2014 Wine Vintage Report - Vintage Wines & Spirits (2024)

FAQs

Is 2014 a good wine year? ›

In particular, 2014 and 2017, which are not considered extraordinary Vintages, have above-average quality as well. While most consumers cast the spotlights on the more stellar Vintages, 2014 and 2017 generally have more affordable prices and are considered more good value picks.

In the new world, California had a small but excellent vintage. Australia also excelled in certain regions, while others suffered from difficult weather. Neighboring New Zealand, on the whole, was very good.

They say good things come in threes. That's the truth for Cabernet Sauvignon wine lovers this year because 2014 completes the holy trinity of exceptional vintages in Napa and Sonoma, following the superstar harvests of 2012 and 2013. Many Napa and Sonoma Cabernets from the 2014 vintage are available to buy now.

As most readers will be aware, 2014 was heralded as an exceptional vintage for white Burgundy. Exceptional for the high quality, but equally for the consistency of both quality and style across the villages.

The tannins act as a natural preservative. On average, an unopened bottle of red wine can last anywhere from 2 to 10 years or more, with lighter reds being on the shorter side. High-quality red wines, like Bordeaux or Barolo, can age well for several decades if stored properly.

Pinot noirs will rival 2014 for rave reviews. 2014: 2014 was one of those rare vintages when everyone is excited—writers and winemakers love the quality, grape growers had no handwringing to do and yields pleased bankers, which also means customers will see reasonable prices!

The 2014 vintage is the year Bordeaux came back to the market. After three less than stellar vintages (2011, 2012 and 2013), this vintage has produced many excellent wines, some verging on superb, with quality that reaches deep into the unclassified estates.

Most of the 2014 reds already show abundant tertiary characters and are ready for drinking now, although the top-top wines still have at least a couple more decades of cellaring potential.

The Yarra Valley also experienced intense winds and frosts. However, although Coonawarra suffered a cold, wet winter that significantly cut yields, the rest of the growing season more than made up for it, in the end delivering an excellent vintage.

2019 - Another great vintage for Napa, the 2019s have tons of depth, ripeness, and balance. The have a bit more opulence than the 2018s before them, but once again deliver great consistency and quality.

Was 2014 a good year for Spanish wine? ›

While the Rioja Regulatory Council rated both 2013 and 2014 as only “Good,” it was easier to find consistent wines in the 2014 vintage. This might be Rioja's most challenging vintage in the 2010s. It was a cold and wet year. A rainy, cold spring delayed the growing season and grapes struggled to ripen properly.

He says producers “experienced two equally excellent years,” resulting in two very different high-quality vintages. “Our decision was that 2017 was too good not to declare,” he says. “The 2016s are defined by a wonderful freshness, elegance and balance.

More pertinently for consumers, 2014 delivered the most consistently fine white wine vintage for a generation and some very pleasing reds, though others are a little lacking in weight and energy. Winter 2013-2014 hardly happened at all. It was wet to begin with, drier later but rarely cold.

2014 was the exception to the decade's warmer temperatures; producers in Valpolicella called it one of the most difficult years they have ever faced, while Barolo and Barbaresco vintners fared much better, crafting less powerful, but beautifully balanced, well-structured wines.

White wines last 1-2 years past the recommended drinking window if unopened. This is less time than red wine due to the lower level of natural preservatives.

It has to be balanced by ripe fruit. But in the finest years with most complexity, 2016, 2013, 2010, the wines require patience, like 2006 and 2001 before them. 2019 is particularly good in Barbaresco. Keep those years back if you can.