1982 Bordeaux: The Vintage and Its Enduring Legacy
Updated
You may own a wine from a specific year, such as 1982 Bordeaux. Understanding the concept of vintage and proper storage is key to deciding what to do next. A vintage wine is one made from grapes "grown and harvested in a single specified year". The importance of vintage can be "varied and disputed". It still denotes quality in some cases. Regions at the colder climatic limits of wine production are one example. For wines from prestigious producers and regions, superior vintages often "command much higher prices" than average vintages. That holds particularly if they are likely to improve with age in the bottle. Bordeaux wines are known for their longevity. They are commonly found at wine auctions. However, the condition of a bottle is paramount. Excessive storage temperatures "will have a marked effect on the shelf life of bottled wine", according to Marais (1986) in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Temperatures "in excess of 40°C will induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days", Ough (1986) observed in AWRI Technical Note TN09.
What does "vintage" mean for a wine like 1982 Bordeaux?
A vintage wine, such is a 1982 Bordeaux, as one "made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year". The importance assigned to vintage is "both varied and disputed". In regions at the colder climatic limits of wine production, vintage can be "very important". Warmer seasons produce "riper grapes and better wine". Poor growing seasons can lead to grapes "failing to reach optimal ripeness", affecting quality. However, in many New World regions, growing seasons are "much more uniform". The "systematic and controlled use of irrigation also contributes to uniform vintages". Such wines are still regularly labeled by vintage due to consumer demand.
Wines of superior vintages from prestigious producers and regions "will often command much higher prices than those from average vintages". That is especially so if they are "likely to improve further with some age in the bottle". Some wines are only labeled with a vintage in "better-than-average years" to maintain quality and reputation. Most wines are produced to be drunk young. For those, vintage is "usually considered less important". You can track the performance of such wines against the live fine wine market index.
The significance of vintage may sometimes be "exaggerated". New York Times wine columnist Frank J. Prial declared the vintage chart to be "dead". Bill Marsano wrote that "winemakers now have the technology and skills to make good and even very good wines in undistinguished years". James Laube of Wine Spectator has asserted that "even an average vintage can yield some grand wines". Roman Weil is co-chairman of the Oenonomy Society of the US and professor at the University of Chicago. He tested the hypothesis that experienced wine drinkers "cannot distinguish in blind tastings the wine of years rated high from those of years rated low, or, if they can, they do not agree with the vintage chart's preferences". Weil found that tasters "could not distinguish between wines of good and bad vintages except for Bordeaux wines". They could sometimes make a distinction. Even then, the match between assessments and chart rankings was "little better than tossing a coin". When replicated with wine experts, results were "again the same as chance". Weil suggests using a vintage chart to help "find good buys in wine". Wine from "years considered to be worse than average for vintages may be priced far below its actual quality".
How do Bordeaux wines like 1982 typically age?
Bordeaux wines, including those from a specific year like 1982, are often known for their longevity. They are known too for their ability to improve with age. The Bordeaux region of southwest France sits around the city of Bordeaux. It produces a vast majority of red wine. That wine is sometimes called "claret" in Britain. Red Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carménère. Cabernet Sauvignon typically dominates blends in the Médoc and the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Merlot tends to predominate in Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, and other right bank appellations. For example, typical top-quality Châteaux blends on the left bank are "70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot". Right bank blends are "typically 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon".
The concept of terroir plays a "pivotal role" in Bordeaux wine production. Top estates aim to make "terroir driven wines that reflect the place they are from". The grapes are often collected from a single vineyard. The region's best vineyards are located on "well-drained gravel soils that are frequently found near the Gironde river". An old adage in Bordeaux is that the best estates can "see the river" from their vineyards.
Many top Bordeaux wines are primarily sold by receiving payment in advance. That practice is known as "selling en primeur". Bordeaux wines "tend to be the most common wines at wine auctions". That reflects a combination of "longevity, fairly large production, and an established reputation". You may be considering acquiring such wines. Our guide on how to buy wine at auction provides essential insights. There is no official classification applied to Pomerol. Some Pomerol wines, "notably Château Pétrus and Château Le Pin, are often considered as being equivalent to the first growths of the 1855 classification, and often sell for even higher prices". For example, Pétrus 1982 is a highly sought-after wine. Emperor Napoleon III requested the 1855 classification system for the Exposition Universelle de Paris. It ranked wines into five categories according to price. The first growth red wines sit among the "most expensive wines in the world". Understanding these classifications is key for fine wine investment.
