TUSCANY VINTAGE GUIDE
Brunello di Montalcino
Most recent vintage first. Click a year to see what we have in stock.
2021 - Released in 2026 to a five-star rating from the Consorzio, and deservedly: a cool spring, a dry, warm summer and a long, bright September produced Brunello of classic structure — deep, fragrant, firmly tannic, built on acidity. The best wines sit alongside 2016 and 2010 as the vintages of the past decade to cellar. Buy now; drink from 2030.
2020 - A warm, dry season produced generous, fruit-forward Brunellos with softer structure and dark-fruit tones. Plush and immediate rather than built for the long haul; the best are charming and consistent, ideal for drinking over the next ten years while the 2019s and 2021s wait.
2019 - Consistent weather — warm days, cool nights, well-timed rain — made pure, fruit-filled Brunellos that combine elegance and power. The top wines rival the best 2016s and will reward a decade of patience; the rest are delicious already.
2018 - A rainy spring and July storms swelled the berries; a cool, dry September saved the harvest and gave aromatic, elegant, fresh wines that are lighter than the vintages around them. Enjoyable now and over the near term from the better estates.
2017 - A hot, dry summer with low yields produced ripe, concentrated wines that are balanced and fresh from the best producers, dried-out from the rest. Selective buying; the good ones drink well now and for several years.
2016 - A great vintage: a textbook season of warm days, cool nights and a dry harvest gave wines of remarkable completeness — perfumed, structured, perfectly proportioned, with the stuffing for twenty years. One of the finest Brunello vintages ever released.
2015 - A warm, generous year produced ripe, full-bodied, immediately appealing Brunellos with soft tannins. Lovely now and for the next decade; richer than the classic 2016 that followed.
2014 - A cold, wet summer; several top estates, Biondi-Santi among them, made no Brunello at all. The wines that were released are light and fragrant at best, thin at worst. Drink up any you have.
2013 - A cool, classic season with a long ripening gave aromatic, bright, firmly structured Brunellos of real finesse. Slow to come round and now entering a beautiful phase, with years ahead.
2012 - A hot, dry summer tempered by a cooler September produced ripe, powerful wines with firm tannins and good concentration. Structured and still developing; drink from now into the 2030s.
2011 - A warm year with an August heat spike produced ripe, generous, rounded Brunellos that drank well early. Pleasant and mature now; not for long keeping.
2010 - The great modern vintage. A cool, long, even season gave Brunellos of extraordinary balance: deep fruit, fine tannin, vibrant acidity and the structure to age for thirty years. Benchmark wines from top to bottom of the zone. Hold.
2009 - A warm, early vintage of soft, ripe, fruit-driven wines that matured quickly. Pleasant and fully mature; drink.
2008 - A cool, classic season with a dry autumn produced elegant, aromatic, well-structured wines that were overlooked between 2007 and 2010. Showing very well now.
2007 - A warm, dry year gave ripe, opulent, generous Brunellos with plush tannins and immediate appeal. Fully mature and delicious; drink over the next few years.
2006 - A powerful, classic vintage — structured, tannic and deep, from a warm summer and a cool, long finish. The best wines took a decade to open and are now superb, with years left.
2005 - A rainy harvest produced medium-bodied, fragrant, early-maturing wines that were underrated on release. Elegant and fully mature now; a quiet pleasure.
2004 - A long, even season produced classic Brunello of great purity, balance and perfume. One of the best vintages of the decade, drinking beautifully now and still holding.
2003 - The heatwave year: ripe, low-acid, often dried wines, with exceptions from the cooler northern slopes and from producers who picked early. Drink up.
2002 - A cold, wet summer and hail; Biondi-Santi and others made no Brunello. The few released wines are light and dilute. Avoid.
2001 - An excellent, classic vintage from a textbook season — structured, aromatic, deep, with the balance to age. The wines are at a beautiful point now and will continue for years.
2000 - A hot, dry summer produced ripe, soft, forward wines that matured early. Most are now at or past their peak; drink any remaining bottles.
1999 - Generous, tannic, and fruity wines with velvety texture.
1998 - Perfumed, harmonious, and delicious wines.
1997 - + Extremely aromatic; structured and racy wines.
1996 - Fruity and aromatic, but slightly diluted.
1995 - + Structured and firm, yet fruity; very good indeed.
1994 - A good vintage with approachable wines.
1993 - A solid vintage with structured and balanced wines.
1992 - A weaker vintage due to challenging weather conditions.
1991 - Another outstanding vintage with exceptional quality wines.
1990 - A legendary vintage with rich and complex wines, excellent aging potential.
