| |
Tuscany While
Tuscany is usually thought to be the land of Chianti, it is increasingly
the place to find exciting wines made from the same varieties as red Bordeaux.
These (sassicaia is a good example) often continue to mature for longer
than all but the very best Chianti, most of which is made to be drunk
quite young. Many are labeled merely vino da tavola, so the name of the
wine and producer are important.
|
Type/Region |
95 |
94 |
93 |
92 |
91 |
90 |
89 |
88 |
87 |
86 |
85 |
84 |
83 |
82 |
81 |
|
Chianti/Tuscany |
8 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
5 |
7 |
8 |
4 |
7 |
8 |
7 |
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Chianti/Tuscany
|
4
|
8
|
9
|
7
|
3
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
SPAIN
In genral Spanish producers indicate their best and better vintages
by calling them "Gran Reserva" and "Reserva" respectively. Both these
terms will indicate longer oak-agening and - in theory - greater potential
longevity. Spain produces very few white wines that are built to last.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Rioka Reserva/Gran Reserva
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
5
|
8
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
7
|
9
|
8
|
|
Penedes (Red)
|
8
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
9
|
6
|
8
|
5
|
7
|
7
|
|
|
Ribera del Duero
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
6
|
8
|
9
|
6
|
6
|
9
|
8
|
7
|
3
|
7
|
9
|
|
|
Penedes (White)
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
9
|
6
|
6
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
7
|
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Rioja Reserva/Gran Reserva
|
7
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Penedes (Red)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ribera del Duero
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Penedes (White)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PORTUGAL
Like Spain, Portugal makes few long-lived whites. Its reds last better
- and are often sold when they are already mature. The term "garrafeira"
indicates a reserve wine that ought to last well. Vintage port, though
always supposedly intended for cellaring, does vary in its likely longevity.
Curiously, top-class houses never "declare" a vintage two years running.
Most late-bottled vintage port does not develop or improve with age.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Bairrada
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
7
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
4
|
|
Dao
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
6
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
7
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
4
|
|
Vintage port
|
|
9
|
|
7
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
7
|
6
|
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Bairrada
|
8
|
5
|
8
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dao
|
8
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
7
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vintage port
|
7
|
|
|
10
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
6
|
|
GERMANY
The new trend toward "dry", "Trocken", wines in Germany complicates
the life of anyone trying to draw up a chart like this. These wines
- particularly the Rieslings - often take longer to be pleasurably drinkable
than their sweeter equivalents, but they don't live as long. Germany's
sweetest whites - Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen, which are
mostly made only in the best vintages - can last almost indefinitely.
QbA, Kabinett, Spatlese
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Mosel
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rhine
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auslese,
Beeranauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Mosel
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
7
|
9
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
Rhine
|
7
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
7
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Mosel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rhine
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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