The Best Wine Vintages to Drink in 2019 | Wine Enthusiast
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The Best Wine Vintages to Drink in 2019

Trying to decide whether a wine vintage is in its peak drinking window, needs to be aged longer or is past its prime can feel like a bit of a guessing game. Well, guess no further. Here is your cheat sheet to vintages from wine regions around the world that are currently at their best. Keep it handy to reference next time you’re deciding whether to pull a bottle from your cellar or are just looking for the best year’s bottle to buy from your local wine shop.

Interested in learning more? View our full 2019 Wine Vintage Chart for a glimpse at which vintages are worth cellaring longer and which bottles might be worth dumping down the drain.

* Indicates highest rated vintage(s) that are in peak drinking condition now.

Jump Straight to a Region

United States | France | Italy | Spain | Germany | Portugal | Austria | Australia | New Zealand | South Africa | Chile | Argentina
Rows of vineyard vines at sunrise in Sonoma County, California / Getty
Rows of vineyard vines at sunrise in Sonoma County, California / Getty

United States

California

Napa Valley

Napa Chardonnay: 2011*, 2012

Napa Cabernet Sauvignon: 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*

Napa Zinfandel: 2010, 2011, 2012*

Russian River Valley

Russian River Valley Chardonnay: 2010, 2011, 2012*

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*

Sonoma

Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon: 2010, 2011, 2012*

Sonoma Pinot Noir: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*

Sonoma Zinfandel: 2010, 2011, 2012*

Carneros

Carneros Chardonnay: 2012, 2013*

Carneros Pinot Noir: 2012*

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Chardonnay: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*, 2013*, 2014*

Santa Barbara Pinot Noir: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*, 2013

Central Coast

Central Coast Chardonnay: 2010, 2011, 2012*, 2013*, 2014*

Central Coast Pinot Noir: 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2011, 2012, 2013

Central Coast Syrah: 2010*, 2011, 2012*

Other California

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

North Coast Syrah: 2010, 2011*

South Coast Syrah: 2012*, 2013*, 2014*

Paso Robles Zinfandel: 2011, 2012*

Sierra Foothills Zinfandel: 2009, 2010*, 2011

Oregon

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: 2006*, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Willamette Valley Whites: 2012, 2013*

Southern Oregon Reds: 2011*, 2012*, 2013

Washington

Columbia Valley Cabernet, Merlot: 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009

Columbia Valley Syrah: 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2011*

Columbia Valley Whites: 2012*, 2014, 2015, 2016

New York

Finger Lakes Reds: 2010, 2012*, 2013, 2014

Finger Lakes Whites: 2010*, 2012*, 2013, 2014, 2015*

Long Island Reds: 2010*, 2012*, 2013*, 2014

Long Island Whites: 2014*, 2015*

Vineyard and farmhouse in Bordeaux, France / Getty
Vineyard and farmhouse in Bordeaux, France / Getty

Europe

 

France

Bordeaux

Pomerol/Saint-Émilion: 1998, 2001*, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007

Médoc: 1998, 1999, 2000*, 2001*, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012

Graves (red): 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001*, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013

Graves (white): 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009

Sauternes/Barsac: 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2012

Burgundy

Côte de Nuits (red): 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002*, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008

Côte de Beaune (red): 2001, 2003*, 2006, 2007, 2013

Chablis: 2001, 2002*, 2004, 2005*, 2006, 2007, 2008

Côte de Beaune (white): 2001, 2002*, 2004, 2006, 2007

Mâconnais: 2008, 2009*, 2010*, 2011

The Rhône

Nothern Rhône Reds: 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*

Nothern Rhône Whites: 2001, 2004*, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013

Southern Rhône Reds: 1998*, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2011

Southern Rhône Whites: 2015, 2016*, 2017*

The Loire

Loire Dry Whites: 2005*, 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2010*, 2011

Loire Sweet Whites: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005*, 2006, 2008

