Le Conseil des Grands
Crus Classés en 1855

MÉDOC & SAUTERNES — BORDEAUX

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161 Vintages

Below is a list of 150 vintages—including two outstanding ones preceding the 1855 classification—recognized for their diversity and exceptional aging powers.

This list was compiled from the archives of the Bordeaux wine brokerage firm Tastet & Lawton, which was founded in 1740 and has kept records of each year’s vintage ever since.

Start of harvest :

— 07 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Wines considered good in general.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Acceptable wines, considered by some experts to contain detectable traces of vine mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Very ordinary wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Refined and elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Detectable traces of vine mildew in some of the wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very light wines.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Freeze on May 6. Good, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Some of this year’s wines lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Exquisite, extraordinarily smooth wines; mature, aromatic, intense, fully rounded.

Start of harvest :

— 06 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Good, mature wines, but harsh; slow to mature.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very mediocre year.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Unexceptional wines.

Start of harvest :

— 07 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Very satisfactory year.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Remarkable, well-rounded wines.

Start of harvest :

— 10 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Very good, very mature, very full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Light but very elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Terrible freeze on April 28. Difficult year.

Start of harvest :

— 14 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very good wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very good, very elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Wines with reduced aging potential.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A year of light but charming wines.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A very great year.

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

A lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1879.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Good wines, hearty and full-bodied.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Light, fairly elegant wines; some perceptible mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, relatively unappealing wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Difficult year due to mildew; a few great wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Many wines affected by mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Same problem as for 1885 vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Full-bodied, generous wines; healthy, due to antimildew treatments.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Good year, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Satisfactory year, fairly elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Fairly good, full-bodied, dark red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 02 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines often lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Sirocco wind storm August 15, temperature 104°F (43°C); elegant wines

Start of harvest :

— 15 August

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— exceptionally large

Remarks :

Excellent wines that frequently aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Poor quality, sharp wines lacking in body.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather; vinification difficult; excellent quality for those wines that survived.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Subtle, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Very mediocre wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Slightly harsh wines that improved with age.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very high-quality year.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines lacking in body; some vintages aged surprisingly well.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A particularly disastrous year.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very difficult year.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines that aged unevenly.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light but elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Exceptionally full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, elegant wines similar to the 1905 vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Slightly harsh wines lacking in charm.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Potentially good wines that aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

A particularly disastrous year.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines lacking body.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Weak wines with low tannin content.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

These initially promising wines aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1910.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Hearty, full-bodied wines slightly lacking in charm.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Healthy but harsh wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light wines somewhat lacking in concentration.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few good bottles still available.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather; problems with aging. A few good bottles still available.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, flat wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Pale-colored wines; some wines suffered from the heat.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Some wines still exceptional.

Start of harvest :

— 03 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Sharp, immature wines.

Start of harvest :

— 04 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Some wines still exceptional. Widespread crop failure.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very rainy August and September; disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Remarkable wines; some a little harsh.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

There are almost no bottles of this wine remaining today.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

There are almost no bottles of this wine remaining today.

Start of harvest :

— 15 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1930 and 1931.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 14 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A few bottles remain that are still appealing.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Slightly sharp wines, some lacking maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 01 January

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Sharp wines lacking maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Many great wines still available.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Unexceptional year.

Start of harvest :

— 02 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Unexceptional year.

Start of harvest :

— 03 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very mediocre wines.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

With 1943, the best year of the period.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few major successes.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, agreeable wines.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Disastrous freeze on May 2; very concentrated wines, some still surprisingly young.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines that are often harsh and slightly lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few legendary bottles approaching perfection; wines with great charm.

Start of harvest :

— 01 January

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few exceptional wines.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Magnificent wines, still capable of further aging; vintage similar to that of 1947.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, agreeable wines; some very great wines.

