Wine 1994

Our view on the 1994 vintage

Once again, the rains in September cooled down the ambitions of Bordeaux wine lovers for Bordeauxwines in 1994. The well drained areas of Graves  and the area on the Right Bank of Bordeaux produced good wines (thanks to Merlot). For the red wines with ah high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (those of the left bank), there was an enormous amount of grapes sorting (30 to 50% of the harvest), and a lighter fining / filtration to conserve fruit and aromas, as tannins abounded. Many wines are then successful in 1994 Bordeaux red wine as in Bordeaux white wine, and the best wines of the vintage are often located in Pomerol or Saint Emilion. For 1994 Bordeaux white wines, the Pessac Leognan sector is again in the spotlight, and 1994 Haut Brion is an exceptional wine! Decent vintage (but far from famous) for the 1994 white wines of Sauternes. In 1994 Burgundy because of the September rains, the vintage is average in both colours. The reds are sometimes marked by a few default aromas resulting from an imperfect grape health condition (lack of sorting) ; the wines however prove to be better in the sectors of Vosne Romanee and Nuits Saint Georges in the Cote de Nuits. Some 1994 Grands Crus white wines from the Cote de Beaune can however provide pleasant surprises (honey notes), but must be drunk without delay. The 1994 Champagne suffered because pinot noir experienced real difficulties ripening. The Northern part of the Rhone Valley was favoured compared to the Southern Rhone, and the 1994 Hermitage sector produced very fine wines, both red and white. The 1994 vintage is average in Loire, but has great successes in Alsace especially for sweet wines, such as Late harvest and Selections of Grains Nobles.