Detailed analysis of published tasting notes for the 2014 vintage.
Average points (out of 20, to one decimal place). Click on an entry to reveal vintage descriptions where available.
Early flowering, followed by a damp and relatively cool summer. The cherry vinegar fly, which threatened the grapes in many other winegrowing regions that year, was not as much of a problem in the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer regions as the fly primarily targets red grape varieties. Still, the weather posed a challenge particularly around harvest time in autumn, as it had gotten warmer by then but remained rather wet. There was disease pressure. Many producers had to rush out into the vineyards and pick fast if they wanted to avoid botrytis (noble rot). In the end, good producers managed to turn out high-quality wines that are low in alcohol and high in acidity. As of this writing ten years later, the 2014 vintage shapes up as a solid vintage for the region, especially for white wines.
A normal year in terms of quantity, measured against the long-term average, and mixed in terms of quality. The first half of the year was warm and dry in Rheinhessen. It was only towards the middle of the year that there was abundant rainfall, which compensated for the drought stress and promoted vine growth. Ambitious winegrowers did a lot of foliage work. However, the rain characterised the late summer. The threat of disease infestation in combination with the cherry vinegar fly, which also attacks grapes, presented winegrowers with challenges. Many were forced to harvest early or at least quickly in order to avert both threats. In some cases, it also rained heavily during the harvest. The top producers nevertheless achieved very good quality through selection.
Good wines were made all over Bordeaux, albeit with some variation across the appellations. Successful vintage especially for Cabernet Sauvignon on the left bank, notably in Saint-Estèphe and Pauillac. If anything, the wines may have matured better than initially expected. They're classic, structured Bordeaux reds that have been attractive from the start but are only now beginning to shine. Good year for both dry and sweet white wines, too. Possibly the best vintage since 2010, but sometimes overlooked because of the excellent 2015 vintage that followed. Accordingly, prices have remained relatively affordable.
Damp spring, followed by a cool and wet summer with plenty of rain. Things didn't look so good until September arrived with warm temperatures and sufficient sunshine that lasted long enough to benefit the later-ripening grape varieties. This saved the vintage overall, and helped Sangiovese and some French varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular. Harvests of the earlier ripening Merlot, on the other hand, were sadly not too successful, as was the case for many of the whites. If I'd have to summarise the vintage, I'd say it produced reds that are relatively slim and elegant at best.
Ranked from best to worst. Showing wines rated 8 and higher.
Distribution of published notes across countries for 2014.
| France |
50.0%
4 notes |
|
| Germany |
37.5%
3 notes |
|
| Italy |
12.5%
1 note |
Wines are evaluated using the 20-point scale: