Guide-1969-millesime-vin
Nicolas Forestier

Is 1969 a vintage close to your heart? Is it a year of birth, a year of marriage or some other symbol that makes you want to offer or drink a wine from that year? We'll take a closer look at this vintage to help you buy the bottle that best suits your needs.

> Great wines from the 1969 vintage in stock

 

  • Vintage 1969 at BORDEAUX

But unfortunately, for Bordeaux's winegrowers and winemakers, the saying didn't work this time. Just as everyone was hoping to emerge from a very complicated 1968, which resulted in the production of mediocre wines, 1969 failed to lift their spirits. And to top it all off, for many merchants who had bought stock from the 1969 vintage, the release price of Bordeaux wines was relatively expensive.

Worst of all, the beginning of the vine's cycle went perfectly. Warmth and good weather enabled the vines to get off to a good start and begin flowering in excellent conditions. July and August were generally good, but the disastrous rains of September dashed any hopes of producing a great wine.

The October harvest will take place in the rain, swelling the grapes. As a result, light, acidic and diluted juices will enter the cellars. For white wines, the same problem will arise with heavy rainfall in Sauternes and Barsac. 

We still have a few bottles of 1969 for sale, but we have to be honest, these are difficult to taste. There may be some pleasant surprises.

 

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  • The 1969 vintage in BOURGOGNE

This fine 1969 vintage, superior to the two previous vintages, gave the winegrowers some breathing space and produced wines of excellent quality. We estimate them to be at the same level as the 1966 wines, and sometimes even better, with wines that could still be tasted a few years ago.

As far as the vines are concerned, the weather was quite good in April, but flowering came a little late due to a mixed June. What followed was an emotional elevator, with a superb July and August in which the sun was not stingy with its presence to help the vines begin ripening the grapes. Unfortunately, the party was short-lived, and September was cold and damp. Fortunately, the warmth of the summer made the skin of the grapes thicker, of excellent quality to resist rain and humidity and thus protect it from rot. Harvesting was postponed until early October to allow the vines to reach their peak. For most of the top estates, 1969 was a very good vintage. It produced powerful, rich wines that are ideal for laying down.

Although the white wines suffered somewhat from the notoriety of the reds, in the end they proved to be good competitors for this 1969 vintage. White wines are highly concentrated, with aromas of white fruit, citrus and exotic fruit.

Many tasters will emphasize the quality of this vintage, and tasting notes dating back to 1990 underlined the power and freshness still present in the greatest vintages. 

Chablis wines are fantastic in this 1969 vintage. Complex, very mineral and with great ageing potential for the grands crus.

Unfortunately, we no longer have any wines from the 1969 vintage for sale, but we can only encourage you to buy a bottle if you come across one. Don't forget to check the level of the bottle and ask about its conservation. An old vintage needs to be pampered.  

 

  • Vintage 1969 in the rest of France

In the end, the 1969 vintage was a very mixed one in France. In some appellations, it was prodigious, producing some great wines, while in others, it was catastrophic, producing wines of average interest. 

In the RhôneThe wines are fantastic, and are proving to be prodigious. They're in the same league as Burgundy wines, powerful and robust with superb ageing potential. The wines of Châteauneuf-du-pape readily identify with this description, unlike the wines of Côte-Rôtie, which are more opulent and delicate, silky. A very interesting 1969 vintage.

Visit ChampagneThe wines are of average quality, and consumers will have had to make choices, and good ones, as the vintage has allowed a few diseases, such as mildew, to get through.

The region to remember for the 1969 vintage is the region of Loire. July's unbelievable temperature peaks produce sweet white wines of the highest order. Bonnezeaux and Coteaux-du-layon give off aromas of white fruits and figs.

 

The best French wine of 1969

 

96/100 Parker
By Robert M. Parker, December 11, 1992: "Rousseau has made some exhilarating 1969s that are among the best produced in this vintage. The Chambertin Clos de Beze has a bouquet not far removed from that which I normally associate with DRC wines. The bouquet of oriental spices, hickory, soy, smoked game and jammy fruit is remarkable. This full-bodied, rich and voluptuous wine shows no signs of ageing, even though I thought it had matured nearly 15 years ago. The sweetness on the finish, as well as the rich mouthfeel and viscous texture, are characteristics rarely found in today's red Burgundies."
 

> The best 1969 wines in stock on the site

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