1947

1947 In most areas of consumer goods, demand exceeded supply in the United States and British car manufacturers took advantage of these shortages by exporting as many cars as possible to help boost British jobs and the economy and many Americans liked the features of these British cars like Austin, Hillman and MG. This year saw some of the most important inventions that would impact lives for many years to come, including the transistor and th...

Where the 1945 represents sophistication, nuance and classic character, the 1947 stands for richness, robustness and succulence. Spring was delayed that year, which meant a late start to the growing season. The summer warmed up towards fall and the abundant sunshine caused the grapes to ripen very quickly. Daytime temperatures ranged between 35 and 38°C. The crop was finally harvested in almost tropical conditions, when a storm ravaged Bordeaux on September 19 and 20.

Fortunately, a large percentage of the grapes had already been harvested. The grapes were unusually hot during picking and the volatile acids caused problems for many vineyards during fermentation. The end result was an absolutely extraordinary vintage, which turned out magnificent, particularly on the Right Bank and in Sauternes. Even young, these reds were exceptionally drinkable. Their life cycle, on the other hand, has been surprisingly varied. The wines of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion proved superior to the Médocs and Graves. The supreme wine of this vintage is most certainly Château Cheval Blanc, which, in terms of mouthfeel, is perhaps the greatest wine of the entire 20th century. Why the White Horse was so successful that year is a mystery. Unlike what happened to so many others, the White Horse did not suffer from an excess of volatile acids.

Everything from vineyard microclimate to production have been offered as explanations. Because the weather was unusually warm, there were no humid morning mists in the vineyards, limiting conditions for the formation of natural yeasts that increase volatility. The heat also killed the natural yeasts and the amount was generally lower than normal. Fermentation was carried out in small concrete tanks, which provided effective insulation against external heat and maintained sufficiently low temperatures, thus preventing the formation of volatile acids. Another very interesting aspect of the production of Cheval Blanc was its maturation for 5 to 10 years in old barrels; This was because new oak barrels were not available after the depression and war years. In all its glory, the 1947 Cheval Blanc caricatures modern winemaking as an incredible example of the heights that can be reached without the aid of technology. In addition to the Cheval, the Pétrus and the Lafleur are vintage gems.

Australia / Well above average growing season rainfall but with a dry January. A very wet March provided challenging vintage conditions.

This was an all time record production year for SA with 2.75 million gallons produced, which surpassed the previous record in 1946 and followed the drought year of 1945 – the lightest vintage since 1923.

The first Barossa Valley Vintage Festival was held to mark the end of vintage – and the end of World War II. Bill Seppelt, who had witnessed similar thanksgiving celebrations in Europe, initiated the idea.

Fortified wines – ports, sherries and brandies – were the main wine style produced in the Barossa. However, Colin Gramp broke with tradition on his return from World War II and produced a Barossa Cabernet-Shiraz table wine.

War restrictions on imported wines were gradually being lifted but import licences on equipment and machinery were still difficult to obtain, slowing the wine industry’s development.

Post-war wine exports to the UK were down.

Port Vintage: An outstanding vintage that produced fine, attractive wines, it was only declared by 11 shippers. These wines have been fully mature for many years, but well cellared, the best wines will last for many more.