Like any wine-producing region, Tuscany has its good years and its bad years. These evaluations will help you in selecting a few bottles to take home. Though they are for the Chianti Classico region, they apply, in a general way, to the rest of Tuscany too.
1971: Outstanding, a gift of the Gods. By now these wines are getting on in years, but if the bottle has been stored well, it could be superb.
1972: Abysmal. Bottles from this year are better lost than found, as Tuscans say.
1973: Good, though the wines have by now passed their prime.
1974: Excellent, though the wines have by now passed their prime.
1975: Good in Chianti, though the wines have by now passed their prime. A superb year for Montalcino.
1976: Abysmal. People still talk about how much it rained, and many producers decided not to bottle at all.
1977: Good in Chianti, and excellent in the Rufina area (northeast of Florence), though the wines be approached with caution, as they are getting old.
1978: Excellent in the Chianti region, though the wines be approached with caution, as they are getting old.
1979: Good. The year saw very high yields, and many producers had to expand their cellars.
1980: Good, but not exceptional. The summer was uncertain, and the harvest late. The wines are by now past their prime.
1981: Good, but not exceptional. The summer was again uncertain, and the wines are by now past their prime.
1982: Excellent, though hail damaged the vineyards. The wines are well balanced, but perhaps overly tannic. Approach with caution, since they are getting on in years.
1983: Outstanding. A perfect summer that produced perfect wines. A well-stored bottle should still be very good.
1984: Poor: rain, rain, and more rain. The Consorzio del Gallo Nero decided not to allow Riserve, and many producers chose not to bottle any wines.
1985: Outstanding: A spectacular vintage, though the high temperatures at harvest-time caused difficulties for those producers unable to chill their musts. It has matured beautifully, and many Riserve are just starting to come into their own.
1986: Excellent. The summer was more variable than that of 1995, but the fall was warm. The wines are good, but more precocious than those of 1985.
1987: Good. A tricky year, because there was hail and rain during the harvest, which affected some producers more than others. There are some good wines to be had, though they should be drunk now.
1988: Outstanding. Perhaps not the vintage of the century, but close to it. Towering wines, which are just starting to enter into their maturity. These are wines that should last well into the next century.
1989: Poor: after an uncertain (read awful) summer, the sun came out on September 15th and shone for a month. The wines were simple, and if you buy one you should drink it. The Vinsanti, on the other hand, were excellent. One thing worth mentioning - for Barolo 1989 was an excellent year.
1990: Outstanding. Even better than 1988; the wines of 1990 should hold up through 2010. Set them aside and open them for special occasions.
1991: Poor: it was a rainy summer, and an uncertain fall. Much of what was produced was fit for quaffing and little else.
1992: Abysmal. Tuscany got more rain than it did in 1966 (when Florence was flooded). Sergio Manetti, of Montevertine, threw up his hands in disgust and made a blanc de noirs he called Tea (a type of rose). "Pressed from grapes harvested after 40 uninterrupted days of rain..." reads the label.
1993: Good: the summer was beautiful, and those who harvested early made some good wines. However, it began to rain on the 22nd of September... Nothing worth aging, but plenty of good wines to be drunk now.
1994: Excellent. A good summer, followed by a nice autumn. The wines should be good, though they are still very young.
1995: Excellent: August was dreadful, but the skies cleared in September and stayed clear until November. Easily the best year since 1990, though it's still too soon to say how good it will be.
1996: An excellent year, for those who had the courage to wait. Many of the better producers started harvesting in late October and will have fine wines to show for it. Those who harvested early made plonk.