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Comparable to the 1946 wines.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Well-structured tannic wines, slow to mature; a few great bottles.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A great classic: balanced, full-bodied, subtle, long-lasting.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Healthy but immature wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Well-structured, concentrated, slow to mature; a few very great bottles.

Start of harvest :

— 14 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Catastrophic freeze in February; little or no production.

Start of harvest :

— 04 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Major crop failure; with some exceptions, wines generally disappointing.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Average year with some fairly good exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

A very hot, dry year; vinification difficult; very great wines with persistent keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light wines with limited keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

The great year of the century; severe crop loss.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Appealing wines with great charm on the palate; similar to 1924.

Start of harvest :

— 07 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

An extremely weak vintage similar to 1965 and 1968.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Uneven success; a few great wines with keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Comparable to the wines of 1963 and 1968.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A classic vintage; great elegance; the best year of the decade after 1961.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Agreeable wines; suitable for drinking while still young.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Comparable to 1963 and 1965.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Unremarkable vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Somewhat harsh tannic wines; the best will continue to age beyond 2000.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Extensive crop loss; wines with a somewhat delicate elegance at its most intense

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Generally disappointing wines, with a few exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Generally disappointing wines, with a few exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Tannic wines of uneven quality; some of them very good.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very hot summer, with losses due to drought; very high quality somewhat attenuated by sporadic rain during the harvest.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Freezes on March 31 and April 9; fairly good wines, although tannic and somewhat harsh.

Start of harvest :

— 08 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Classic, elegant wines at their very best.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

The best of this year’s wines are harmonious and well-balanced.

Start of harvest :

— 08 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, mellow, full-flavored wines.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines that improve with age.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Magnificent wines that will age well into the middle of the twenty-first century.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Full-bodied, often remarkable wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A generally disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Remarkable wines, comparable to 1986.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great year for wines with keeping power, especially in the Médoc.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Mellow, full-flavored, elegant wines; agreeable to drink while still young.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic wines that improve with age.

Start of harvest :

— 04 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very great year for wines that mature with age.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great hot-weather year; wines suitable for drinking young that also have a high potential for improving with age.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Freeze on April 21. Full-bodied red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Full-bodied red wines that age quickly.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Red wines that age fairly quickly.

Start of harvest :

— 16 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A year of consistent quality. Great red wines, mellow and harmonious.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great year for wines that improve with age, especially in the Médoc.

Start of harvest :

— 07 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Charming, mellow, full-flavored wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

An extremely classic year with a promising future.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A perfectly classic year similar to 1998; wines with great promise for the future.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century (as was 1900).

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A classic year with great promise.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

This year’s wines were saved by the “Indian Summer.” Very promising wines.

Start of harvest :

— 02 September

Quality :

— Remarkable

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

The year of France’s record heat wave. A great and promising vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 16 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic year with very good potential

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Excellent

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Vintage of the century!

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

Supple, very appealing quality

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

A good year for sweet white wines

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

A year that confirmed its quality in the months following the harvest

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A legendary vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A legendary vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Fairly traditional red wines, superior quality in the Médoc. An exceptional year for sweet wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Pleasant, fruity wines.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

A good year for sweet wines.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Pleasant, appealing, full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Excellent

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very distinguished wines with a substantial capacity to improve with age.

161 Vintages

Below is a list of 150 vintages—including two outstanding ones preceding the 1855 classification—recognized for their diversity and exceptional aging powers.

This list was compiled from the archives of the Bordeaux wine brokerage firm Tastet & Lawton, which was founded in 1740 and has kept records of each year’s vintage ever since.

Start of harvest :

— 07 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Wines considered good in general.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Acceptable wines, considered by some experts to contain detectable traces of vine mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Very ordinary wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Refined and elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Detectable traces of vine mildew in some of the wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very light wines.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Freeze on May 6. Good, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Some of this year’s wines lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Exquisite, extraordinarily smooth wines; mature, aromatic, intense, fully rounded.

