Woe to generalize. The pretense of judging an absolute vintage can lead to considering as bad vintages that in some areas are not bad at all. Because of the shape of Italy, the climate can be very different from one place to another.
In as many as 45 years of frequenting the world of wine I’ve seen a lot of it. In particular, I have witnessed peremptory definitions of the value of various vintages, only to be resoundingly disproved over time.
Of course, that 1972, ’84, ’92 of last century, 2002 and 2014 of this one, were not great is very true. But of exceptions there are several, because Italy is long, narrow, the vineyards are mostly in hilly areas, and the climate can be very different between places. A classic example was the 1989, very bad almost everywhere but very good in Piedmont, in the Langa especially. Then, sure, 1985 was a great vintage, and initially ’86 seemed much inferior. If you went to taste the wines of the two vintages in Bordeaux, in Chianti Classico, in Montalcino, you would probably find today the upside-down values. So too between ’95 and ’97, where the first vintage was hastily deemed “minor” and the second “vintage of the century.” Very advanced and “open” ’85 and ’97, very youthful ’86 and ’95, almost everywhere.
More recently, 2002 also yielded formidable and unsuspected wines, especially in the white sector, while 2014 was “branded” as a decidedly poor vintage. However, in Sardinia and Sicily, at the very least, it is exactly the opposite. So let’s go easy on generalizations.
And the last one, 2023? It depends. Everyone knows that there have been attacks of downy mildew even in areas where it was virtually unknown. Then first drought and soon after continuous rains, lots of hail here and there, and a very successful end to the season. Therefore of the Good winemakers made good wines and in some areas the lower production has led to very interesting results. You have to watch, in short, and Judging on a case-by-case basis, without bias. Many people like drastic stances, though. Evidently testing their beliefs is very difficult for them.
