Anniversary wines 2022: The Decanter guide

Some say that giving is better than receiving, and when it comes to choosing a special bottle for a special person, the world of wine opens up a plethora of opportunities for you to splash out.

On the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats, you’re spoilt for choice in younger anniversary vintages such as Champagne 2012, because the wines are excellent and most likely available at an independent wine merchant near you. If not, you should be able to access the wine you’re looking for through a search engine such as wine-searcher.com.

For older wines, style and quality from a good vintage are the keys to longevity, and among styles at the top level capable of improving with age, you’ll find Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhône, reds from Spain, Italy, California and Australia, late-disgorged Champagnes, German Riesling, Sauternes, sweet Loire, Hungarian Tokaji, South Africa’s Vin de Constance, Port and Madeira.

Where availability is an issue, you’re likely to have to search on the secondary market (including auctions) and so condition, too, becomes an issue.

To bring some perspective to the most recent trade in older vintages, I asked Liv-ex, the global wine trading platform, to look through a crystal ball backwards and show which vintages have dominated the market in the past five years.

In the case of Bordeaux, among the 2012s the region accounts for 47% of all trade, for 2002 just 25%, 1992 38%, but in the great 1982 vintage a huge 95%.

Not yet fully on the market, Champagne in 2012 accounts for 12.5% of all trade, the 2002 vintage the largest proportion of trade at 53%, but trade in the 1992 and 1982 vintages is negligible.

Burgundy 2012 and 2002 accounted for just 12% of all trade, but 1992 was the biggest traded vintage, at 43%.

A few tips: for anniversary vintages, try a wine broker such as Albany Vintners, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare or Wilkinson Vintners. Search online for vintages and specific wines at auction houses such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams, or Zachys in the US. Register your interest in a wine or vintage at Christie’s (signup.christies.com/signup) and you’ll get a notification when the wine or a vintage comes up for sale.

Give a bottle, earn brownie points; give a magnum, earn double brownie points.

Think 20-, 30- and 40-year-old tawny Port. Finally, a cheat’s recommendation: if you’re stumped, give two, three, four or five 10-year-old bottles and your recipient will be as grateful for your generosity as for your ingenuity. (Stockists shown in the following text are a representative selection… )

Anniversary wines 2022

10th (2012)

In the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, Obama is re-elected and London hosts the Olympics, plus it’s an annus horribilis for English wine; Roederer Cristal is biodynamically farmed for the first time and Raventós i Blanc leaves the Cava DO.

This was a slow-ripening, vibrant Champagne vintage and one of the best of the decade. The toasty, expansive Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésimé (£69.63-£92.50 Champagne One, Ideal Wine Co, Parched Wines, Vinvm, WineTrust) is a marvel of nutty, lees-aged complexity; and Palmer & Co, Brut (£50-£60 The Champagne Co, The Finest Bubble, The Whisky Exchange, Urban Grapes, Vinvm), with its sourdough yeasty nuttiness and tang, is one of the best value.

The 2012 vintage is underrated in Burgundy, and the Domaine des Varoilles, Clos des Varoilles Monopole, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 2012 (£80 Nemo Wine Cellars) is a good buy.

Bordeaux 2012 was balanced and approachable, with Pauillac wines such as Châteaux Grand-Puy-Lacoste (£59.50-£74.50 Hic, Huntsworth Wine Co, JN Wine, Just in Cases, Marlo Wine) and Lynch-Bages (£87.88-£109 Lay & Wheeler, The Wine Society, Vintage Wine & Port) good bets. Tuscany’s Isole e Olena, Cepparello (£60-£68.50 in bond Brunswick, Crump Richmond Shaw, Lay & Wheeler) is excellent, as are Biondi Santi’s seductively intense and savoury Tenuta Greppo Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino (£450-£545 Butlers Wine Cellar, Highbury Vintners, North & South, The Whisky Exchange) and Bertani’s amazing Amarone Classico (£67.50ib-£90 Crop & Vine, Cru, Starling Wines, Millésima, Wineye).

On the sweet front, only just coming into their own are: JJ Prüm’s Goldkapsel Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (£53.33-£55.83ib Corney & Barrow, Justerini & Brooks); Disznókő, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos (£53.95/50cl Drinks Direct); and Quinta do Noval, Vintage Port (£57.10-£69.95 Master of Malt, Sandhams, Soho Wine Supply, The Whisky Exchange).

18th (2004)

Mark Zuckerberg creates Facebook, George ‘Dubya’ Bush is re-elected and Greece wins Euro 2004 football.

It was a good Champagne vintage, with Charles Heidsieck’s Blanc des Millénaires (£155-£175 Champagne Direct, Champagne One, Lockett Bros, The Wine Reserve, Vinoteca, Vintage Drinks) a highlight, and another favourite the toasty Pommery, Cuvée Louise (£150-£155 Champagne Direct, Gusto Wines, The Champagne Co).

