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Gossip Guides

Wine Vintage Charts: Every Region, Every Year

By Chris Stang — co-founder of The Infatuation, co-author of How To Drink Wine
A city skyline made of wine bottles at dusk

Every chart from the Gossip Guides on one page: which years to open now, which to wait on, and which to quietly stop saving. Each one links to its full guide — the producer rules, the FAQs, and how to tell when a bottle is ready.

Barolo

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2022Hot and dry. Better than expectedNow–2038
2021Superb — balanced, complete, the real dealWait. 2028–2050 for serious bottles
2020Very good, and friendly early — softer than its neighbors2026–2040. The one recent vintage you can start on now
2019Excellent but strict — classic, structured, in no hurryWait. 2027–2047
2018Light and pretty. Not a keeper's yearNow–2033
2017Hot year, fast winesNow–2030. Don't sit on these
2016Outstanding — the best of the decadeCrus are just opening: 2026–2050. Entry bottles: now
2015Warm and generousNow–2035
2014Rainy, tricky, lighterNow–2030. The good ones are drinking already
2013Excellent, classicNow–2043. In its stride
2012Middle of the roadNow–2032
2011Warm year, early winesDrink now. Past 2028, you're gambling
2010Great and built to last2020–2045. In its prime — no rush on top bottles
Full guide: when to drink Barolo →

Brunello di Montalcino

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2021Just released — elegant, the third of a great trioOn shelves now at five years old. Serious bottles: 2027–2045
2020Lighter, nice earlyNow–2038
2019Outstanding. People argue whether it beats 20162026–2042
2018Lighter, unevenNow–2033
2017Hot and dry — decent, not for keepingNow–2032
2016Excellent — Brunello superfans' darling of the decadeJust opening: 2026–2045
2015Very good in a warmer register — richNow–2040
2014The rainy one — many producers made no Brunello at allIf it did get made, drink it now
2013Classic and freshNow–2033
2012Very good, balancedNow–2032
2011Warm year, earlier winesNow–2030
2010The legendNow–2035. The top bottles are exactly where you want them
Full guide: when to drink Brunello di Montalcino →

Red Burgundy

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2024Small crop but promising — too early to gradeFirst bottles are landing now
2023Great but inconsistent...the most producer-dependent year in a whileNow–2035
2022An excellent year — ripe fruit, fresh underneathVillage: 2026 on. Serious bottles: 2029–2048
2021Tiny frost year — light, pretty, old-schoolDrink early and enjoy it. Village now; top wines 2027–2040
2020Dark and powerful, less consistentWait. 2027–2045 for serious bottles
2019Nice and balanced, great across the boardVillage now–2035. Top wines: 2027–2050
2018Warm and generous, best drunk on the earlier sideNow–2035
2017Open and charming from the startNow–2032. Don't overthink these
2016Frost cut the crop; what survived is excellentNow–2040 for the top wines
2015Powerful, structured, built to goVillage: now. Serious bottles: 2025–2045
2014Fresh, medium-weight, honestNow–2032
2013Cool and late — uneven, producer-dependentNow–2033, and choose the producer carefully
2012Small crop, concentratedNow–2035
2011Light and earlyDrink now. Past 2028, you're gambling
2010Classic and superbNow–2040. Top bottles are in no hurry
Full guide: when to drink Red Burgundy →

White Burgundy

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2024Small crop, fresh and electricEarly bottles: now–2032
2023A big, sunny crop — friendly and freshNow–2031
2022Excellent — ripe and balanced, the complete packageNow–2033
2021Frost destroyed the crop; what survived is racy and classicalNow–2032
2020Great — structured, precise, real acidityNow–2032
2019Small and concentrated, very goodNow–2030
2018Warm and generous, moving fastDrink up
2017Excellent whites, great from the startNow–2028 for the best; drink the rest
2016Frost year, tiny quantitiesDrink now
2015Rich, built for early pleasureShould be gone already
2014The classic, a benchmark white yearTop bottles are still great and will stay great: now–2028. Everything else: now
Full guide: when to drink White Burgundy →

Bordeaux

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2024A wet year...judgment reservedNot in bottle yet
2023Good. Fresh.Wait. 2028–2048
2022A heat year that somehow came out great. One for the history booksWait. 2030–2060 for serious bottles
2021Cool and classical — lighter, fresher, uneven2026–2040, and choose the producer carefully
2020Powerful and firm. The third of a great trio2027–2048
2019Excellent and balanced and priced fairly at releaseVillage-level: now. Serious bottles: 2027–2050
2018Ripe and dramatic2026–2050
2017Frost year, lighter, fineNow–2035
2016Outstanding...the classic of the decadeJust opening: 2026–2055 for the top wines
2015Excellent, and generous. Right Bank especiallyNow–2045
2014Solid and freshNow–2040
2013The weak one — a wet year and the wines are thinIf you still have any, drink it this year
2012Soft and friendly. Right Bank's yearNow–2035
2011Awkward middle childNow–2032
2010Monumental. Structured and built for decadesTop wines: 2025–2060. In no hurry at all
Full guide: when to drink Bordeaux →

Champagne

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2019–2020Strong years — the first vintage releases are just arrivingEarly days: 2028–2045 for serious bottles
2018Warm and generous — the best bottles carry it with ease2026–2042
2016–2017Tricky years, fewer declarationsIf a top producer made one, trust them: 2026–2038
2015Warm and uneven — good bottles exist, choose carefullyNow–2035
2014Decent, unflashyNow–2035
2013Cool and late — tense, fine, built for the long haulJust getting started: 2025–2045
2012Excellent — one of the most complete years in memoryNow–2040. In its stride
2010–2011Mostly not declared. If you see one, that's unusualDrink it soon and consider it a curiosity
2009Generous, friendly, earlier-drinkingNow–2032
2008The legend — structured, precise, the modern benchmarkNow–2045. No rush whatsoever on the top bottles
Full guide: when to drink Champagne →

Napa Cabernet

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2023A long, cool season. Potentially incredibleJust arriving: now–2045 for the classic styles
2022Heat spike at harvest — softer, unevenNow–2034, and taste before you stock up
2021Outstanding — small crop, concentrated, the best since 20132026–2042
2020The smoke year — see belowThe good ones: now. Don't hold these
2019Excellent — humming from day oneNow–2038
2018Excellent, a big happy cropNow–2038
2017Fires at harvest — results may varyNow–2030
2016ExcellentNow–2040
2015Small crop, strongNow–2035
2014Very good, balanced, underratedNow–2034
2013The benchmark — powerful, structured, the keeper yearNow–2040
2012Generous and friendlyNow–2032
2011Cold and wet — panned at the time, but the restrained wines aged surprisingly wellDrink now; expect the occasional pleasant shock
2010Cool year, structured, excellentNow–2035
Full guide: when to drink Napa Cabernet →

Rioja

VintageThe yearWhen to drink
2022Excellent. A hot year handled wellCrianzas now; Reservas arriving: now–2034
2021Exceptional — the modern benchmarkCrianzas now; Reservas now–2033; Gran Reservas will arrive ready
2020Very good, fresher styleNow–2030
2019Excellent — structured, the real thingNow–2035
2018Cooler year, classic-leaningNow–2030
2017Frost and heat — small and trickyDrink now
2016Very good, freshNow–2032
2015Excellent and ripeNow–2032
2014Good, unflashyNow–2028
2013Cool and lightDrink up
2012Small drought crop, decentNow–2028
2011Excellent, warm and richNow–2030
2010Excellent and classic — the great modern yearGran Reservas are perfect right now: now–2035
Full guide: when to drink Rioja →