Home > Vintages and Regions > Bordeaux > Bordeaux 1964
Bordeaux 1964
This vintage followed on from the splendid
1961, the underrated 1962 and the
washout that was 1963. With more rain in 1964, it might seem that history was
repeating itself, but in this vintage the rain was a harvest problem - so the
key to selecting the good wines is knowing which communes escaped the rains, and
in the affected regions which chateaux harvested before the
heavens opened, and which during or after.
Spring was warm this year, and the flowering was successful, suggesting that the crop would be sizeable. The summer months were hot, dry and largely uneventful, and by the third week of September many estates had commenced picking. On the right bank most estates had finished bringing in the very healthy Merlot, which usually ripens a week or two before the Cabernet Sauvignon of the left bank, in early October. Many Graves properties had also finished harvested at this time, and so there was an excellent crop of wines from Pomerol, St Emilion and Graves. On October 8th, however, the rains began, and this put paid to any speculation that this would be a great vintage for the left bank, where much of the Cabernet Sauvignon was still on the vine. Worst affected were the communes of St Estèphe and Pauillac. Nevertheless, some estates had finished picking, or at least had brought in the majority of their fruit. Those that had not simply either had to carry on in the rain, or wait it out, but the rains persisted for two weeks. Either way, the quality of the fruit was significantly affected.
Some wines were said to be terrible, including a number of first growths. Writing in Vintage Wine, Michael Broadbent praises Latour for making a "top-class wine". Lafite, Mouton and Calon-Ségur, he says, were "caught with their pants down". Here I taste Latour, where picking commenced on September 25th and finished before the rains on October 7th, and also Montrose, where the pickers went out on September 21st and were all done by October 2nd. (10/10/00)
Bordeaux 1964 - Tasting Notes
Tasted in October 2000. Click
to locate stockists.
Chateau Montrose (St Estèphe)
1964: A
beautiful fading red hue, with hardly a touch of
tawniness to it. The nose is dominated by a beautiful
combination of rich, fruit gum raspberry fruit with
attractive, sweet oak, a truly enticing and elegant
bouquet. The palate has lovely texture, with more sweet,
clean fruit. Absolutely correct acidity, and gentle
tannins, mean this wine is drinking beautifully right
now. The finish retains that silky texture, and there is
a pleasant length. The September rains in Bordeaux in
1964 ruined many wines, but Château Montrose, who
finished picking just before the rains began, have
crafted a superb wine here. 17.5/20
Chateau Latour (Pauillac) 1964:
A more intense red colour, with again little tawniness to the hue. On the nose
rich, ripe fruit, some spices and pepper. On the palate, an amazing quantity of
black fruit, still just a little too much tannin but good acidity. Finishes
smoothly with good length. Latour have also done well in 1964, and amazingly
this wine is still not at its peak. 17.5+/20
