Is the 1994 vintage any good? Wine Reviews

Find out more great wines of the 1994 vintage on our website. If this year is close to your heart, don't hesitate to read this article on vintage details for France's major wine-growing regions.

> Grands crus from 1994 in stock

 

• Vintage 1994 in BORDEAUX

The 1994 vintage will not be a cakewalk for Bordeaux winegrowers.

From the very start of the vegetative cycle, these vines will encounter difficulties and stress. While everyone was expecting a rapid, even budburst, due to a relatively mild winter from February onwards, a cool spell hit the vineyards, slowing or even stopping budburst. As a result, development in the Bordeaux region was very uneven.

After that, summer was good, the vines caught up and the grapes ripened well, even very well. Unfortunately, the September rains put everything back on track. There will be no rot or other sanitary stress, but the grapes will initially become waterlogged, and lose ripeness and density. Winegrowers will play with the weather and spread the harvest over several weeks, which will enable them to pick the grapes at the best times to achieve good phenolic ripeness. It's a dangerous game in which winegrowers play. If they harvest too early, they'll get less ripe, watery, austere grapes, but they won't risk dilution from the rain. For those who choose to wait, the grapes will gain in complexity and suppleness, but some will be diluted by the water. Merlot is the grape that fares best in this 1994 vintage, but for the Châteaux on the right bank that harvested after the rains, some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are just fantastic. The two appellations that fared best were Pomerol and Pessac Léognan. For lovers of fine bottles, we still have wines from Château Pichon Longueville Baron 1994. It is still powerful, spicy with notes of red fruit, and goes perfectly with mature red meats.

We still have wines from Carmes Haut Brion 1994 with its mineral notes and earthy nuances. An ideal partner for game dishes.

 

• The 1994 vintage in BOURGOGNE

The same applies to Burgundy wines, which will unfortunately be of mixed quality.

The vineyard's road book was of good quality, with very different budbursts depending on exposure, but flowering was good and the grapes had benefited from a very good summer. The winegrowers predicted a very good vintage, but September decided otherwise. Heavy rains hit the vineyards and attacked the grapes. Once again, the grapes returned to the winery in good, disease-free condition, but the rain produced wines that were a little diluted, relatively light in color, with supple aromas and texture.

The same irregularities apply to both white and red wines. So choose your bottles carefully! We still have a few bottles of Gevrey 1er Cru, Domaine des Varoilles with good content and pronounced color. A Pinot Noir that is now supple and will go well with poultry in sauce.

 

• Vintage 1994 in the VALLÉE DU RHÔNE

The 1994 vintage was shaping up to be an exceptional one in the Rhône Valley, especially in the north, but intense rainfall dashed any hopes of a top-flight vintage. The very hot summer had enabled the grapes to reach a good level of ripeness, but by the end of the first week, drops of water were falling on the vineyards. Fortunately, thanks to their thick skins, the grapes were able to withstand the downpours and dilution. Winegrowers will therefore be able to bring in their harvest between two showers or, unfortunately, during the rains. Be that as it may, the northern Rhône Valley fared better than the south, with earlier, sunnier and more powerful Syrahs. In the south, heavy thunderstorms are forecast, and you'll have to be very selective in your bottles to avoid getting juices that are too light and thin. As far as Rhône wines are concerned, we have a few nuggets... A Côte Rôtie - La Turque 1994 by E.Guigalrated 96/100 by Parker, offering a very opulent, complex wine with hints of slight evolution. The second super bottle is a 1994 Hermitage from Jean Louis Chave. Less robust, more on the finesse of the terroir, notes of leather and cold tobacco begin to appear. A delight with Tournedos Rossini...

 

• Vintage 1994 in the REST OF FRANCE

The 1994 vintage will be a highly contrasted one, with Mother Nature once again proving her mettle. The quality of the wines will be highly heterogeneous, and wine lovers will have to select their wines more carefully than ever.

Visit Champagne For example, late rains will compromise a good harvest and initiate the development of rot. Strict sorting will be necessary to ensure a quality must.

Visit Southwest will produce a very good vintage, especially in the Madiran appellation, with wines such as Château Montus. Deep color and rare intensity. The wine begins to reveal itself after about fifteen years.

L'Alsace does not fare too badly, although it is the sweet wines and especially the noble grape selections that produce the best wines.