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Though bars were still hopping in the United States in 1917 before our nation entered the throes of World War I, across the pond in Europe things were quite different. The continent was in upheaval as the war raged on, and in some of the world’s most recognizable wine regions, things weren’t much better. What were wines like 100 years ago?

In regions close to war like Champagne, their 1917 vintage was only rated at 65 points according to the Tasting Book, one of the only online sources that lists details about wine throughout Europe in 1917.

In Germany, the 1917 vintages were listed as complete losses because of the war. Rieslings and Gewürztraminer wines suffered tremendously.

In the southwest of France a little further from the action of firefights and mortar shells, the varietals in Bordeaux were harvested and processed literally on the backs of women, children, and the men who were too old to fight. The 1917 Bordeaux vintage has been described as ranging from good but unpublicized to being satisfactory with not much potential for longevity. But there was a 1917 vintage, and the French did drink wine.

Where wines seemingly excelled in 1917 Europe was on the Iberian Peninsula. According to Tasting Book, the highest rated wines of 1917 came from the Port region of Portugal, with wines from the Rioja region of Spain coming in second. Both vintages were placed at above 90 points across each region.

Top wines of 1917 include Unico from Bodegas Vega Sicilia in Ribera el Duero, Spain. It scored 97.3 points. Vintage port from Taylor’s scored 95 points. Third was Château Guiraud from Bordeaux at 90 points.

For adventurous drinkers looking to see what liquid grapes from 1917 taste like, there’s always a will where there’s a way (and a wallet). A bottle of 1917 JOY Millésime Bas-Armagnac brandy can be purchased for a mere $3,799.

by Perlick

 

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Vintage Report

One backs women, children and old men, in the vintage year 1917 at the harvest in Bordeaux. At that time, all the men almost were in the war. With an early harvest beginning simple wines could be brought in. The durability was not of great duration and the wines can be considered risky today.

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Vintage Report

Port Vintage: Declared by many producers, despite the wartime situation. Michael Broadbent characterises this Vintage as “light, supple, elegant and attractive.”

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The 8th of March, the earl Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inventor and maker of the flying machine which has its name, died at the age of 78. In the early morning of the 15th of October, the famous dancer, Mata Hari, is shot in the Vincennes wood. The 7th of November (25th of October for the Russian calendar), the soviet revolution took place. The red Guardians headed by LОon Trotsky entered in Petrograd and took the Winter Palace, residence of the tsar and refuge of the government.

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The best wines of the 1917 vintage

Name Tb Producer Location
1 Niersteiner Riesling 98 Hermannshof Germany, Germany
2 Vintage 97 Ferreira Portugal, Portugal
3 Unico 96 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Ribera el Duero, Spain
4 Vintage Port 96 Taylor's Douro, Portugal
5 Para Port Vintage Tawny 95 Seppeltsfield South-Australia, Australia
6 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 95 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Bordeaux, France
7 Niepoort Dry White Port 95 Niepoort Douro, Portugal
8 Sigalas-Rabaud 95 Château Sigalas-Rabaud Bordeaux, France
9 Alusha Tokay 94 Massandra Crimea, Ukraine
10 Boal Madeira 94 Pereira d’Oliveira Madeira, Portugal
11 Château Mouton-Rothschild 93 Château Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux, France
12 Château Latour 93 Château Latour Bordeaux, France
13 Chateau Clos L' Eglise 92 Château Clos L' Eglise Bordeaux, France
14 Château Climens 92 Château Climens Bordeaux, France
15 Lafite-Rothschild 91 Château Lafite-Rothschild Bordeaux, France
16 Port Vintage 90 Borges Douro, Portugal
17 Château Coutet 90 Château Coutet Sauternes, France
18 Cheval Blanc 90 Château Cheval Blanc Bordeaux, France
19 Château La Fleur-Pétrus 89 Château Lafleur-Pétrus Bordeaux, France
20 Château Guiraud 89 Château Guiraud Bordeaux, France
21 La Mission Haut Brion 89 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Bordeaux, France
22 Marques de Riscal Reserva 89 Marqués de Riscal Rioja, Spain
23 Vintage 89 Moët & Chandon Champagne, France
24 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 88 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Bordeaux, France
25 Vintage 88 Unknown Port Wine Douro, Portugal
26 Château Gruaud-Larose 88 Château Gruaud-Larose Bordeaux, France
27 Château Suduiraut 87 Château Suduiraut Bordeaux, France
28 Imperial Gran Reserva 87 C.V.N.E /Cune Rioja, Spain
29 Château de Rayne Vigneau 87 Château de Rayne Vigneau Bordeaux, France
30 Château de Malle 87 Château de Malle Bordeaux, France
31 d'Yquem 85 Château d'Yquem Bordeaux, France
32 Château Cos d'Estournel 82 Château Cos d'Estournel Bordeaux, France
33 White 0 Niepoort Douro, Portugal
34 Château Margaux 0 Château Margaux Bordeaux, France
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