2004 is fine in the classic regions of Germany for both dry and sweet Riesling – JJ Prüm, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is in good shape, and look around to find the likes of Dönnhoff, Norheimer Dellchen Spätlese (£27.60 Seckford).

This was the problematic ‘ladybird vintage’ in Burgundy, but the best Right Bank Bordeaux are delicious, among them Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol (£140 T Wright) and Châteaux L’Evangile, Pomerol (£165 Tannico) and Magdelaine, St-Emilion (£71 Nemo Wine Cellars); and, on the Left Bank, Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan (£59ib In Vino Veritas) and Clos du Marquis, St-Julien (£50 Grand Vin Horsham).

From the Rhône, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (£35ib-£54.33 Laurence Smith & Son, Lay & Wheeler, Nemo Wine Cellars) is one to look out for; and from Australia, Penfolds Grange 2004 (£440-£450 Soho Wine Supply, Sterling Fine Wine) is a Grange great.

20th (2002)

Hitting 20, the post-9/11 generation sees out the Queen Mother in a year in which SARS breaks out in China and we bid ‘goodbye’ to Dudley Moore and Spike Milligan.

Next to 2008, 2002 is Champagne’s vintage of the decade. Hard to go wrong, but the superb Billecart-Salmon, Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart (£118-£170 Amathus Drinks, Bowland Forest Vintners, Champagne Direct, Dulwich Vintners, Highbury Vintners, Lea & Sandeman, Mayfly Wine Co, Nickolls & Perks, The Champagne Co, Wanderlust Wine) is a personal favourite.

I wouldn’t go overboard for Bordeaux in 2002, but the first growths were relatively cheap and the fragrant Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol (£195 Nemo Wine Cellars) is ageing gracefully.

2002 was probably the first vintage of Germany’s new wave and, in Austria, Weingut Bründlmayer, Lyra Riesling should still be in good shape, albeit hard to find now (€55 at Zarbach Weinhandels, Austria; the UK importer is Bancroft Wines).

Sweet dreamers should keep an eye out for sumptuous and ageworthy Hungarian Disznókő, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos (£60/50cl Cadman Fine Wines, Terra Wines) while Taylor’s, Quinta de Vargellas (£31.50-£32.50 The Wine Reserve, Vintage Drinks, Wine Republic, WineTrust) and Quinta do Noval, 20 Year Old Tawny (£45.94-£64.95 Master of Malt, Soho Wine Supply, South Downs Cellars, Tanners, Terra Wines, The Drink Shop, The General Wine Co, The Secret Bottle Shop, Whitmore & White, Yorkshire Vintners) will delight Port lovers.

21st (2001)

The world changed forever on 11 September when 2,996 people lost their lives. In the same year, Sir Don Bradman and George Harrison slipped their mortal coil.

While the millennium vintage was much hyped in Bordeaux, some feel that 2001 was superior, especially in St-Emilion where Château Canon La Gaffelière is top-notch, as, on the Left Bank, are Châteaux Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan (£72ib-£125 Baron Wines, In Vino Veritas, Millésima, Vintage Wine & Port), Duhart-Milon, Pauillac (£78-£99 Bordeaux Index, Vintage Wine & Port) and Pichon Comtesse, Pauillac (£115-£169 Bordeaux Index, The Bordeaux Cellar, Wilkinson Vintners).

Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits was also good, so why let a price of US$3,175 (£2,400: yes, for a bottle, at time of writing, at Cana Wine Co in Nashville) for a Mugnier, Musigny Grand Cru hold you back?

In Italy, Barolo 2001 delivered a plethora of excellent wines, among the best perhaps from Bartolo Mascarello (£320-£350ib Cru, Falcon Vintners) and Luciano Sandrone’s Cannubi Boschis (£450ib/magnum Falcon Vintners); a fine year, too, for Trentino’s iconic Bordeaux blend, Tenuta San Leonardo (£110ib Lay & Wheeler).

I’m reaching the end of a case of Château de Beaucastel 2001 (£90-£97.50 Christopher Keiller, Grand Vin Horsham, Richard Kihl) and I can testify that this famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its silky camphor and tarry fruit, is a star.

On sweet wine duty, top Sauternes from Châteaux Climens (£153-£240 Fortnum & Mason, Lay & Wheeler), de Fargues (£125 Lea & Sandeman) and Lafaurie- Peyraguey (£45-£48 Ancient & Modern, Jakes Food & Wine, Nemo Wine Cellars) are still going great guns.

25th (1997)

Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister and Katrina & The Waves win Eurovision for the UK with Love Shine a Light in the year that Princess Diana lost her life.

It’s a shame when entire vintages are tarred with the same brush as a mediocre Bordeaux vintage, and that’s the danger with 1997.

Rieslings in the Mosel and Nahe, with very low yields in the latter, were extremely good and top spätlese and auslese are delicious now.

It was a better vintage in the northern Rhône than the south, particularly in Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, so Domaine Jasmin’s Côte-Rôtie (US$175 parcellewine.com; other producers’ wines can be found elsewhere) and Jean-Louis Chave’s Hermitage are drinking well.

