Spain Vintage

Question 1

Spain: 1982

Answer 1

Exceptional. “Best since 1970.”

Question 2

Spain: 1986

Answer 2

Good in Rioja; better in Ribera del Duero.

Question 3

Spain: 1989 & 1990

Answer 3

Two large crops; rich and charming.

Question 4

Spain: 1991

Answer 4

Another excellent year; small crop but weighty and structured.

Question 5

Spain: 1992 & 1993

Answer 5

Promising start ruined by prolonged rains and severe rot. Good but not great.

Question 6

Spain: 1994

Answer 6

Lower quantity due to spring frost and summer drought, but very high quality.

Question 7

Spain: 1995

Answer 7

Ribera del Duero had a similarly small crop to 1994, but riper and better balanced.
Rioja had incredibly big, high quality yields.

Question 8

Spain: 1996

Answer 8

Good in Rioja; great in Ribera del Duero.

Question 9

Spain: 1997

Answer 9

“Rain at harvest. Not glorious.”

Question 10

Spain: 1998

Answer 10

High quantity in both regions; Ribera struggled with ripeness over so much yield.

Question 11

Spain: 1999

Answer 11

Some difficulty due to rains; Ribera del Duero is better than Rioja, but neither region is as good as 1998.

Question 12

Spain: 2000

Answer 12

Huge crop levels, extremely variable quality, some wines lacking in concentration. Some excellent examples in Ribera del Duero.

Question 13

Spain: 2001

Answer 13

Small crop of excellent quality.

Question 14

Spain: 2002

Answer 14

Very cold, very wet, generally disastrous for both quantity and quality.

Question 15

Spain: 2003

Answer 15

Small, drought-plagued, early harvest. Many unbalanced wines.

Question 16

Spain: 2004

Answer 16

Excellent, especially in Rioja.

Question 17

Spain: 2005

Answer 17

Another excellent vintage, hot but well balanced.

Question 18

Spain: 2006

Answer 18

Spring hail in Rioja; hot summer, drought stress. Not up to the same quality as 2004 or 2005.

Question 19

Spain: 2007

Answer 19

Difficult year; Ribera del Duero crop decimated by hail in September. Late picked wines do better, but overall not a great year.

Question 20

Spain: 2008

Answer 20

Excellent quality in Rioja.

Cooler season than normal in Ribera, yielding balanced, elegant wines.

Question 21

Spain: 2009

Answer 21

Very hot - average conditions over 2003. Timely rain key in saving the crop. Ultimately, the quality is very good.

Question 22

Spain: 2010

Answer 22

Exceptional across the board; Ribera edges slightly above Rioja.

Question 23

Spain: 2011

Answer 23

Heat-stressed vintage - lower acidity, but powerful, concentrated wines.

Question 24

Spain: 2012

Answer 24

Fifth consecutive small vintage (due to drought). Unusually high tannin wines in Rioja. Quality good in both regions.

Question 25

Spain: 2013

Answer 25

Higher yields than 2012.
Cool and wet in Rioja; uneven ripening and delayed harvest, but producers are optimistic.
Excellent prognosis in Ribera del Duero.

Question 26

Spain: 2014

Answer 26

“Improved in quality and quantity from 2013” in Rioja; however, final harvest affected by grey rot. We will see.

Question 27

Spain: 2015

Answer 27

Hot and dry - high alcohol and high concentration, with softer tannins in Ribera del Duero.

Question 28

Poor vintages in Rioja & Ribera del Duero

Answer 28

1992
1993
1997
2002
2003
2007