What are the ideal storage conditions for a mature Bordeaux like 1982?
Ideal storage conditions are crucial for preserving the quality of mature wines, including a 1982 Bordeaux. Environmental factors can significantly affect wine quality. AWRI Technical Note TN09 recommends that wine be stored under "insulated and/or temperature- controlled storage conditions, which minimise fluctuations in both temperature and humidity". Excessive storage temperatures "will have a marked effect on the shelf life of bottled wine", as observed by Marais (1986) in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Temperatures "in excess of 40°C will induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days", according to Ough (1986) in AWRI Technical Note TN09. In general, "any storage place where the temperature exceeds 25°C for long periods and 40°C for short periods can affect wine quality", Ough (1992) states in AWRI Technical Note TN09. Amon and Simpson (1986) recommend keeping the cork in contact with the wine. They advise a "cool (15-20°C), dry location", as cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. For more detailed guidance, consult our guide on how to store wine.
Light exposure also poses a risk to wine quality. Research has shown that wines "may also develop off flavours upon exposure to light". Maujean and Seguin (1983) demonstrated that "lightstruck’ flavour (goûts de lumière) is due to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds", AWRI Technical Note TN09 reports. Riboflavin, present in low levels in musts and wines, undergoes photo-activation when exposed to light at wavelengths of 370 nm and 440 nm. That reaction drives the oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids and the formation of these sulfur compounds, according to AWRI Technical Note TN09.
Dozon and Noble (1989) conducted studies on lightstruck flavour in white wines. They found that exposure to fluorescent lamps produced this flavour. The intensity became statistically significant after varying durations, depending on the wine and glass type:
| Wine Type | Glass Type | Time to Significant Lightstruck Flavour (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Still White Wine | Green | 31.1 |
| Sparkling White Wine | Green | 18 |
| Still White Wine | Clear | 3.3 |
| Sparkling White Wine | Clear | 3.4 |
Sensory assessment of the affected wines indicated a decrease in "citrus" aromas. It also showed an increase in "cooked cabbage", "corn", "wet wool/wet dog", and "soy/marmite" aromas, AWRI Technical Note TN09 adds. Direct sunlight provides "4286 times the amount of UV-A radiation as fluorescent lamps", according to Gordon Watson, cited in AWRI Technical Note TN09. That makes exposure to sunlight "more deleterious to wine quality than exposure to electric lighting systems".
How can you assess the condition of an older bottle of Bordeaux?
Consider an older bottle of Bordeaux, such as a 1982 vintage. Assessing its condition means looking for signs of environmental stress. Such stress can impact quality and marketability. Physical damage may result from exposure to temperatures "significantly greater than ambient temperature", as noted in AWRI Technical Note TN09. One example is "Leakage of wine and/or movement of cork stoppers due to thermal expansion of wine". Such physical damage "does not necessarily imply that the quality of the wine has also been affected". It "will obviously affect the appearance, and therefore the marketability, of the wine", AWRI Technical Note TN09 explains. Our guide to wine ullage levels explained offers further detail on assessing fill.
Visual and sensory changes can occur rapidly with high temperatures. Ough (1986) observed in AWRI Technical Note TN09 that temperatures "in excess of 40°C will induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days". For light damage, Dozon and Noble (1989) studied white wines in clear glass. Those wines developed "lightstruck flavour" after only "3.3 hours and 3.4 hours, respectively" of fluorescent light exposure, as reported in AWRI Technical Note TN09. This flavour includes aromas described as "cooked cabbage", "corn", "wet wool/wet dog", and "soy/marmite", according to AWRI Technical Note TN09.
To establish whether damage has occurred, "Physical, chemical and sensory tests are required". It is "necessary to compare test results of bottles exposed to excessively high temperatures with those for bottles of the same wine which have not had such exposure", AWRI Technical Note TN09 advises. The careful selection of glass color can help prevent problems from light exposure. Rankine (1989) indicates that "amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm". Marketing often dictates glass color instead, AWRI Technical Note TN09 states. The Institute has observed a "disproportionately high number" of cases of copper instability haze in white wines. Those cases involve bottles in clear glass, AWRI Technical Note TN09 adds.
Consider the value of a specific bottle, such as Pétrus 1982. Its condition is a primary factor. You can use our landed cost calculator to estimate the all-in cost of acquiring a bottle. That estimate can factor in potential condition issues.
Set up price alerts on your watchlist. They keep you informed on the market for specific vintages and producers.