Vintage rating chart for French wines

Vintage rating chart for French wines: complete classification by region and year

Mastering the art of choosing a great wine often begins with a careful reading of the years. The vintage, a mirror of a season's climate, shapes the quality of a wine just as much as the work of the winemaker. Whether you are a lover of red Bordeaux wines or a passionate enthusiast of white Burgundy wines, consulting a vintage chart remains a valuable reflex for identifying the best years across the various French wine-growing regions and anticipating the ageing potential of a bottle.

Key takeaways: 

• The vintage = the year the grapes were harvested (not the bottling year), with the requirement that at least 85% of the stated year be represented

• Scores are regional averages out of 20; a rigorous winemaker can excel even in a modest year

• Universal vintages to know: 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2015 can be recommended with confidence in virtually every region

• Chart covering 1930 to 2022 across 9 regions: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Northern/Southern Rhône, Champagne, Loire, Alsace, with Beaujolais as a supplement

• Legendary historic vintages: 1945 (Victory), 1947, 1961, 1978, 1982, 1990 — absolute benchmarks for ageing

What is a vintage? Definition and rules

The vintage necessarily corresponds to the year the grapes were harvested, not the year of bottling. A wine aged 18 months in barrels and then bottled two years after harvest still bears the vintage of the harvest year.

Displaying a vintage is not mandatory. When blending several years, regulations require that at least 85% of the wine comes from the stated year, except for vintage Champagne wines where 100% of the grapes must come from the indicated year. This practice allows estates to offer a consistent profile from one year to the next, particularly during difficult vintages.

Non-vintage wines are common in Champagne (a blend of several years), as well as for certain naturally sweet wines or fortified wines.

Why use a vintage rating chart?

A vintage chart provides a clear and concise overview of wine quality in the main wine-growing regions. The assigned scores allow you to anticipate the ageing potential, the peak of a wine or its immediate readiness for drinking.

Each vintage has its own identity. Some leave a lasting impression on the palate, such as 2005, 2009 or 2010 in Bordeaux, while others stand out for their finesse or freshness, such as 2014 in white Burgundy. Thanks to this wine classification by year, choosing a bottle becomes more reliable, whether for immediate drinking or to build a cellar with discernment.

How to read vintage ratings?

Vintage ratings, established by professional tasters, are generally expressed out of 20 points (or out of 100 for Anglo-Saxon critics such as Robert Parker). They summarise the climatic conditions of each wine-growing season.

Here are the commonly used reference thresholds:

Important: these scores are regional averages. They do not account for microclimates, grape selection at harvest or the winemaking choices of each estate. A rigorous winemaker can produce an excellent wine in a year with a low rating.

What makes a good vintage? The key climatic factors

A "good year" depends on a combination of favourable conditions throughout the growing cycle:

• Cold winter to allow the vine to rest

• Mild and moderately rainy spring for good plant health and even flowering

• Sunny summer without excessive heat, with some rainfall to avoid water stress that inhibits ripening

• Dry harvest, ideally preceded by a brief rain 3 to 4 weeks before picking

• Cool nights at the end of the season to preserve acidity and aromatic freshness

Years with heat waves (such as 2003) produce rich but sometimes heavy, low-acid wines. Late vintages expose the grapes to high climatic risks at the end of the cycle. Years marked by hail or violent storms can devastate a vineyard in a matter of minutes.

Vintage rating chart: All French regions

This chart covers the main vintages from 2003 onwards for the major French wine-growing regions: red Bordeaux, white Bordeaux/sweet wines, white Burgundy, red Burgundy, Northern Rhône, Southern Rhône, Champagne, Val de Loire and Alsace. Scores are given out of 20.

Indicative scores established from climatic trends and professional tastings. They represent regional averages.

The best vintages by wine-growing region

Bordeaux: Reds and whites

The great red Bordeaux vintages are 1982, 1990, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2016. These years combine optimal ripeness with perfect balance, producing powerful wines with silky tannins capable of very long ageing. On the left bank (Médoc, Graves), the Cabernet Sauvignons achieve full phenolic ripeness, avoiding any herbaceous aromas.

For dry white Bordeaux, 2010 and 2015 are benchmarks. On the Sauternes and sweet wine side, the best vintages are 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2018 — wines with exceptional ageing potential.

Years such as 2013 prove more modest for reds. A discerning enthusiast can look towards second wines or estates that succeeded in their selection, while remaining vigilant about the provenance and storage of the bottles.

Burgundy: Whites and reds

In Burgundy, the variations between years are particularly striking, as the region sits at the crossroads of continental, maritime and Mediterranean climatic influences. Appellation wines are almost never blended across multiple vintages (with the exception of Crémant de Bourgogne).

