.
Wine vintage rating 1991 - Wine 1991
The wine year 1992**-***
A consistently difficult year with a wet summer. The vintage clearly shows the development that wine technology and competence have achieved.
Timely detection of rot, strict sorting out of unripe grapes actually saved many wines.
In Italy, the growth of vines was better than in Bordeaux. The summer of 1992 was perfect, only for the grape harvest it rained too much.
Wine vintage rating 1992 - Wine 1992
The wine year 1993 ***
Drought and rain alternated in Bordeaux. The Merlot grape variety matured very well, while Cabernet Sauvignon suffered from the humidity.
In Italy almost the same as in 1992 with a better final result: a very good summer, in September rainy weather.
Wine vintage rating 1993 - Wine 1993
The wine year 1994***-****
In Bordeaux, spring frosts led to low yields. From May to August, warm to hot weather prevailed, after which there was always prolonged rain.
In Piedmont, 1994 was the third consecutive year with excellent summers and long rains during September.
Wine vintage rating 1994 - Wine 1994
The wine year 1995 *****
After a few difficult years, 1995 finally became a very good vintage again, which now exceeds the expectations placed in it at the beginning.
The 1er Grand Cru Classé wines perform very well. But it must be taken into account that many of the best wines have not yet reached the end of their development.
In Italy (Piedmont and Tuscany) there was a rather strange weather pattern. A warm spring was followed by a moderate summer, the finale was followed by a long-lasting, almost summery autumn. The grapes were therefore harvested very late.
Wine vintage rating 1995 - Wine 1995
The wine year 1996 ****
After the highly traded 1995 vintage, the 1996 was initially somewhat underestimated. After the last frosts in March, the vines sprouted quite late in April. The uniform flowering was completed in June. The summer was promising. Rain shortly before the harvest caused problems for the Merlot vines and forced strict selection.
The vintage turned out to be quite a good Piedmont year.
Wine vintage rating 1996 - Wine 1996
The wine year 1997***-*****
In Bordeaux initially not an outstanding, but well drinkable vintage. The early flowering was uneven. The wet, cool May led to trickling and small berries. Only August and September became sunny and hot.
In the meantime, the vintage is developing into a long-distance runner at the important wineries. The long storage and maturation is good for it.
In Piedmont an excellent vintage, which was even celebrated as the century vintage on some wineries.
Wine vintage rating 1997 - Wine 1997
The wine year 1998 ****
The vintage in Bordeaux proves to be more and more a very decent vintage. The weather suited the early ripening Merlot grape. The vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon were rain-stricken before the harvest.
In Piedmont, the changeable weather led to very different results at the individual wineries.
Wine vintage rating 1998 - Wine 1998
The wine year 1999****
Since the eighties one can observe that better know-how and modern cellar technology compensates for many problems caused by bad weather in the vineyard. However, the effort that has to be made to save a difficult vintage is immense.
The 1999 vintage therefore cost the top wineries of Bordeaux dearly.
In Piedmont and Tuscany very good wines were produced.