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Ten Years On: The 1992 Vintage

As vintages go, 1992 wasn't a year of great success for much of Europe. In Bordeaux it was a fairly dismal year, although not quite as bad as the washout that was 1991. Burgundy produced some decent reds and whites from a huge crop, from the usual domaines, but the vintage does not have an exalted reputation. Neither was it a great success in the Rhône. In fact in much of Europe it was an unexciting vintage, with neither Spain nor Italy having great success. Germany, though, did produce a decent spread of wines. Where the quality did appear was in Portugal. Although it was a small crop, there were some excellent Vintage Ports and Single Quinta wines made, although not all houses declared, some opting for the 1991 vintage instead.

The New World enjoyed greater fortune than the Old this year. The crop in California was large, but quality was high, and these wines have endured well. The vintage wasn't an overall success in the various regions of Australia, but there are still some wonderful wines. It was quite good in New Zealand, but at that time wines suitable for ten years in the cellar weren't New Zealand's forte. (11/12/02).

The 1992 Vintage - Tasting Notes

Tasted in December 2002. Click to locate stockists:

Bordeaux:

Chateau Cheval-Blanc (St Emilion) 1992: A pale red-brown colour, much paler than other wines here. Some complexity on the nose - mature toffee and stale coffee, with vegetal and tobacco notes. Good attack on the palate, which is medium-full bodied. Smoothly textured, with mature, earthy flavours. Seems a touch rustic, and has strong acidity. I would guess that this is at peak. Drink sooner rather than later. 16.5/20

Burgundy:

Dauvissat-Camus Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 1992: Quite a unusual nose! Aromas of cheesy, sweaty animal fur or woollen blankets. There's a honey, buttery edge, and also a floral element. Good texture and weight on the palate, with flavours mirroring the nose - foxy, hairy characteristics, and also honeycomb, although there's no suggestion of sweetness. Somewhat disjointed, with prominent acidity and a pepper and spice edge on the finish. On the way downhill - drink up! 15/20

Provence:

Domaine Tempier Cabassaou (Bandol) 1992: A mature colour. Difficult to assess on the nose - seems closed, but there are some unusual aromas coming up - rotting vegetables? Seaweed? On the palate it is hard and backward. It lacks a little weight I think, although it may yet fatten out as it continues to develop. Good acidity. Short finish. I can only hope this will develop in bottle. 15+?/20

Germany:

Muller-Catoir Haardter Herzog Riesling Spätlese Trocken (Pfalz) 1992: This wine screams Germany and Riesling on the nose. Plenty of honey with fresh limes. Lovely balanced palate, bright and brilliant with fresh, clean, piercing limey acidity. Crisp fruit with an almost tropical edge. Full and rounded texture, great weight, yet no great sweetness. Lovely stuff. It carries it's 13% alcohol incredibly well. 16.5/20

Australia:

St Hallett Old Block Shiraz (Barossa Valley, SA) 1992: A deep colour, but also showing signs of maturity. On the nose there is sweet, intense, almost jammy fruit, with a vein of American oak. Full and sweet on the palate, with an almost velvety texture. Great fruit and good balance. A little grip gives structure, but drinking well now. 17/20

Mitchelton Print Shiraz (Victoria) 1992: An amazing youthful purple colour. This wine looks two rather than ten years old. An intensely youthful nose also - dark chocolate mint creams and exuberant black fruits. Pickling spice aromas. Rich yet smooth and seamlessly textured on the palate. Big and lush, yet with good structure and balance, sweet jammy fruit and an earthy extract. This is a wine on the way up. 18+/20

Katnook Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, SA) 1992: A youthful colour. Sweet, plump black fruits, some floral elements and the coconut aromas of American oak. A brilliant impression on the palate, full of ripe and sweet fruits, but correct acidity and great balance. Overall it has quite an elegant stance. There are some ripe tannins evident towards the finish, but it is quite ready. 18/20

Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Shiraz (South Australia) 1992: Another wine with a very youthful appearance, and the nose has the same brilliant character - intense, youthful fruit. Notes of liquorice, oak and eucalyptus. What a palate! Huge, mouthfilling weight, a great presence of tannins providing a structure, and lovely acidity keeping it fresh. Firm yet smoothly textured. Even a touch of lushness. Rounded off by a superb length. This is wonderful stuff. 18/20

Penfolds Grange (South Australia) 1992: What an amazing colour. There are some dense and youthful wines in this tasting, but this beats them all. Deep, purple-black wine. On the nose there are some intense ripe fruits. The palate is again massive, eclipsing that of the previous wine. Lush, yet structured, with integrating tannins. A behemoth of a wine, and yet almost paradoxically it is seamlessly put together, elegant even, with finely balanced acidity. It glides across the palate. There is some pickling spice complexity to the plentiful fruit. Bags of potential here. Wonderful. No surprises when the label was revealed - this had to something special. 18.5+/20

California:

Shafer Vineyards Merlot (Napa Valley) 1992: A good, mature colour, yet not giving too much on the nose. Full, round and richly textured on the palate, with some sweet raspberry fruit. Still has some tannin, but overall it's quite soft, giving and almost voluptuous. Very easy to drink, and a great length. 17.5/20

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon (Stag's Leap District) 1992: Greater maturity here. A delightful nose - lean black fruits, with a mineral trace. There's some cigar box and smoke notes also, hinting at grape variety. Very stylish. On the body it is full but well structured, with elegant black fruits, ripe tannins and nicely balanced acidity. Some citrus peel character on the finish. Wonderful stuff. 18/20