1979

Most experts shrugged off 1974 as harsh, dry and unsightly. A few fans of the vintage are stubbornly holding on to a few bottles, hoping they will come back. Most Bordeaux enthusiasts wrote them off. They should probably be drunk. Don't confuse them with any 1974 California Cabernets you might have. It was an exceptionally good year in California.

The 1975 vintage was another great one in Bordeaux. There are those who put it ahead of 1961. ...

Bordeaux / The year 1979 partly repeated the 1978 vintage with a wet and cool spring, a hot summer, a cool and dry autumn. Dry whites did well this year while reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, struggled to reach full physiological maturity. Once again, Mouton was a disappointment. The right bank did better with Merlot. The best wine of the vintage is the first Le Pin ever produced. Other excellent wines worth mentioning are La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion. Haut-Brion was a bargain at 200 euros. Sauternes wines also turned out to be quite good, the best of which was Yquem.

Burgundy: Spring started rather cold, but in May, warmer weather arrived to get flowering off to a good start. Normal, warm summer conditions followed, with the exception of a severe local storm in June which minimized crop sizes in Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. The harvest began at the end of September. The fine, elegant wines were just a little sweeter than the '78s; The Côte de Beaune did particularly well.

A piercingly cold winter delayed the start of the growing season and was followed by a decidedly cool spring with some frosts in May. As a result, growth was subdued but initial flowering was good. The weather improved in June and July with nice sunshine and gentle heat creating excellent conditions for ripening. Despite rainfall during harvest, sugar and acidity levels remained high and disease pressure didn't mount too much of an assault, producing Champagnes of impressive character and length.

On top of quality, great quantity was also achieved, with an average crop of 11,061 kg/ha being picked between October 3rd and 31st. The Chardonnays were particularly successful and high-yielding. Krug Clos du Mesnil is sheer perfection, going from strength to strength over the years. There are plenty of great Champagnes still in outstanding form. They include Krug Vintage, Louis Roederer Cristal, as well as Lanson Vintage Collection and Noble Cuvée.

The California 1979 wine vintage received positive reviews from the wine press and critics. It was a year marked by favorable weather conditions in many regions of California, contributing to wines that were generally praised for their quality and appeal. Here are some general observations that the wine press had about the California 1979 vintage:

1. High Quality: The general consensus among wine critics was that California 1979 was a high-quality vintage. The favorable weather conditions throughout the growing season, including warm and dry periods, contributed to the overall quality of the wines.

2. Ripe Fruit: One of the standout features of the vintage was the ripe and concentrated fruit flavors in the wines. Many California 1979 wines were noted for their luscious and well-developed fruit profiles, with an emphasis on rich, ripe berries and stone fruits.

3. Balanced Structure: Critics often praised the wines for their balanced structure. The California 1979 wines typically exhibited good acidity, well-integrated tannins, and harmonious proportions, contributing to their overall appeal.

4. Varietal Expression: Different grape varieties thrived during the vintage. For instance, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel were frequently highlighted for producing outstanding wines that showcased their varietal characteristics.

5. Age-Worthy: While the wines were approachable in their youth, many California 1979 wines were noted for their aging potential. The well-structured reds, in particular, were expected to evolve gracefully over time.

6. Notable Producers: Several California wineries and producers received accolades for their wines from the 1979 vintage. These wines were often considered benchmarks for the year.

7. Overall Enthusiasm: Critics and the wine press expressed enthusiasm for the vintage, and many wine enthusiasts and collectors sought out California 1979 wines for their cellars.

Overall, the California 1979 vintage was well-received and continues to be remembered as a successful year in California winemaking. It offered a range of wines that appealed to a broad spectrum of wine lovers, from those seeking approachable and fruit-forward options to those looking for age-worthy bottles with depth and complexity.

The Australia 1979 wine vintage received generally positive reviews from the wine press and critics. It was a year characterized by favorable weather conditions in many regions of Australia, leading to wines that were often praised for their quality and appeal. Here are some general observations that the wine press had about the Australia 1979 vintage:

1. High Quality: The consensus among wine critics was that Australia 1979 was a high-quality vintage. The favorable weather conditions throughout the growing season, including warm and dry periods, contributed to the overall quality of the wines.

2. Fruit Ripeness: One of the standout features of the vintage was the ripe and concentrated fruit flavors in the wines. Many Australia 1979 wines were noted for their luscious and well-developed fruit profiles, with an emphasis on rich, ripe berries and stone fruits.

3. Balanced Structure: Critics often praised the wines for their balanced structure. The Australia 1979 wines typically exhibited good acidity, well-integrated tannins, and harmonious proportions, contributing to their overall appeal.

4. Varietal Expression: Different grape varieties thrived during the vintage. For instance, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay were frequently highlighted for producing outstanding wines that showcased their varietal characteristics.

5. Age-Worthy: While the wines were approachable in their youth, many Australia 1979 wines were noted for their aging potential. The well-structured reds, in particular, were expected to evolve gracefully over time.

6. Notable Producers: Several Australian wineries and producers received accolades for their wines from the 1979 vintage. These wines were often considered benchmarks for the year.

7. Overall Enthusiasm: Critics and the wine press expressed enthusiasm for the vintage, and many wine enthusiasts and collectors sought out Australia 1979 wines for their cellars.

Overall, the Australia 1979 vintage was well-received and continues to be remembered as a successful year in Australian winemaking. It offered a range of wines that appealed to a broad spectrum of wine lovers, from those seeking approachable and fruit-forward options to those looking for age-worthy bottles with depth and complexity.

The 1979 global wine harvest stands as an expansive, bountiful, and high-acid vintage characterized across Western Europe and the New World by record-setting yields, cooler late-season temperatures, and elegant structural balance. A mild spring enabled prolific flowering, leading to massive crop sizes that required rigorous green harvesting and careful cellar selection to avoid dilution. In Bordeaux (90/100), ideal late September sunshine rescued a huge crop, yielding fresh, crisp, and cedar-scented Left and Right Bank reds with impressive medium-term longevity. Champagne (96/100) enjoyed an exceptional year, producing razor-sharp, crystalline vintage cuvées—led by historic declarations like Krug, Dom Pérignon, and the inaugural release of Krug Clos du Mesnil 1979—that set a modern gold standard for autolytic tension and cellaring endurance. Burgundy (88/100) produced light-to-medium-bodied, energetic Pinot Noirs and vibrant, mineral-driven whites, while Italy (91/100) experienced a classic, cool-climate harvest across Piedmont and Tuscany, yielding aromatic, high-acid Barolos and Brunellos from Giacomo Conterno and Biondi-Santi. In Spain(89/100), traditional Rioja and Ribera del Duero bodegas crafted bright, elegant Gran Reservas with long barrel potential, and Germany (87/100) recorded a crisp, high-acid Riesling vintage suited for long-lived Spätlese and Auslese bottlings. Overseas, California (90/100) and Australia (88/100) capped off the decade with balanced, cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignons and Shiraz, establishing 1979 as a classic, high-yielding finale to the 1970s.