Vintage Informations

2007 (Bourgogne)
The cool summer prolonged the growing season and ripened the grape skins beautifully. The wines are smooth and soft thanks to low acidity and elegant tannin without any harshness. The attractive black fruit aromas are proof of good maturity. A very great vintage for white wines, which have a beautiful balance between richness and acidity comparable to 2006.

2007 (Bordeaux)
Summer weather was so-so, but the harvest took place under clear blue skies. The best winegrowers produced attractive red wines with unusually velvety tannin. These are very enjoyable, even quite young. Furthermore, prices dropped significantly in this vintage. The dry white wines are outstandingly fresh and pure, and the sweet white wines are wonderful.

2006 (Bourgogne)
An unquestionably fine growing season for Pinot Noir, responsible for producing very stylish wines combining ripeness and freshness. The red wines are superbly elegant with very pure fruit and tannic structure suitable to long ageing. Sensational white wines: well-focused, with great aromatic complexity.

2006 (Bordeaux)
Although somewhat overshadowed by 2005, the 2006 vintage in Bordeaux was truly great and classic thanks to a beautiful summer without excessive heat or rainfall. The dry white wines are superbly fresh and expressive, and the reds are fruity, concentrated and well-balanced, with good ageing potential. The wines of Sauternes are more aromatic than sweet.

2005 (Bourgogne)
Perfect weather from June to September was conducive to impressively rich, pure red wines with great ageing potential. The white wines, concentrated and with very ripe fruit, are barely any less spectacular.

2005 (Bordeaux)
Picture-perfect weather in Bordeaux (and elsewhere in France) accounted for a vintage that is already legendary! The wines have absolutely everything – richness, balance, wonderful aromas – and reflect the best of their terroir. The overall quality is truly amazing, from dry white wines and sweet white ones to red wines from both banks.

2004 (Bordeaux)
The weather this year, similar to 2001, was typical of Bordeaux's oceanic climate. Estates with low yields produced fresh, well-balanced and naturally elegant wines. A very great vintage for dry white wines, and a classic one for the sweet whites.

2004 (Bourgogne)
Four weeks of very fine weather in September made up for the effects of August rain (including devastating storms in the Côte de Beaune). Growers who kept yields reasonably low produced red wines with the freshness of the 1996s and the silky texture of the 2000s.

2003 (Bordeaux)
The summer heatwave will long be remembered, and obviously had an influence on the wines. This was the earliest harvest in recorded history and yields were very low. The wines are deeply-coloured, tannic and relatively high in alcohol, with something of a Mediterranean style. There are many great successes on both banks as well as outstanding sweet white wines.

2003 (Bourgogne)
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are rarely at their best in vintages marked by extremely hot weather. However, some 2003 Burgundies display astonishing depth and smoothness, even though most wines (both red and white) are too low in acidity and will age quickly.

2002 (Bordeaux)
September and October were magnificent, enabling the vines to make up for a mediocre summer. Conditions were ideal for late-ripening varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot). Low yields were conducive to full-boded, charming wines. Left Bank wines (Médoc and Graves) are particularly successful and this is a great vintage in Sauternes, only slightly less rich than 2001.

2002 (Bourgogne)
After a fine summer, a superb month of September transformed 2002 into an exceptional vintage. The red wines are deep, voluptuous and extremely appealing. The quality is reminiscent of 1999. A very great year for Chardonnay.

2001 (Bordeaux)
A typical Bordeaux vintage reflecting the region's temperate climate. The red wines are fresh, well-balanced and well-structured. They will undoubtedly age well and display considerable balance and finesse. The wines of Sauternes and Barsac are superb.

2001 (Bourgogne)
Eminently classic red wines, with extremely attractive and well-defined red fruit aromas. The texture is less rich than in 1999, but more tightly-knit than in 2000, with beautiful freshness – an ideal Pinot Noir vintage.

2000 (Bordeaux)
An outstanding year in more ways than one: large volume, tremendous ripeness and concentration in the red wines and... prices to match. Bordeaux was blessed with marvellous wines on both the Right and Left Banks, and among the petits châteaux as well as the great growths. The red wines have excellent firmness and grip, and will age well. Minuscule production of sweet white wines, which are very aromatic.

2000 (Bourgogne)
After a beautiful summer (same as in Bordeaux), rain in early September reduced concentration in the juice and was ideal for the grape skins. The 2000 vintage is thus characterised by smooth, fruity, early-maturing wines.

1999 (Bordeaux)
Summer was sunnier than in 1997, and it rained less during the harvest than in 1998. In fact, 1999 can be considered a combination of these two vintages. It is a very good year for red wines in all appellations. These have medium-term ageing potential. They are more charming than the 1998s and more structured than 1997s. This is also the third great vintage in a row for Sauternes!

1999 (Bourgogne)
The last year of the century was a great one for Burgundy. The weather was very hot and sunny (except for the eclipse on the 11th of August !) throughout the growing season. Pinot Noir ripened exceptionally well in 1999. The wines' richness is complemented by superb tannic structure, and they are sure to age very well. Wonderful white wines too.

1998 (Bordeaux)
Lovely, sunny weather in summer but rain during the harvest... Early-maturing vineyards nevertheless produced fine wines. The best terroirs and those planted with Merlot were the most successful. This is a classic, tannic, long-lived vintage for red wines. The sweet white wines are almost as good as the 1997s.

