1970 Bordeaux Vintage

The 1970 growing season got off to a strong start with flowering under good conditions in spring. June and July were hot and dry, with drought conditions developing in July that stressed the vines and concentrated flavors. August delivered beneficial rain that replenished vine water reserves at exactly the right moment. September was mixed, with both warm, sunny spells and cooler, humid periods, but conditions were sufficiently favorable to complete ripening across the appellation. The harvest began late, around September 27, and extended into early October for many estates. One consequence of the generous ripening conditions was that grape varieties matured unusually close together, overwhelming some smaller cellars with fermentation tanks that could not handle the simultaneous volume.

• Flowering in spring: good conditions, setting the stage for a large crop
• June and July: hot and dry; drought in July concentrated sugars and phenolics
• August: beneficial rainfall replenished vines at the optimal moment
• Harvest: late start around September 27, running into early October; large, ripe, healthy crop

The vintage rewarded the Left Bank most generously, with Pauillac and Saint-Estephe producing the most structured and long-lived wines. Chateau Latour is consistently cited among the top wines of the vintage, though tasting notes over the decades reveal notable bottle variation. Chateau Palmer in Margaux is widely considered the standout of the appellation, described as far superior to Chateau Margaux itself in this year. Lynch Bages, Montrose, and Ducru Beaucaillou were also successful. Contrary to the original article's claims, Saint-Emilion was not a strong suit for the vintage. Pomerol, however, shone brightly, with Petrus and Trotanoy leading a strong showing from the Right Bank's clay-gravel plateau.

• Pauillac and Saint-Estephe: best structured wines; Latour, Lynch Bages, and Montrose excelled
• Margaux: Chateau Palmer the clear star; Chateau Margaux itself produced a lighter, less impressive wine
• Pomerol: outstanding vintage led by Petrus, Trotanoy, L'Eglise Clinet, Latour a Pomerol, and La Conseillante
• Saint-Emilion: weakest appellation of the vintage; wines were generally unimpressive

Chateau Latour produced one of the landmark wines of the vintage, described by tasters over five decades as dense and complex, though it has shown notable bottle variation and is generally regarded as an excellent rather than truly great Latour. Chateau Palmer in Margaux is perhaps the most celebrated wine of the entire vintage, praised in historical tastings as miles ahead of other Margaux estates. On the Judgement of Paris stage in 1976, Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1970 was the top-ranked French wine, finishing a close second to the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. In Pomerol, Petrus and Trotanoy were the anchors of a strong Right Bank showing, complemented by Lynch Bages, Montrose, and Ducru Beaucaillou on the Left.

• Chateau Palmer 1970 (Margaux): widely considered the wine of the vintage; praised across multiple historical tastings
• Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1970: highest-ranked French wine at the 1976 Judgement of Paris
• Chateau Latour 1970: a landmark Pauillac with notable bottle variation; excellent in well-stored examples
• Pomerol highlights: Petrus and Trotanoy at the top, with Latour a Pomerol and L'Eglise Clinet also impressive

At over 55 years of age, the 1970 Bordeaux vintage is fully mature and for most wines the window is closing. The vintage is now described by critics as one where most bottles need to be opened now, with only a few exceptional examples from impeccably stored cellars capable of further improvement. Bottle variation is a very real consideration; cork quality and storage history over five decades can make the difference between a magnificent wine and a disappointing one. Top performers such as Chateau Palmer, Chateau Latour, and leading Pomerol estates may still provide exceptional experiences from well-documented provenance, but even these should not be delayed further.

• Most 1970 Bordeaux: drink now, as the majority are fully mature or past their peak
• A few top classified growths with documented provenance may still impress through the late 2020s
• Bottle variation is significant at this age; provenance, ullage, and cork condition are critical
• Sauternes, including Chateau d'Yquem, is now in decline and should be consumed promptly

The significance of 1970 cannot be separated from the desperate context of the decade that preceded it. After a string of largely poor vintages from 1963 through 1969, with notable exceptions only in 1964 and 1966, the wine trade badly needed a great year. Harry Waugh famously called 1970 one of those golden years which occur all too seldom, yielding a very large crop of excellent quality and noting it was rare for such quality to accompany a large harvest. Three wines from the 1970 vintage were selected for the 1976 Judgement of Paris, a testament to the esteem in which the year was held internationally. Its legacy endures among collectors who value mature Bordeaux, even if the vintage lacks a single undisputed iconic wine to serve as its banner.

• Ended a bleak run of failures from 1963 to 1969; received as a relief and a celebration by the trade
• Three 1970 Bordeaux were included in the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting
• Harry Waugh described it as rare for such quality to accompany a large harvest
• Lacks a single definitive banner wine, which has contributed to its underappreciation relative to its quality

The best 1970s are defined by firm tannic structure, classic Cabernet Sauvignon character on the Left Bank, and complex tertiary development in the finest bottles. Tasting notes from well-preserved examples describe dark cassis, tobacco, leather, truffle, and earthy notes, with the top wines retaining genuine freshness and long finishes. The vintage was never unanimous in its greatness; inconsistency was recognized early, with some wines picked too early or at excessive yields. Today, the finest surviving bottles demonstrate that 1970 produced genuinely age-worthy Bordeaux, even if the vintage as a whole remained uneven.

• Dominant aromas: dark cassis, tobacco leaf, leather, truffle, earthy minerality in top examples
• Structure: firm tannins on the Left Bank; the best have softened gracefully over five decades
• Inconsistency noted even at release; provenance and storage history are paramount at this age
• Pomerol styles: richer, rounder, with red cherry, cocoa, and truffle character in the best bottles