Start of harvest :

— 06 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Good, mature wines, but harsh; slow to mature.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very mediocre year.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Unexceptional wines.

Start of harvest :

— 07 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Very satisfactory year.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Remarkable, well-rounded wines.

Start of harvest :

— 10 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Very good, very mature, very full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Light but very elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Terrible freeze on April 28. Difficult year.

Start of harvest :

— 14 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very good wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very good, very elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Wines with reduced aging potential.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A year of light but charming wines.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A very great year.

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

A lackluster year.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1879.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Good wines, hearty and full-bodied.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Light, fairly elegant wines; some perceptible mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, relatively unappealing wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Difficult year due to mildew; a few great wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Many wines affected by mildew.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Same problem as for 1885 vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Full-bodied, generous wines; healthy, due to antimildew treatments.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

Good year, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Satisfactory year, fairly elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Fairly good, full-bodied, dark red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 02 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines often lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Sirocco wind storm August 15, temperature 104°F (43°C); elegant wines

Start of harvest :

— 15 August

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— exceptionally large

Remarks :

Excellent wines that frequently aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Poor quality, sharp wines lacking in body.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather; vinification difficult; excellent quality for those wines that survived.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Subtle, elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Very mediocre wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Slightly harsh wines that improved with age.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very high-quality year.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines lacking in body; some vintages aged surprisingly well.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A particularly disastrous year.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very difficult year.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines that aged unevenly.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light but elegant wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Exceptionally full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, elegant wines similar to the 1905 vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Slightly harsh wines lacking in charm.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Potentially good wines that aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

A particularly disastrous year.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Wines lacking body.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Weak wines with low tannin content.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

These initially promising wines aged badly.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1910.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Hearty, full-bodied wines slightly lacking in charm.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Healthy but harsh wines.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light wines somewhat lacking in concentration.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few good bottles still available.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A year of extremely hot weather; problems with aging. A few good bottles still available.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, flat wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Pale-colored wines; some wines suffered from the heat.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Some wines still exceptional.

Start of harvest :

— 03 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Sharp, immature wines.

Start of harvest :

— 04 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Some wines still exceptional. Widespread crop failure.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very rainy August and September; disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Remarkable wines; some a little harsh.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

There are almost no bottles of this wine remaining today.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

There are almost no bottles of this wine remaining today.

Start of harvest :

— 15 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Vintage comparable to 1930 and 1931.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 14 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A few bottles remain that are still appealing.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Slightly sharp wines, some lacking maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 01 January

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Sharp wines lacking maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Many great wines still available.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Unexceptional year.

Start of harvest :

— 02 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, “aromatic” wines.

Start of harvest :

— 26 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Unexceptional year.

Start of harvest :

— 03 October

Quality :

— Poor

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Very mediocre wines.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

With 1943, the best year of the period.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few major successes.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, agreeable wines.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Disastrous freeze on May 2; very concentrated wines, some still surprisingly young.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines that are often harsh and slightly lacking in maturity.

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few legendary bottles approaching perfection; wines with great charm.

Start of harvest :

— 01 January

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A few exceptional wines.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Magnificent wines, still capable of further aging; vintage similar to that of 1947.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Light, agreeable wines; some very great wines.

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Comparable to the 1946 wines.

Start of harvest :

— 17 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Well-structured tannic wines, slow to mature; a few great bottles.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A great classic: balanced, full-bodied, subtle, long-lasting.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Healthy but immature wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Well-structured, concentrated, slow to mature; a few very great bottles.

Start of harvest :

— 14 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Catastrophic freeze in February; little or no production.

Start of harvest :

— 04 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

Major crop failure; with some exceptions, wines generally disappointing.

Start of harvest :

— 10 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

Average year with some fairly good exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Small harvest

Remarks :

A very hot, dry year; vinification difficult; very great wines with persistent keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 15 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light wines with limited keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

The great year of the century; severe crop loss.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Appealing wines with great charm on the palate; similar to 1924.

