Wine Vintage
Chart
The following table summarizes conventional
wisdom about the relative quality of wines
from certain countries and states by rating
them on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 is best), but
of course, the best way to get to know wines
and their origins is through guided tasting.

 
 
  For more about our wine classes, click here.
 
 
 
1986
1987
1988
 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000
FRANCE
0
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
St Julien
Pauillac
St Estephe

1

2
2
1
1
3
3
2
2
1
1
2
2
2

2
Margaux
1
3
 2 2 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
Graves
2
2
2
2
1
3
3
2
2
2
 2 2 2 2
2
Pomerol
2
2
2
1
1
5
2
2
2
1
 2 2 1 2
2
St Emilion
2
3
2
2
1
5
3
2
2
2
 2 2 1 2
2
Barsac
Sauternes
1
3
1
1
1
3
3
3
3
2
 2 2 2 2
3
Cote de Nuits (red)
4
2
3
2
1
2
3
2
2
1
 1 1 2 2
2
Cote de Beaune (red)
3
3
2
2
1
3
2
2
2
2
 1 2 2 2
2
White Burgundy
1
3
2
1
2
3
1
3
2
1
 1 2 2 1
2
Northern Rhone Cote Rotie

2

2

1

1

1

1

3

5

2

1
2
1
1
1

2
Southern Rhone Chateneuf du Pape

3

4

2

1

1

4

3

2

2

1
2
2
1
1

2
Beaujolais
2
2
 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2
Alsace
2
2
 2 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1
3
Loire Valley Sweet White
2
2
 2 1 1 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2
3
Champagne
2
NV
 2 1 1 NV NV 2 NV 2 1 1 2 2
3
ITALY
00
0
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0
Piedmont
3
2
 1 1 1 3 3 2 3 2 1 1 1 1
2
Tuscany
2
4
 2 3 1 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2
2
GERMANY
2
2
 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1
2
SPAIN
0
0
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
Vintage Port
NV
NV
 NV NV NV 1 1 NV 1 NV NV 2 NV NV
NA
Rioja
2
2
 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2
2
Penedes
3
2
 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2
2
AUSTRALIA WALES/VICT
1
2
 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
2
CALIFORNIA
0
0
 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
Cabernet
1
1
 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
2
Chardonnay
2
3
 2 3 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2
1
Zinfandel
2
1
 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1
2
Pinot Noir
2
2
 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 1
1
OREGON
Pinot Noir
2
3
 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 1
1
WASHINGTON
Cabernet
3
1
 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 2
1
0
1996
1997
1998
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000


1 = Excellent
2 = Very Good
3 = Good-Average
4 = Below Average
5 = Poor Year
NV = Non-Vintage