Piedmont Vintage Guide

Vintage: 1990

Rating: 5*

A perfect September led to an easy and healthy harvest in early October. Superb wines.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 1991

Rating: 2*

Heavy September rain killed expectations after a good summer. Forgettable.

Drink up

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Vintage: 1992

Rating: 2*

A wet, cool growing season led to lightweight wines.

Drink up

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Vintage: 1993

Rating: 3*

An Indian summer in October couldn’t make up for an uneven summer and wet late September.

Drink up

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Vintage: 1994

Rating: 3.5*

A decent summer, but September proved cool and damp. Selection required to avoid rot. Patchy wines.

Drink up

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Vintage: 1995

Rating: 4.5*

A cool summer with sporadic hail. But the autumn was fine and the crop healthy. Elegant wines that lack some weight.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 1996

Rating: 5*

Storms and cool spells meant the summer was imperfect, but a fine September brought full ripeness. Excellent in Barbaresco. Robust, structured wines with high acidity the long haul.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 1997

Rating: 3.5*

A hot and precocious summer led to some overripeness, though fresher in Barbaresco. Plump wines with immediate appeal, but limited structure.

Drink up

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Vintage: 1998

Rating: 4*

A hot summer and cool September, but the grapes did ripen, although the wines are tannic and sturdy.

Keep

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Vintage: 1999

Rating: 4.5*

A fine vintage despite some September rains. Elegant and balanced wines with ageing potential.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2000

Rating: 4*

A hot late summer led to very ripe wines with moderate acidity and some jamminess. Appealing but initially overrated.

Drink up

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Vintage: 2001

Rating: 5*

After a hot summer, a cool September slowed ripening. Those who waited made superbly structured wines with excellent balance.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2002

Rating: 1.5*

Hail after a poor August damaged grapes. Only the most selective growers made decent wines.

Drink up

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Vintage: 2003

Rating:  2.5*

Intense summer heat, although refreshed by late August rains, led to super-ripe wines high in alcohol. Many cooked and dry wines.

Drink up

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Vintage: 2004

Rating: 4*

A mild summer was followed by a dry autumn, yielding fruity wines with immediate appeal. But they have evolved fast.

Drink up

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Vintage: 2005

Rating: 4*

The cool August and some autumn rains made this a tricky vintage, but the best wines, especially from Barbaresco, are fresh and lively.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2006

Rating: 5*

A tricky growing season but a classic year, delivering bold, tannic, and sometimes austere wines that will repay cellaring.

Keep

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Vintage: 2007

Rating: 4*

Warm weather led to an early harvest of fruity grapes with fairly low acidity. Many delicious wines, best enjoyed young.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2008

Rating: 5*

A difficult summer with some hail, but September was fine. Wines with firm tannins that require ageing. Excellent in La Morra.

Keep

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Vintage: 2009

Rating: 4.5*

A hot year, delivering lush succulent wines, but with moderate acidity. Can already be enjoyed for their abundant fruitiness.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2010

Rating: 5*

Superb weather in late summer and September, giving slow ripening. The wines are vibrant and structured, with admirable tension and ageability. Marginally less successful in  Barbaresco.

Keep

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Vintage: 2011

Rating: 4.5*

Hot humid conditions led to wines that are ripe and sumptuous, but already beginning to drink well. Excellent wines from Barbaresco.

Drink or keep

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Vintage: 2012

Rating: 3*

Hail and sunburn were just some of the problems this year, and growers had to respond adroitly in the vineyards. Some fine wines, but others are soft and forward.

Drink or keep

See our Barolo Riserva 2012 report

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Vintage: 2013

Rating: 4.5*

A cool summer and an abundant crop that need to be thinned to achieve full ripeness. A year of fragrant, elegant wines that are now gaining in structure.

Keep

See our Barberesco Riserva 2013 report

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Vintage: 2014

Rating: 4*

After a stormy summer, a fine September saved the vintage, although hail did much damage. Yet top growers produced fine, elegant wines. Better in Barbaresco.

Keep

See our Barolo 2014 vintage report

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Vintage: 2015

Rating: 5*

Torrid July but cooler, moister conditions in  August and September brought the grapes to ripeness, especially in Barbaresco. A small crop of charming wines.

Keep

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Vintage: 2016

Rating: 5*

Very warm weather in early September and October fully ripened the grapes, which remained healthy. Exceptional vintage for Nebbiolo.

Keep