1989 - A weaker vintage with less structured wines.
1988 - A remarkable vintage with excellent balance and complexity.
1987 - A moderate vintage with balanced wines.
1986 - An average vintage producing decent wines.
1985 - An iconic vintage with exceptional wines.
1984 - A poor vintage with few notable wines.
1983 - A strong vintage with well-structured wines.
1982 - A balanced vintage with good longevity.
1981 - An average vintage with approachable wines.
1980 - A strong vintage with elegant wines.
1979 - A solid vintage with good balance and structure.
1978 - A balanced vintage producing elegant wines.
1977 - A strong vintage with balanced and aromatic wines.
1976 - A very poor vintage, with little to note.
1975 - A legendary vintage producing complex and long-lived wines.
1974 - A lighter vintage with less structure.
1973 - A solid vintage with balanced wines.
1972 - A very poor vintage, with limited quality wines.
1971 - An average vintage with approachable wines.
1970 - A remarkable vintage with great balance and longevity.
1969 - A weaker vintage with less complexity.
1968 - A decent vintage with moderate structure.
1967 - A balanced vintage with fine wines.
1966 - A strong vintage producing elegant wines.
1965 - A solid vintage with good balance.
1964 - An extraordinary vintage, still vibrant and lively.
1963 - An average vintage with decent wines.
1962 - A solid vintage with balanced wines.
1961 - An outstanding vintage with legendary wines.
1960 - An average vintage with moderate quality.
1959 - A decent vintage with balanced wines.
1958 - Balanced and aromatic wines with elegance.
1957 - A strong and elegant vintage.
1956 - A weaker vintage with light wines.
1955 - The “vintage of the century” according to Franco Biondi Santi. Iconic wines with longevity.
1954 - A lighter vintage, with less structure.
1953 - A solid vintage with good balance.
1952 - An average vintage with decent quality.
1951 - A strong and velvety vintage.
1950 - A decent vintage with some structured wines.
1949 - An average vintage, producing balanced but unremarkable wines.
1948 - A weaker vintage with less notable wines.
1947 - A warmer vintage producing rich and ripe wines.
1946 - A strong vintage, with promising wines.
1945 - An extraordinary post-war vintage with legendary status.
Chianti Classico
Most recent vintage first. Click a year to see what we have in stock.
2024 - The current annata, released in 2026: a cool, rainy spring, a warm but not extreme summer and a fine September produced fresh, balanced Chianti Classico with bright red fruit and supple tannins. The Riservas and Gran Selezioni will follow; the annata wines are lovely now.
2023 - A difficult season — a wet spring, downy mildew that cut yields, and summer heat — gave variable results. The best estates made fresh, fragrant, mid-weight wines; others are light. Taste before buying, and favour the top producers.
2022 - A hot, dry summer with August rain produced ripe, dark-fruited, generous wines with rounded tannins. Richer than classic Chianti Classico, but balanced from the better sites; drink over the next five to eight years.
2021 - April frost cut the crop, then a dry, warm summer and a long, cool autumn ripened what remained perfectly. The wines are concentrated, structured and aromatic — among the best Chianti Classico vintages in memory, and the Riservas and Gran Selezioni will be exceptional. Buy.
2020 - A warm, dry year with a fine September gave ripe, fruit-forward, consistent wines with soft structure. Approachable and reliable; drink now and over the next five years.
2019 - Balanced weather through the season produced pure, bright, beautifully proportioned Sangiovese — excellent across the board, with structure for the medium term. One of the best recent vintages.
2018 - A fresh, pretty vintage after a rainy spring: lighter-bodied, aromatic, early-drinking wines. Charming from the good producers; drink now.
2017 - Spring frost and a hot, dry summer slashed yields and pushed ripeness. The best are concentrated and surprisingly fresh; the rest taste baked. Selective; drink now.
2016 - A classic, outstanding vintage — a long, even season producing wines of balance, perfume and structure that will age gracefully. The Riservas and Gran Selezioni are reference points.
2015 - A warm, dry summer gave ripe, generous, full-flavoured wines with soft tannin. Very good and now at their peak.
2014 - A cool, wet summer produced light, fresh, early-maturing wines; the best are pretty, the rest dilute. Drink up.
2013 - A cool, late, classic season gave fragrant, bright, structured wines of real elegance. Showing beautifully now.
2012 - A drought summer produced concentrated, firm, structured wines that needed time and have aged well. Drinking now.
2011 - A hot August brought ripe, rounded, generous wines that drank well early. Mature; drink up.
