It is well known that, in the Old World, climatic influences can determine whether a vintage is bad, average, good, very good or excellent. In fact, in the best years in Champagne and Port, "vintage" wines are produced from an exceptional harvest. Wines can vary in price - not precisely because of the passage of time but because of the quality of the vintage, whereas in the New World it is only used as a chronic reference to keep a bottle.
The term New World is reserved for wines from America, South Africa and Oceania. Although all wines are obviously made from grapes, their profiles are often radically different.
When we speak of 'Old World' wine, we are referring to wine made in Europe. Its cultural roots go back to the Roman Empire, where the first wine production, storage and distribution techniques were developed. Since then, generations of winemaking families have been dedicated to its production.
The Old World style is based on traditional winemaking practices that have been passed down for generations, many of them regulated by strict regulations and laws to preserve the authenticity of the region.
In the Old World the regions are more traditional, some with several centuries making wines in the same way. Therefore, there are no novelties in the grapes used, nor in the winemaking methods. All the differences have to do with the climate during the annual cycle, and mainly at the time of harvest. This can make a wine more or less expressive, simpler or more complex, and may or may not have aging potential, making its selling price depend on the quality achieved and not on the passage of time.
How do I know which were great vintages?
Robert Parker is the most famous wine critic on the planet and probably the most influential. He is an authority in the world of wine, both in terms of the price they fetch on the market and the production characteristics that give them personality.
Parker Scores
The Parker Guide is the brainchild of its namesake expert Robert Parker. Parker scores are collected in this bimonthly publication. Despite being a specialist in Bordeaux, Robert Parker and his team analyze and evaluate wines of all kinds to categorize them and give them a score with the American system, from 50 to 100 points.
The tastings of this guide are carried out in controlled environments so that the professional tasters are not hindered by smells, humidity, temperatures or other factors that could distort the tasting. This does not mean that tastings are not carried out annually in the regions from which the wines originate.
What is the rating system?
Parker scores range from 50 to 100 and are defined by the acronym RP (Robert Parker) preceding the grade. This does not mean that it is Parker himself who has given that score, but it is a rating under the protection and seal of Wine Advocate and the entire corporation. Moreover, the fact is that there is a group of ten professionals who make more than 30,000 new reviews annually.
96-100 An extraordinary wine. With a deep and complex character developing all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are difficult to find, buy and drink.
90-95 A great wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, great wines.
80-89 Round what could be a great wine that develops several degrees of finesse and flavor without remarkable character.
70-79 An average wine with small distinctions that set it apart. Essentially a simple, inoffensive wine.
60-69 A low average wine containing clear deficiencies, such as excessive acidity or tannin defects. May be lacking in flavor or aromas.
50-59 A wine considered unacceptable.
Some great vintages to remember
- Burdeaux, St Emilion, France - 2005: 99 RP Points.
- Brunello di Monrlacino, Tuscany, Italy -1990 96 Points RP.
- Catalonia, Priorat, Spain - 2017: 96 RP Points.
- Rhein Hessen (riesling), Germany - 1990: 96 RP Points.
Exceptional vintages of Roberto Cipresso
La Quadratura del Cerchio wine.
- 98 PR Points in 2016.
- 94 PR points in 2o15.
Prices according to vintages
We can observe how the prices of the wines change according to which vintage they belong to:
- Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - 2019: €220 (96 Points RP) vs 2012: €52 (89 Points RP).
- Avaro Palacios Finca Dofi - 2o14: €150 (93 PR Points) vs 2002: €86 (89 PR Points).
- Chateau Margaux - 2009: €7025 (97 PR Points) vs 2004: €741 (87 PR Points).
Wines from Argentina
There are now eight Argentine wines that Luis Gutiérrez and Robert Parker have rated with 100 points in recent years:
1. 2013 Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Gualtallary 2013.
2. Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita 2016.
3. Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard River Stones 2016.
4. Zuccardi Finca Piedra Gravascal 2018.
5. Per Se La Craie 2018.
6. Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita Supercal 2019.
7. Per Se La Craie 2019.
8. Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Gualtallary 2019.