1998 (Bourgogne)
The 1998s have everything a classic Burgundy vintage should. The red wines are well-structured, fresh and rather firm. Underpinned by great acidity, they are sure to age well. Only a few more days of ripeness would have transformed 1998 from a good into an outstanding vintage.

1997 (Bordeaux)
Summer may have been rather cool, but it was warm and sunny at vintage time. The fine weather lasted from the 1st of September to the 17th of October: seven weeks of ideal, sunny weather that produced well-balanced, smooth wines with plenty of charm. This was a successful vintage on both the right and left banks, as well as the best sweet white wine vintage since 1990.

1997 (Bourgogne)
A charming vintage producing soft, round and smooth wines. These will age relatively soon, but will be delightful thanks to their intrinsic balance.

1996 (Bordeaux)
An outstanding vintage, often better than 1995. The grapes ripened slowly thanks to a temperate summer without excess heart or dryness. The red wines throughout Bordeaux are well-balanced and complex, with aromatics of a quality unequalled in the previous 20 years. Beautiful sweet white wines.

1996 (Bourgogne)
Less massive than the 1995s, the 1996s have absolutely sensational power and purity along with a fantastic range of flavours. No other grape variety can concentrate as many fruity aromas as Pinot Noir in such a year ! Furthermore, the white wines are also outstandingly successful.

1995 (Bordeaux)
The first great vintage since 1989 and 1990. The summer was very warm and dry, which was ideal for ripening Merlot, and even more so for Cabernet Franc. This is why the Right Bank wines did very well. The red wines of Bordeaux have the smoothness of 1985 along with firm tannin reminiscent of 1986. Lovely sweet white wines.

1995 (Bourgogne)
The drought conditions in August kept the grapes from swelling and led to concentrated, deeply-coloured juice. The red wines are rich, powerful and full-bodied, and will take a long time to reveal their elegance. The white wines are outstanding too.

1994 (Bordeaux)
Beautiful, classic vintage that produced tannic wines of character with good ageing potential. Perhaps one notch down from 1995, but also one up from 1993. Exceptional dry white wines.

1994 (Bourgogne)
When picked in good condition, the Pinot Noir grapes produced elegant, well-balanced, seductive wines with superb fruit. The tannin is quite round and easy-going, which makes these wines enjoyable young.

1993 (Bordeaux)
September showers played havoc with grapes that had started to become beautifully ripe thanks to a fine summer. However, estates planted predominantly with Merlot (an early-maturing variety) and with well-drained soil (gravelly rises and slopes) produced quality red wines with elegance and balance. Beautiful dry white wines.

1993 (Bourgogne)
A wonderful month of August that concentrated the juice and thickened the skins. This year with low yields produced red wines with good colour and plenty of fruit. These are well-structured with firm tannin, and have fine ageing potential.

1992 (Bordeaux)
October showers made it difficult to pick the Cabernets. Merlot-bases wines, on the other hand, did very well. The wines are charming and early-maturing. A slight preference therefore for the wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. Lovely dry white wines as well : subtle and with a long aftertaste.

1991 (Bordeaux)
A tiny crop due to a severe spring frost. The rare vineyards spared by the frost (especially those bordering the Gironde Estuary) produced classic wines similar to the 1988 vintage.

1990 (Bordeaux)
An outstanding year thanks to an extremely hot summer, the second in a row after 1989. The wines are incredibly rich and concentrated, with very round tannin and low acidity in all appellations. The Sauternes are very nearly perfect.

1989 (Bordeaux)
An exceptional vintage thanks in large part to an especially warm, dry summer (the earliest harvest since 1893 ! ). The red wines are sumptuously rich and opulent with candied-fruit aromas. They are reminiscent of the 1982s and 1947s, with low acidity and velvety tannin. An absolutely outstanding vintage in Sauternes.

1988 (Bordeaux)
A dry summer followed by a beautiful autumn accounted for the excellent quality of this vintage, which shows excellent balance between fruit and tannin in the Graves and Libourne regions. The wines of the northern Médoc are more austere, while Sauternes and Barsac are magnificently elegant. The dry white wines are also superb.

1987 (Bordeaux)
A so-so year due to rain in October just when it was time to pick the Cabernets. The wines thus have a high percentage of Merlot and are soft, charming and early-maturing.

1986 (Bordeaux)
The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were incomparable, which explains the tremendous success of the Médoc, where the wines are powerful and tannic, with excellent ageing potential. This was also a fine year in the Libourne region for wines with a significant proportion of Cabernet. The wines of Sauternes and Barsac are splendid.

1985 (Bordeaux)
A truly lovely vintage in which Merlot grapes ripened perfectly. This accounts for the rich, tasty wines in Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. The wines of the Médoc and Graves are smooth and fruity, with round tannin. Great dry white wines.

1984 (Bordeaux)
A difficult year, with only a small crop of Merlot due to coulure (shot berries). Only the Médoc and Graves succeeded in making acceptable wines, but these lack richness and body.

1983 (Bordeaux)
A fine vintage, in large part thanks to magnificent weather from mid-September to mid-November. Conditions were particularly favourable to Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wines of Margaux are superb. The Sauternes are also great, better than the Barsacs.

1982 (Bordeaux)
An early harvest, and the grapes were very sweet and ripe. A powerful, complex vintage in Pomerol (the Merlot was perfect), Saint-Émilion and the northern Médoc – but not quite as good in Margaux and the Graves.