Wine 1979

Our view on the 1979 vintage

1979 was a heterogeneous vintage for Bordeaux wines where, despite a cool and dry summer, the harvest has been the largest since 1934! The Graves (Pessac Leognan) and the Right Bank (Pomerol and Saint Emilion) and certain Grands Crus classified in the Medoc as Margaux have produced very good wines, rich, tannic and with long ageing potential. In white Bordeaux the year is rather weak (lack of maturity) and in Sauternes, the wines are a bit dull because marked by the weakness of the botrytis. In Burgundy, 1979 did not generate the usual very good quality of the last 3 vintages in 9 (1949/1959/1969). The wines are pale and lean in red, but some white Burgundy wines can retain an appeal like the Corton Charlemagne. Beautiful 1979 vintage in Champagne, ith huge ageing potential as some are still very good. The 1979 vintage will also have produced pretty wines to be kept (not to be overlooked) in theSouthernRhone valley (Chateauneuf du Pape) , in Loire (Vouvray) and in Alsace.