Year by year · indicative benchmarks: the producer and storage conditions come first.
A vintage does not only say whether the wine was good: it says how long it keeps. A great year outlives a modest one, and that is what this page puts next to every year. The windows below are for a solid red Bordeaux; a humbler wine ages faster, a very great one far slower.
| Vintage | Rating | Drink |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Great | 2027–2036 |
| 2022 | Outstanding | 2026–2036 |
| 2021 | Good | 2025–2033 |
| 2020 | Great | 2024–2033 |
| 2019 | Outstanding | 2023–2033 |
| 2018 | Outstanding | 2022–2032 |
| 2017 | Good | 2021–2029 |
| 2016 | Outstanding | 2020–2030 |
| 2015 | Outstanding | 2019–2029 |
| 2014 | Great | 2018–2027 |
| 2013 | Drink up | 2016–2021 |
| 2012 | Good | 2016–2024 |
| 2011 | Good | 2015–2023 |
| 2010 | Outstanding | 2014–2024 |
| 2009 | Outstanding | 2013–2023 |
| 2008 | Great | 2012–2021 |
| 2007 | Average | 2011–2017 |
| 2006 | Good | 2010–2018 |
| 2005 | Outstanding | 2009–2019 |
| 2004 | Good | 2008–2016 |
| 2003 | Great | 2007–2016 |
| 2002 | Good | 2006–2014 |
| 2001 | Good | 2005–2013 |
| 2000 | Outstanding | 2004–2014 |
| 1999 | Good | 2003–2011 |
| 1998 | Great | 2002–2011 |
| 1997 | Average | 2001–2007 |
| 1996 | Great | 2000–2009 |
| 1995 | Great | 1999–2008 |
| 1994 | Average | 1998–2004 |
| 1993 | Average | 1997–2003 |
| 1992 | Drink up | 1995–2000 |
| 1991 | Drink up | 1994–1999 |
| 1990 | Outstanding | 1994–2004 |
| 1989 | Outstanding | 1993–2003 |
| 1988 | Great | 1992–2001 |
| 1986 | Great | 1990–1999 |
| 1985 | Great | 1989–1998 |
| 1983 | Great | 1987–1996 |
| 1982 | Outstanding | 1986–1996 |
| 1981 | Good | 1985–1993 |
| 1980 | Drink up | 1983–1988 |
| 1979 | Good | 1983–1991 |
| 1978 | Great | 1982–1991 |
| 1977 | Drink up | 1980–1985 |
| 1976 | Average | 1980–1986 |
| 1975 | Average | 1979–1985 |
| 1974 | Drink up | 1977–1982 |
| 1973 | Average | 1977–1983 |
| 1972 | Drink up | 1975–1980 |
| 1971 | Good | 1975–1983 |
| 1970 | Great | 1974–1983 |
| 1969 | Average | 1973–1979 |
| 1968 | Drink up | 1971–1976 |
| 1967 | Average | 1971–1977 |
| 1966 | Great | 1970–1979 |
| 1965 | Drink up | 1968–1973 |
| 1964 | Good | 1968–1976 |
| 1963 | Drink up | 1966–1971 |
| 1962 | Great | 1966–1975 |
| 1961 | Outstanding | 1965–1975 |
| 1960 | Average | 1964–1970 |
| 1959 | Outstanding | 1963–1973 |
| 1958 | Average | 1962–1968 |
| 1957 | Average | 1961–1967 |
| 1956 | Drink up | 1959–1964 |
| 1955 | Great | 1959–1968 |
| 1954 | Drink up | 1957–1962 |
| 1953 | Great | 1957–1966 |
| 1951 | Drink up | 1954–1959 |
| 1949 | Outstanding | 1953–1963 |
| 1947 | Outstanding | 1951–1961 |
| 1945 | Outstanding | 1949–1959 |
A year missing from this table is not a bad year: it is a year we would rather not rule on. Better silence than a rating pulled out of thin air.
See also ageing by appellation.
Caviste computes this window for every bottle in your cellar: photograph the label, the sheet fills itself in (estate, vintage, appellation) and the app tells you when a bottle reaches its peak. Discover Caviste.