2010 - A cool, long season produced classic, aromatic, perfectly balanced Sangiovese with fine structure. One of the best vintages of the decade; the Riservas are still going strong.
2009 - A warm year of ripe, soft, pleasant wines that matured quickly. Fully mature; drink.
2008 - A classic, moderate season gave fresh, well-structured, aromatic wines. Mature now and drinking well.
2007 - A warm, dry year produced ripe, generous, approachable wines. Fully mature; drink.
2006 - An excellent, structured vintage from a warm summer with a cool finish — deep, balanced wines with real ageing potential. The best Riservas are superb now.
2005 - A cool, rainy run-in to harvest gave lighter, elegant, early-maturing wines. Past their best in most cases.
2004 - A long, even season produced classic, balanced, aromatic wines — one of the finest vintages of the 2000s. Riservas still drinking well.
2003 - The heatwave year: ripe, low-acid, often dried-out wines with few exceptions. Drink up.
2002 - A cold, wet vintage; light, dilute wines. Avoid.
2001 - An excellent, classic vintage of structured, aromatic, age-worthy wines from a textbook season. The top Riservas are still beautiful.
2000 - A warm, early year of ripe, soft, forward wines that matured quickly. Past their peak.
Bolgheri
Most recent vintage first. Click a year to see what we have in stock.
2023 - A season of contrasts on the coast — a wet, mildew-prone spring, intense midsummer heat, a cooler finish — gave variable, mid-weight wines with fresh aromatics. The top estates made elegant, moderately structured reds; drink over the medium term. Sassicaia and the other flagships from 2023 arrive through 2026.
2022 - A hot, dry year that Bolgheri's maritime breezes softened: ripe, dark-fruited, generous Cabernet-based reds with polished tannins and more freshness than inland Tuscany managed. Approachable early; the best will go ten to fifteen years.
2021 - A superb vintage — a cool spring, a hot, dry summer tempered by sea air, and a long, luminous autumn. The wines are deep, structured and precise, with the balance of the great 2016s. Buy the flagships for the cellar; everything else is delicious already.
2020 - A warm, dry season gave ripe, supple, fruit-driven wines that are consistent and charming across the appellation. Drink now and over the next ten years.
2019 - Even, balanced weather produced wines of great purity and proportion — fragrant, structured, long. One of the best recent vintages; cellar the top wines.
2018 - A fresher, more elegant vintage after a rainy spring: lighter-framed, aromatic, finely tannic reds that are drinking well now. Underrated.
2017 - A hot, early, drought-marked year that cut yields and pushed ripeness. The wines are rich and forward, best from estates that picked early; drink now and over the next several years.
2016 - A great vintage — a long, even season with cool nights gave wines of remarkable balance, depth and length. The flagships are among the best ever made on the coast and will age for decades.
2015 - A warm summer produced ripe, opulent, generous wines with plush tannins. Delicious now and for the next decade.
2014 - A cool, wet summer that the coast handled better than inland Tuscany: lighter, fresher, more Bordeaux-like reds with real elegance from the top estates. Drink now.
2013 - A cool, classic season gave aromatic, structured, beautifully balanced wines that have aged gracefully and are showing superbly now.
2012 - A hot, dry summer produced ripe, concentrated, firmly structured wines. Drinking well now with years ahead.
2011 - A hot August gave ripe, rich, rounded wines with soft tannin. Mature and generous; drink.
2010 - A cool, long season produced classic, elegant, structured wines of great finesse. Excellent; the top wines are still developing.
2009 - A warm year of ripe, round, approachable wines. Fully mature; drink.
2008 - A moderate, classic season gave balanced, aromatic, well-structured reds. Drinking well now.
2007 - A warm, dry year produced ripe, generous, forward wines. Mature; drink over the next few years.
2006 - An excellent vintage — structured, deep, balanced wines from a warm summer and a cool finish. The flagships are superb now and will keep.
2005 - A cooler year with harvest rain gave elegant, medium-bodied wines that matured early. Mostly at or past their peak.
2004 - A long, even season produced classic, balanced, age-worthy wines — one of the best vintages of the 2000s on the coast. Still drinking beautifully.
2003 - The heatwave year: ripe, low-acid wines, better here than inland thanks to the sea, but mostly past their best. Drink up.
2002 - A cool, rainy summer; the coast did better than the interior and the top estates made respectable, lighter wines, but most are now tired.
2001 - An excellent, classic vintage — structured, aromatic, deep wines that have aged superbly. The flagships are at a glorious point.
2000 - A warm year of ripe, soft, forward wines that matured early. Past their peak in most cases.