Wine vintage rating 1951

What was the vintage 1951 like?

1951 good Piedmont vintage for Barolo and Barbaresco, very difficult in Bordeaux, rarely but above average Rioja.

Why does the 1951 Bordeaux vintage have to be rated so poorly? There was way too much rain in August. And this is the period of the year when the vines need water stress to produce intense, flavorful wines. In order to allow the grapes to ripen as much as possible, the harvest was postponed to a very late date, well into October. The 1951 vintage is now more 70 years old. With such an age, it is not the quality of the vintage that plays the main role, but the coincidence of the wine storage. A natural selection takes place: only a few wine bottles survive the time in the wine cellar undamaged with perfect filling levels.

Weather in the year 1951

The flowering phase was pleasing and the beginning of the growing season good. Cool weather began in south-west France in May. Finally, in France, both in Bordeaux and in Burgundy, the summer became very rainy and cool.

One believed to experience the autumn sooner. The grapes took an extremely long time to reach maturity. The wait for the grape harvest was correspondingly long in cool but tolerably dry weather.

In Italy the weather conditions were much better, there was no heavy rain.

The current stock of wines from the 1951 vintage

All wines from the 1951 vintage are in our own wine cellar and can be shipped immediately or picked up at the wine shop. To the wines of 1951

Good filling levels, good wine quality

The fill level of an old vintage wine reveals important information on the drinkability of the wine.
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.

Wine rating

Do you have a 1951 vintage in your wine cellar and would you like to know how much it is worth?

Here are a few tips: in order to still have any value, the bottle must be leakproof. The wine must not be cloudy. It should be of good quality (not supermarket wine).

Search for the wine online without specifying the vintage. If it is a well-known winery, you will find the wine immediately and also the price you have to pay for the current vintage. If the current wine costs from EUR 20.00 upwards, that's a good sign.

The filling level is decisive for the value. Upper shoulder to base neck is required. Medium shoulder is only acceptable for extremely rare, already valuable wines.

Select wine by

1951 Barolo Marchesi di Barolo Riserva della Castellana

Piemonte

The classical dry red wine comes from the Barolo DOC in Northern Italy, the most important wine region of Piedmont. Prior to the mid-19th century, Barolo was a sweet wine. The fact that the Nebbiolo grape ripens late in October meant that temperatures would be steadily dropping by harvest. By November and December, temperatures in the Piedmont region would be cold enough to halt fermentation, leaving a significant amount of residual sugar left in the wine. In the mid-19th century the French enologist Louis Oudart improve the winemaking techniques of the local producers. Using techniques focusing on improving the hygiene of the cellar, Oudart was able to ferment the Nebbiolo must completely dry, making the first modern Barolo. This new, dry red wine soon became a favorite among the nobility of Turin and the ruling House of Savoy, giving rise to the popular description of Barolo as the wine of kings, the king of wines.

With the 1951 Barolo Marchesi di Barolo Riserva della Castellana, comes a personal present meant for a person who is very special to you.

We deliver the 1951 Barolo Marchesi di Barolo Riserva della Castellana with the following guaranties and wine documents.

The wine is in excellent conditions and has to be drank and savored.
We guarantee the authenticity of the wine and its professional storage.
It is a high-quality, dry, long aging and, most of all, it is a renowned red wine.
You receive the authenticity guarantee and the wine portrait as a certificate.
In addition to that: our own advice regarding storage, plus a recommendation on how to savor and open the wine.

€359.00

Content: 0.72 Liter (€498.61 / 1 Liter)
Quantity: 1

Ready for shipment, delivery 1-3 working days

1951 Chateau Lafite Rothschild

1er Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux - Pauillac

Château Lafite Rothschild is one of the most renowned wine properties in the Médoc. Owned by Baron Eric de Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild is also one of the largest Médoc estates. With a base largely of gravel the vineyard is unsurprisingly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (71%) with the balance comprising Merlot (25%) Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%). Grapes are hand-harvested, and vinified parcel by parcel. Nicolas-Alexandre, marquis de Ségur (1695–1755) was a Bordeaux winemaker, known as the "Prince of Vines". He was the owner of some of the most famous Bordeaux Chateaus like Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Mouton and Château Calon-Segur. Under the Marquis' influence, the wines of Chateau Lafite became to conquered the London market. Prime Minister Robert Walpole was a frequent customer, purchasing a barrel every three months. The Cardinal de Richelieu introduced the wines of Chateau Lafite to the royal court of Louis XV, who was an estimated of Lafite together with Madame de Pompadour.

With the 1951 Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1er Grand Cru Classe Pauillac, comes a personal present meant for a person who is very special to you

We deliver the 1951 Chateau Lafite Rothschild with the following guaranties and wine documents.

The wine is in excellent conditions and has to be drank and savored.
We guarantee the authenticity of the wine and its professional storage.
It is a high-quality, dry, long aging and, most of all, it is a renowned red wine.
You receive the authenticity guarantee and the wine portrait as a certificate.
In addition to that: our own advice regarding storage, plus a recommendation on how to savor and open the wine.

€2,580.00

Content: 0.75 Liter (€3,440.00 / 1 Liter)
Quantity: 1

Ready for shipment, delivery 1-3 working days