White Burgundy: 2014 stands out with a lively, mineral style, marked freshness and remarkable length. 2019 and 2020 are also fine successes. It should be noted that 2016 saw very reduced volumes due to frost.

Red Burgundy: 2009, 2015 and 2019 are consistently praised for their richness, aromatic generosity and round tannins. Pinot Noir conveys the climatic subtleties of each vintage in an exemplary manner.

Côtes-du-Rhône: North and South

The Northern Rhône (Syrah: Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage) and the Southern Rhône (Grenache blends: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas) do not always respond in the same way to the same climatic conditions. 2010, 2015, 2019 and 2020 rank among the best vintages for both sub-regions. 

Champagne

Champagne produces mainly non-vintage wines by blending several years, aiming for consistency of style. Vintage Champagnes are produced only in the finest years. 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2021 are considered excellent Champagne vintages, offering freshness, complexity and ageing potential. 

Loire

The Loire Valley is home to a multitude of grape varieties (Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Melon de Bourgogne...) that do not always respond identically to the same climatic conditions. 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2016 yield exceptional age-worthy wines, notably the Cabernet Francs from Bourgueil, Chinon and Saumur-Champigny. The 2011 and 2012 vintages required rigorous selection.

Alsace

Alsace, sheltered by the Vosges mountains, benefits from a particularly dry and sunny microclimate. The Riesling and Gewurztraminer from 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2017 rank among the most appreciated vintages, combining concentration, mineral freshness and ageing potential.

Beaujolais

The best of Beaujolais was revealed in 2005 and 2009 with exceptional vintages. From 2014 to 2019, enthusiasts also enjoyed fine vintages to drink from the moment of release. 2022 is considered a very good ageing year for the Beaujolais Crus.

Exceptional vintages across all French regions

Certain years have achieved near-unanimous recognition across the entire French vineyard. Among the most recent, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2015 are the four vintages that can be recommended with confidence in virtually every region. Further back in time, 1990, 1996, 2000 have also left a lasting mark on enthusiasts' memories.

Practical tips for using this vintage ranking

Relying solely on the vintage ranking can cause you to miss some wonderful discoveries. Certain producers excel even in years considered average, thanks to strict grape selection and recognised expertise.

A few best practices:

• Cross-reference multiple sources: Hachette guides, Parker scores, Bettane & Desseauve, Wine Spectator

• Take the estate into account: the producer's identity and their terroir remain decisive

• Check the storage conditions: even a great vintage can disappoint if proper storage has not been maintained

• Match the desired style: a powerful great Bordeaux vintage will appeal to lovers of intensity, while a cooler year will better suit those who prefer finesse

• Consider the evolution: some early-maturing vintages may have passed their peak, while others are still closed

Bear in mind that an excellent year in one region may be unremarkable elsewhere. 2010, superb for red Bordeaux and Southern Rhône wines, is less so for certain white Burgundies. The impact of the local microclimate always remains paramount.

Frequently asked questions about vintage ratings and wine quality

What does a vintage chart really bring to wine buying?

A vintage chart provides a comprehensive overview of wine quality across the different years in each wine-growing region. It allows you to quickly identify the best vintages and adjust your choices according to the desired ageing potential or style. Used alongside personalised advice and knowledge of individual estates, this chart effectively guides you towards successful cuvées.

• A quick indication of the potential of each year

• A helpful guide to avoiding unpleasant surprises

• Optimising purchases for ageing or immediate drinking

Is the vintage ranking enough to choose a fine wine?

Vintage rankings guide the choice, but they are never sufficient on their own. The producer's identity, the terroir and the storage conditions remain essential. Even in a modest year, a wine from a great estate can surpass the average. Always check the condition of the bottle and take your own criteria into account when making your selection.

• Assessing the producer as well as the vintage

• Check the storage history

• Always taste as soon as possible

Does vintage rating vary depending on the type of wine?

Yes. An exceptional vintage for red wines will not necessarily be remarkable for whites. In Bordeaux, certain years benefit Cabernet Sauvignon more, others Merlot. In Burgundy, the situation often differs between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This is why it is essential to consult a chart that distinguishes between colours and regions.

Are there perfect vintages for all wine-growing regions?

No vintage shines equally everywhere. Some years favour the north, others the south. It is therefore necessary to adapt one's choice not only to the overall vintage ranking, but also to the specific characteristics of each wine-growing region.

• Bordeaux and Burgundy react differently in the same year

• The impact of local climate modifies the expression of grape varieties

• Always check the targeted region in your vintage chart