This one may be hard to find, but at time of writing the Paul Jaboulet, Hermitage La Chapelle 1997 was available (£112.20-£120 Armit, Christopher Piper, Richard Kihl, Robert Rolls).

This was a warm vintage in Tuscany, but Castello di Fonterutoli, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (£44 Nemo Wine Cellars) and the SuperTuscan Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve (US$230ib Wine.com) should be drinking beautifully at this stage.

From a Somerset West vineyard that’s now an office park, Boekenhoutskloof Syrah alerted the world to the Cape’s potential for Rhône- style reds.

Back in France, 1997 was a terrific vintage in the Loire, so Bonnezeaux, Coteaux du Layon, Quarts de Chaume and Vouvray should be holding up well. Port producers declared 1997, and after 25 years, Taylor’s (£69-£90 Widely available at independent merchants) is still youthful.

30th (1992)

John Major wins the general election and the Rio Earth Summit (the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) is adopted – yes, 30 years ago.

1992 was a case of the ‘Terrible Twos’ for both Bordeaux and Burgundy, memorable for being unmemorable in both.

According to The Winery’s David Motion, it was an outstanding year for Château Vannières in Bandol (£99.99 The Winery), ‘powerful, mature but with decades ahead of it’.

An undistinguished vintage in so many regions of the world, it’s one for the sweet of tooth.

Port producers declared 1992 a vintage year, so try Taylor’s (£160-£189 Cadman, Vintage Wine & Port, Wine Raks) or Fonseca (£66-£96 Connolly’s, Davy’s, Lay & Wheeler, Shaftesbury Wines, Yorkshire Vintners), softening into delicious middle-aged maturity. Also looking smart is Taylor’s, 30 Year Old Tawny (£67-£90 Highbury Vintners, ND John, Prestige Drinks, T Wright, Vintage Wine Gifts, Wine Republic).

40th (1982)

In the year of the Falklands War, Prince William and Kate Middleton are born (she’s five months older), and Italy beat West Germany 3-1 to win the World Cup.

1982 Bordeaux delivered big time, both on quality and quantity. Châteaux Beychevelle, St-Julien (£175ib-£210 Atlas Wine Pro, Bordeaux Index), Calon-Ségur, St-Estèphe (£475- £520ib/magnum Christopher Keiller, Farr Vintners), Pichon Comtesse, Pauillac (£550-£600ib Bordeaux Vintners, Justerini & Brooks) and Latour à Pomerol (£310ib Crump Richmond Shaw) are among a host of fine clarets that can be drunk with huge pleasure.

A warm year, 1982 wasn’t a celebrated Champagne vintage, but the long-lived Salon, Le Mesnil (£2,620 Hedonism) is still going strong.

In Italy, I’m told that Giacomo Borgogno’s Barolo Riserva is still available, though possibly only in the EU or US (€110ib WineTip Italy; US$466 Eataly Vino).

In South Africa, Rustenberg’s Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is legendary, while 1982 was Randall Grahm’s second vintage as a winemaker in California and his Bonny Doon Claret was recently pronounced ‘in good shape’ by Elaine Brown, aka Hawk Wakawaka – but it’s hard to find unless you’re fortunate at an auction.

Most Port producers declared 1983, but one honourable exception is the Ramos Pinto, Vintage 1982 (£108.33 Millésima). Let’s also not forget the exceptional Quinta do Noval, 40 Year Old Tawny (£85.95-£112.50 Barrique, Gerry’s of Soho, Master of Malt, Nickolls & Perks, Yorkshire Vintners).

50th (1972) and beyond…

A Leap Year with an extra leap-second added to its 366 days, 1972 is the longest year ever.

Mean and acidic in Burgundy, it was acidic and mean in Bordeaux and led to a massive market crash.

It was good, however, in the northern Rhône, and some say that Paul Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chapelle is greater even than its much-vaunted 1961 counterpart.

For wines you might still be able to find, 1972 was a great vintage in Tokaj and there may be the odd bottle of Aszú 6 Puttonyos, notably from Oremus floating around (€165- €185ib/50cl tokaji.com, Tokajneum Germany).

Go further back in time at your peril, but Madeira, in the form of an astonishingly rich, zesty and long-lived Cossart Gordon, Bual 1962 (£150-£195/37.5cl Berry Bros & Rudd, Fareham Wine Cellar, The Vintage Port Shop) is well worth a look.

And the fortified Penfolds, Rare Tawny 50 Year Old (£2,500 Harvey Nichols) defies time altogether.

If you’re stumped for what to buy for 60-year- olds and older, take a look at Taylor’s limited-edition rare Ports, such as the beautifully crafted and presented Kingsman Edition Very Old Tawny Port (£2,950-£3,500/50cl Hard To Find Wines, The Whisky Exchange) and Scion (four bottles were auctioned at Christie’s in early December 2021), both exclusive Ports of genuine rarity and distinction.

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