Loire Reds: 2000*, 2003, 2005*, 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2011*

Other France

Alsace: 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2011, 2012

Beaujolais: 2006, 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2011, 2012

Champagne: 1996*, 1998, 2000, 2002*, 2003, 2005, 2006

Languedoc-Roussillon: 2007, 2008, 2009*

Provence (reds): 2007*, 2009, 2010, 2011

Grapes on the vine in Bolgheri, Tuscany
Grapes on the vine in Bolgheri, Tuscany

 

Italy

Piedmont

Barbaresco: 1993, 1995, 1996*, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004*, 2005, 2007, 2009

Barolo: 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998*

Veneto

Amarone: 1997*, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003

Soave Classico/Lugana: 2008, 2009*, 2010*, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017

Tuscany

Bolgheri: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001*, 2003, 2004, 2007

Chianti Classico: 1999*, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Brunello di Montalcino: 1997*, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

Maremma: 2004*, 2005, 2006, 2014

Marche

Verdicchio: 2012*, 2014, 2015, 2017

Conero/Rosso Piceno: 2008, 2009, 2010*

Campania

Campania Reds: 2001, 2004, 2005*

Campania Whites: 2012*, 2014, 2015, 2017

Sicily

Sicily Reds: 2005*, 2006

Sicily Whites: 2008, 2009*

Other Italy

Abruzzo Reds: 2004, 2005, 2006*, 2014

Basilicata Aglianico del Vulture: 2004, 2005*, 2014

Collio-Friuli Whites: 2012*, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017

Lombardy Franciacorta: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2010, 2011, 2012

Puglia Reds: 2008, 2009*, 2010*, 2014

Sardinia Reds: 2008, 2009*

Trentino-Alto Adige Whites: 2013, 2014, 2015*, 2017

Umbria Reds: 2005, 2006*

The village and fields of Briones, La Rioja, Spain
The village and fields of Briones, La Rioja, Spain

 

Spain

Catalonia Reds: 2010*, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Rioja Reds: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2011, 2014

Ribera del Duero Reds: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010*, 2011

Galicia Whites: 2016*, 2017

Germany

Mosel Whites: 2004, 2005*, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Rhine Region Wines: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2010

Franken Whites: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2010

Terraced vineyards by the Douro River, Portugal / Getty
Terraced vineyards by the Douro River, Portugal / Getty

 

Portugal

Port: 1992, 1994*, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2006

Red Table Wines: 1997*, 1998, 2000, 2003*, 2005, 2008

White Table Wines: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013*, 2014*

Austria

Danube Region Whites: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011*, 2012*

Burgenland Reds: 2008, 2009*, 2012

Burgenland Sweet Wines:  2005*, 2006, 2008

The vineyards of Western Australia / Getty
The vineyards of Western Australia / Getty

Southern Hemisphere

 

Australia

Barossa/McLaren Vale Shiraz: 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005*, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Clare Valley Riesling: 1997, 2002*, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon: 1996, 1998*, 201, 2002, 2004, 2005*, 2006*, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011,

Yarra Valley Pinot Noir: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012*

Western Australia Cabernet/Chardonnay: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2011

Hunter Valley Semillon: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*, 2012

New Zealand

Hawke’s Bay Reds: 1998*, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*, 2011, 2012

Martinborough Pinot Noir: 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011*

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: 2013*, 2016

Central Otago Pinot Noir: 2005, 2006, 2007*, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012

South Africa

South Africa Reds: 2006, 2007, 2009*, 2011

Organic vineyards and the Andes near Mendoza, Argentina / Getty
Organic vineyards and the Andes near Mendoza, Argentina / Getty

 

Chile

Maipo Reds: 2011, 2012, 2013*, 2014, 2015*

Casablanca/Coastal Whites: 2017*

Colchagua Reds: 2011*, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015*

Argentina

Argentina/Mendoza Reds: 2013*, 2014