Wine vintage rating 1987

What was the vintage 1987 like?

1987 was not an easy year. The 1987 vintage was always viewed as rather problematic, but many wines have proven to be long-distance runners.

I am always asked whether the old wines can be stored longer and if so, for how long. Under good storage conditions, high-quality wines can become very old. Whether a specific bottle will survive for decades also depends on chance (mainly on the cork). In most cases, the weaknesses increase and the strengths of a wine decrease over time. On the other hand, such a wine rarity becomes rarer and more valuable.
Nevertheless, tips can be given: with 1982, 1986 etc. you can try long storage, 1987 would be more of a candidate for trying out the tasting of an old wine yourself.

Weather in the year 1987

The third very cold winter in a row and another cool spring.

The first heat of June led to sudden hailstorms at Pentecost. July stayed cool, August got very hot. Then autumn weather set in for two weeks.

The second half of September then became warm and dry again, even hot. Early October brought rain.

The current stock of wines from the 1987 vintage

All wines from the 1987 vintage are in our own wine cellar and can be shipped immediately or picked up at the wine shop. To the wines of 1987

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 1987 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.

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