1982

Rating: 10/10 - Drink or Keep.

One of the great vintages of the last century and, with the possible exceptions of Margaux and Graves, these are the most complex and profound wines produced since the classic 1961 vintage. The weather was beneficial to producers throughout the growing season but what made the vintage outstanding was the exceptionally warm weather that Bordeaux enjoyed in September, with average temperatures ranging between 29-40 degrees. This produced a huge crop of wines of exceptional richness and ripeness, with some wines possessing an almost Californian- like character.
The Merlot-based wines of Pomerol and St-Emilion are outstanding, with Pétrus producing one of it finest ever wines. In the Médoc, Pauillac and St-Julien were the most successful communes, with Mouton Rothschild and Latour being arguably the 2 finest wines. Most 82s are drinking well now, although the 1st Growths will benefit from further cellaring.