Bordeaux 1994: Tasting in 2007
Every Bordeaux vintage that passes today seems to be characterised by a certain level of hype. To some extent this enthusiasm may be warranted, because greater investment, increased care in the vineyard, willingness to perform a rigorous selection, vinification in clean and well equipped cellars with temperature control and a healthy presence of new oak all mean that the upper echelons of Bordeaux are better positioned than they have ever been to deal with testing vintages. So even in lesser years, there are still usually good and even exciting wines to be found.
But it was not always this way. Following the success of the 1990 vintage, Bordeaux experienced three very difficult harvests, with a very small number of interesting wines as a result. There are always exceptions of course, as witnessed by my recent tasting of Fleur de Gay 1993. Nevertheless, when 1994 arrived, it was seen as a blessed relief.
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