Wine vintage rating 1945
1945 The legendary Victory vintage. The mild spring got the vegetation going early, but on May 1st and 2nd it snowed in Bordeaux. In some cases, 80% of the possible wine harvest was destroyed. But then it got warm and dry. A perfect year with an early harvest from 10.09. until 26.09. Cheval Blanc and PĂ©trus were the first to focus on the so-called Right Bank (St. Emilion and Pomerol) for top wines.
Haut Brion extremely satisfied: A historic wine of quite remarkable quality. Powerful, complex, very tannin-rich, full-bodied and bold - just perfect. A highlight!
Weather in the year 1945
Good filling levels, good wine quality
Of course, the good condition of a wine from an old vintage depends on excellent storage. Above all, the wine must not have frequently changed cellars. Ideally, the wine will have rested in one and the same wine cellar.
But also the cork that sits in each individual bottle is very important. A perfect cork has few pores and keeps the wine stable. If an inferior cork happens to have been used in a bottle, the porous surface will begin to soak up wine and allow micro-quantities of the liquid to evaporate over the decades. Poor fill levels are the result.
A poor fill level therefore also indicates a high risk that the wine bottle could soon begin to leak.
The fill levels explained:
In the bottle neck (high fill to base neck) about 2 cm is perfect for wines.
Top and upper shoulder, ([very] top shoulder), approx. 3 cm is very good for very old wines.
Medium shoulder (mid shoulder), about 4 cm is only acceptable for rare top wines and in individual cases.
Everything below the red line should not be offered any more.