This Vintage Chart was prepared by our directors. It is based on reports from a wide variety of published sources, and by lots of wine tasting. We rank various wine-producing regions on a scale of 0-10, 10 being the best. Each year we review the chart and modify it as seems appropriate based on the further experience. (We have a rule that no rating can be changed more than 1 point per year.) Numbers changed from last year are shown in bold type.
Any Vintage Chart is debatable. In addition to disagreements about the merits of a given year, individual wineries can produce wines well above or below the average for the year, depending on the skill of the winemaker, the microclimate of the vineyard, and many other intangibles.
Members of Winetasters receive a wallet-sized version of this chart, along with a calendar of our scheduled tastings.
| Region | 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 | 07 | 06 | 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 | 00 | 99 | 98 | 97 | 96 | 95 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 9 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Alsace | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Bordeaux | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Burgundy, Red | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Burgundy, White | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| California, White | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 |
| California, Red | 9 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Germany | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Ontario | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Rhone, North | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Rhone, South | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Piedmont | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 6 |
| Sauternes | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Spain | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Tuscany | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Vintage Port | 10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | ||||||||||