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1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
When people talk about the great wine vintages, they are usually referring to the red wines of Bordeaux. There are Burgundy lovers who might argue that Burgundy should be included, but, Burgundy doesn't have the ability to age like Bordeaux. Burgundy, in terms of longevity, has to take a back seat. As for which region produces the greatest quality wine, that's always up for discussion.
The greatest Bordeaux have the ability to age for decades, and in some cases, a century or more. There are still Bordeaux from over 100 years ago that, if properly kept, are still drinking well. We will discuss some of the more recent great vintages.
The most recent year to be heralded as the “Vintage of the Century” is the 2005 Bordeaux. The term is used to describe many great vintages when they are initially assessed. They are subject to revision when they are reassessed. I believe this is the human emotion factor entering the equation. Wine lovers are always hoping for the vintage of the century and the term gets over used. Like people who meet that once in a lifetime love. For most people it probably happens a dozen times.
The 2005 Bordeaux certainly qualifies as a great vintage. Most vintage charts show separate ratings for the so called left bank and right bank wines of Bordeaux. The left bank being the wines of the Medoc and Graves regions and the right bank which is made up of Saint Emilion and Pomerol. Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate divides his vintage chart up into five Bordeaux regions and rates each individually. For 2005 his ratings range between a low of 95 to a high of 99 out of 100. Indeed, Mr. Parker is fond of 2005.
The Wine Spectator's vintage chart gives separate ratings for the left bank and the right bank. They rate the left bank a 98 and the right bank a 99. They seem to be in agreement with Robert Parker on this vintage. Although that has not always been the case.
Here are quotes from both publications regarding the 2005 Bordeaux.
"One thing I am sure of after twenty-eight years of tasting Bordeaux wines every March is that 2005 can not be compared to any previous vintage in my experience" - Robert Parker
"Bordeaux's 2005 vintage is going to be a record-breaker on every level . . .The reds are some of the best I have tasted in my career, and they have a unique character. They are rich and powerful, with loads of juicy, opulent, ripe fruit and powerful tannins, yet they also have a wonderful freshness due to their bright, crisp acidities." - James Suckling - The Wine Spectator
One vintage where they are in disagreement on is the famed 1982 Bordeaux. That vintage is heralded as the one that elevated Robert Parker to becoming the most influential wine critic in the world. Mr. Parker in early 1983 was praising the 1982 vintage as the greatest ever. That proclamation put him in the spotlight and his fame grew from there. The Wine Spectator, while calling 1982 a good vintage, never was in agreement with Parker that it was of vintage of the century proportions.
Parker likened the vintage to having the character of Bordeaux and the fruit of California Cabernet Sauvignon, all in perfect balance. Some people believe there may be some political posturing in the wine world between The Wine Advocate and The Wine Spectator where the 1982 vintage is concerned. Since it was the vintage that made Robert Parker famous, some believe the Wine Spectator is not inclined to call attention to it. Having tasted many 1982's, I find it appropriate to call the vintage a political one. There is a conservative Bordeaux nose, the palette has liberal layers of fruit, and the finish lingers longer than a Florida Presidential re-count. Truly great wines.
The 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild and the 1982 Chateau Petrus were the first wines that Robert Parker rated 100. He continues to rate the Mouton a 100, but has lowered his rating for the Petrus. The Mouton 1982 label is pictured here. It was painted by the Actor/Director John Huston. Each year since the 1945 "V" for victory label Mouton Rothschild commissions an artist to create the top third of the label.
Other recent great vintages in Bordeaux include the 2003. This was the summer of the great heat waves in Europe. It produced intensely fruity wines due to the extreme ripeness of the grapes. The Wine Spectator ranks them 95 on the left bank, 94 on the right. Parker's rating range between 84 in Pomerol on the right bank and 98 in Margaux on the left bank. Clearly Robert Parker sees a great variance in the vintage that The Wine Spectator doesn't.
The year 2000 in Bordeaux is considered another very fine vintage. You can still find them on the store shelves. Here the vintage has more agreement among critics than does 2003. The Wine Spectator ranks them as 99 and 97 for the right and left banks, respectively. Parkers ratings range from 94 in Margaux to 97 in Graves, both are on the left bank. On the right bank he rates the Pomerol's a 95 and the Saint Emilion's a 96.
Other recent vintages of note in Bordeaux are the 1990, 1989, 1986 and 1982. You can find information about these vintages in many books or check the web sites that are linked on this page.
Coming soon: More on vintage wines.
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