Wine 1968 Bordeaux

Weather conditions for the 1968 vintage

The weather in 1968 posed a major challenge for Bordeaux vineyards, creating a vintage defined by its extremes. The year began with a mild January and February, followed by an unusually warm March, when temperatures reached 22°C, encouraging early bud growth. However, April marked a dramatic turning point, with snow covering the Médoc on the 6th and delaying the season’s progress. May and June continued this fluctuation, with flowering beginning around June 7 under uneven conditions. Heavy rain on June 18 disrupted the process, although a heatwave at the end of June pushed temperatures to 38°C. July offered a glimmer of hope with more stable weather, but August dashed expectations, bringing the coldest and wettest conditions in nearly two decades. September’s overcast skies and cool nights further hindered ripening, while the October harvest, which began in earnest on the 1st, saw initially clear skies give way to more rain from the 7th onward. Despite these trials, Bordeaux’s 1968 vintage highlights the determination of growers who carefully sorted the grapes to preserve quality, making it a fascinating chapter in the history of Bordeaux wine.

Left Bank

On Bordeaux’s Left Bank, the 1968 vintage produced wines that reflect both the struggles and triumphs of the year. The Médoc, including appellations such as Pauillac and Graves, had to contend with a massive crop of waterlogged grapes, but certain châteaux stood out. Château Latour in Pauillac emerges as a highlight, producing a wine that critics consider superior to its 1963 counterpart and still enjoyable today with careful decanting. Its robust structure and enduring vigor make it a preferred choice for exploring 1968 Bordeaux wines. In Graves, Château Haut-Brion excelled thanks to rigorous grape selection, yielding a fruity, balanced wine that ranks among the vintage’s best. La Mission Haut-Brion also deserves a mention, offering a gentle, charming profile for devoted enthusiasts. Although many 1968 Left Bank wines lack the longevity of sunnier years, these remarkable bottles provide a compelling reason to buy 1968 Bordeaux from this region, combining historical intrigue with surprising drinkability.

Right Bank

Bordeaux's Right Bank in 1968 tells a similar story of adversity met with selective success. The wet summer and cold nights slowed ripening in appellations such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, resulting in a vintage in which only the strongest producers shone. Château Cheval White, an icon of the Right Bank, produced a wine that, while showing early signs of browning after bottling, retains a certain curiosity for collectors. However, it is Château Petrus in Pomerol that takes center stage, producing one of the vintage's most celebrated wines. Renowned for its meticulous approach, Petrus delivered a 1968 Bordeaux wine with depth and balance, making it a rare treasure from this difficult year. For buyers seeking Right Bank gems, these wines offer an opportunity to own a piece of the 1968 legacy, perfect for those who prioritize rarity over conventional greatness in their assessment of vintage wines.

Sauternes: Sweet wines from the 1968 vintage

In Sauternes, the 1968 vintage presented a challenging landscape for sweet wine production, yet it yielded bottles with a unique appeal. A cool, wet September delayed the onset of noble rot, with harvesting beginning late in the month. The fruit lacked the concentration of great years, and heavy rain on October 24 and 25 forced a pause in the harvest. Château d’Yquem, the region’s benchmark estate, made a valiant effort, rejecting half of its crop and reserving the November pickings for its dry Y de Yquem. The resulting sweet wine, though less rich than in exceptional vintages, offers a light, historic charm for Sauternes enthusiasts. For those wishing to buy 1968 Bordeaux sweet wines, this vintage provides an affordable entry into the world of Sauternes, with a story of perseverance that enhances its appeal.

Critics’ reviews

Although Robert Parker's formal ratings for Bordeaux's 1968 vintage are not detailed here, the general critical consensus aligns with The Wine Advocate's usual approach to atypical vintages: a focus on exceptional producers. Contemporary critics, such as Penning-Rowsell, noted the vintage's challenges, observing early browning in wines such as Lafite Rothschild and Cheval White. Yet Château Haut-Brion and Petrus are regularly praised as the stars of the vintage, lauded for their fruit and balance despite adversity. Château Latour also receives mentions for its durability, while Haut-Brion's offering in Graves is described as "gentle and charming" decades later. For enthusiasts of vintage wine ratings, these highlights suggest that 1968 Bordeaux wines from the great growths offer more than meets the eye, making them an intriguing addition to any collection.

Why buy 1968 Bordeaux wines?

Why should you buy 1968 Bordeaux wines? This vintage is a collector’s dream, offering rarity, history, and the thrill of discovery at a price often gentler than more renowned years. These bottles are more than half a century old, embodying a snapshot of a difficult yet formative period in Bordeaux’s winemaking story. Although not every wine from Bordeaux’s 1968 vintage is appealing today, the best examples from producers such as Haut-Brion, Latour, and Petrus offer surprising vitality and character. Perfect for anniversaries, birth-year celebrations, or simply exploring a lesser-known chapter of Bordeaux wine, these bottles stand out from the crowd. Whether you are a seasoned collector or a curious newcomer, buying 1968 Bordeaux offers the chance to own a piece of wine history as unique as it is rare.