Wine 1959

Our view on the 1959 vintage

1959 was a very great vintage and a superb success in most French vineyards. In Bordeaux, he even matched or exceeded (in some Grand Crus Classes) the 1961 vintage in terms of aging potential. The red wines of Bordeaux in 1959 are rich, massive and were ready to age for a long time. The bottles have evolved very slowly. On the Right Bank (1959 Saint Emilion and 1959 Pomerol) the merlots were not all recovered from the 1956 frost, and the successes were less than in the great wines of the Medoc. The 1959 Sauternes are excellent, and the best can still be preserved. In Burgundy, 1959 is described as a great year and the reds are rich, full and of majestic balance. The fine rains in September contributed to the quality of the grapes, the volume of the harvest is abundant, and the level of red Burgundy is impressive (as well as their aging potential). The 1959 white Burgundy wines are less successful. In Champagne, the 1959 vintage is superb. The wines are full bodied and powerful and therefore enjoy enormous aging potential. The Rhone Valley is not to be outdone and powerful wines like 1959 Hermitage can be drunk for years. In Alsace, the 1959 vintage is described as exceptional and we can still find very fine wines like some Gewurztraminer from the Weinbach estate which play more on a more mineral profile with aromas of quince. Superb year 1959 for Loire wines, with exceptional sweet wines in Quart de Chaume and Bonnezeaux. What is more, 1959 is undeniably the vintage of the century for Chinon red wines. Finally, the Jura produced immense 1959 yellow wines which will delight amateurs.