Start of harvest :

— 07 October

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

An extremely weak vintage similar to 1965 and 1968.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Uneven success; a few great wines with keeping power.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Comparable to the wines of 1963 and 1968.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A classic vintage; great elegance; the best year of the decade after 1961.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Agreeable wines; suitable for drinking while still young.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Comparable to 1963 and 1965.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Unremarkable vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Somewhat harsh tannic wines; the best will continue to age beyond 2000.

Start of harvest :

— 27 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Extensive crop loss; wines with a somewhat delicate elegance at its most intense

Start of harvest :

— 09 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 24 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Generally disappointing wines, with a few exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Generally disappointing wines, with a few exceptions.

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Tannic wines of uneven quality; some of them very good.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very hot summer, with losses due to drought; very high quality somewhat attenuated by sporadic rain during the harvest.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Freezes on March 31 and April 9; fairly good wines, although tannic and somewhat harsh.

Start of harvest :

— 08 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Classic, elegant wines at their very best.

Start of harvest :

— 05 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

The best of this year’s wines are harmonious and well-balanced.

Start of harvest :

— 08 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Light, mellow, full-flavored wines.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Wines that improve with age.

Start of harvest :

— 13 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Magnificent wines that will age well into the middle of the twenty-first century.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Full-bodied, often remarkable wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A generally disappointing year.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Remarkable wines, comparable to 1986.

Start of harvest :

— 26 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great year for wines with keeping power, especially in the Médoc.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Mellow, full-flavored, elegant wines; agreeable to drink while still young.

Start of harvest :

— 28 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic wines that improve with age.

Start of harvest :

— 04 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A very great year for wines that mature with age.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great hot-weather year; wines suitable for drinking young that also have a high potential for improving with age.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Very small

Remarks :

Freeze on April 21. Full-bodied red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Full-bodied red wines that age quickly.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Red wines that age fairly quickly.

Start of harvest :

— 16 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic red wines.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A year of consistent quality. Great red wines, mellow and harmonious.

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A great year for wines that improve with age, especially in the Médoc.

Start of harvest :

— 07 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Charming, mellow, full-flavored wines.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

An extremely classic year with a promising future.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A perfectly classic year similar to 1998; wines with great promise for the future.

Start of harvest :

— 20 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

One of the great years of the century (as was 1900).

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Fairly large

Remarks :

A classic year with great promise.

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Not very large

Remarks :

This year’s wines were saved by the “Indian Summer.” Very promising wines.

Start of harvest :

— 02 September

Quality :

— Remarkable

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

The year of France’s record heat wave. A great and promising vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 16 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Classic year with very good potential

Start of harvest :

— 22 September

Quality :

— Excellent

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Vintage of the century!

Start of harvest :

— 18 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

Supple, very appealing quality

Start of harvest :

— 19 September

Quality :

— Fairly good

Volume :

— Low

Remarks :

A good year for sweet white wines

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

A year that confirmed its quality in the months following the harvest

Start of harvest :

— 23 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

A legendary vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 29 September

Quality :

— exceptional

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

A legendary vintage.

Start of harvest :

— 12 September

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Fairly traditional red wines, superior quality in the Médoc. An exceptional year for sweet wines.

Start of harvest :

— 01 October

Quality :

— good

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

Pleasant, fruity wines.

Start of harvest :

— 30 September

Quality :

— Only average

Volume :

— Small

Remarks :

A good year for sweet wines.

Start of harvest :

— 25 September

Quality :

— Very good

Volume :

— Average

Remarks :

Pleasant, appealing, full-bodied wines.

Start of harvest :

— 21 September

Quality :

— Excellent

Volume :

— Very large

Remarks :

Very distinguished wines with a substantial capacity to improve with age.

1855
1855
1855
1855
Quality of the vintage
Exceptional
Poor
1855
1856
1857
1858
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1861
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