1966

Inflation in 1966 increased as part of the funding effect of the war in Vietnam continued. The United States and the USSR continued their space race to see who would be the first to land a man on the moon. Race riots continued to increase in cities across America and National Guards were needed to restore law and order. Fashions in America and the UK came from a well known side street in London (Carnaby Street) part of the London swing scene, ...

1966 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux for very classic and delicate wines. However, the year started off as anything but promising. The main rainfall that began in late June continued into July, but the hot start to August dried out the soil and the weather gradually improved towards autumn, until it is almost perfect for harvest.

These wines share a truly classic, graceful and high quality character so typical of Bordeaux wines, making them elegant and balanced. Today, many of them are still good. If carefully stored, many of the best wines can still mature, but the following rule of thumb should be observed: drink them or sell them immediately. In our opinion, this is one of the finest vintages you can buy today. Almost all AOC wines are still in excellent condition, and the best examples, such as Palmer, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafleur and Pétrus, are excellent. There is a wide selection of well-priced first, second and third growth wines on the market. For example, Cos d’Estournel, Calon-Ségur and Lynch-Bages offer exceptional value for money. As a general rule, decanting for one hour is sufficient.

The price development of this vintage no longer shows any significant upward movement – the price increase over the last ten years has been around 55%. Rising prices will continue as the best wines mature, perhaps until 2020, when any surviving wines should be removed from the cellar and sold or drunk immediately.

Below average rainfall during the growing season, a dry winter before vintage and frost damage in October and November 1965 led to lower yields and lighter yields after several good years. Very rich concentrated reds were produced, many of which are still excellent. Excellent white wines were also produced that year.

In 1966 there were 7,209 hectares of vines in the Barossa and 24,736 tonnes of wine grapes were crushed in that vintage.

Wine growers lobbied for a wider range of grape varieties to be allowed into Australia and the Barossa Vine Selection Society was formed to improve the range of planting material.

The report of the Royal Commission on the Wine Industry in South Africa was also released and a Grape Industry Advisory Council was formed.

The contour method of replanting vines was now widely used in Eden Valley and water management received a boost with the introduction of a more accurate soil moisture measuring device, the Probe neutron, which was first used at the Nuriootpa research center of the Ministry of Agriculture in 1966.

Unfortunately, high winery stocks from the previous vintage led to falling prices – and the introduction of decimal currency did little to alleviate this situation.

Two five tonne Gradon Whitehill airbag presses (Wilmes type) were installed for draining and pressing white grapes at Leo Buring. The reds continued to be squeezed into press cages. Some of the first large capacity stainless steel tanks (10,000 and 20,000 gallons) in the Barossa installed at Leo Buring.

The 1965 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, made primarily from Barossa fruit, won the 1966 Jimmy Watson Trophy – the company's second – providing further recognition to Grange, the Barossa and the great 1965 vintage.

Wolf Blass purchased land on the northeast end of Nuriootpa and launched its own Wolf Blass wines in a collection of post-war Nissen huts. The first Wolf Blass Yellow Label wine was from the 1966 vintage.

Port Vintage Report: Exceptional quality. Very sweet wines and rich in tannins, some of them sublime, with large aging capacity. Almost all producers declared production. Normal winter, with some rain, but afterwards the weather became dry between April and September. Grapes with a high sugar level, some of them burned. It only rained slightly at the beginning of the harvest (end of September). Scarce production.

Declared by most of the major Port houses, it is a vintage of exceptional quality but was always unjustly overshadowed by the 1963. Solid wines with superb structure, filled with fruit and tannins they are now recognised as being one of the very best post-war Vintage Ports.