1970 Bordeaux Wine Vintage Report and Buying Guide

1970  Bordeaux Wine Vintage Summary with harvest information, vintage characteristics, buying tips and links. If you are seeking more in-depth information on anything and everything related to the Bordeaux wine region please see the: All About Bordeaux Wine Guide

1970 Bordeaux wine earned a lot of positive press in its day. Much of this was due to the fact that 1970, was the best year since 1961. 9 years is a long time for the market to wait for a strong vintage. Plus, 1970 finally broke a strong of three bad vintages in a row. With that in mind,  it’s easy to understand, why 1970 Bordeaux wine was so well received.

The 1970 Bordeaux vintage got the decade off to a good start.  Flowering took place under good conditions. June and July were hot and dry. In fact, drought conditions took place in July for a bit. August delivered periods of heat and cooler temperatures with some much needed rain, which took place at the exact moment. September delivered warm, sunny weather as well as cold conditions. The 1970 Bordeaux harvest was late. It started September 27 and kicked into high gear in early October. 1970 Bordeaux wine is the product of a large harvest. Aside from a big crop, another issue with the 1970 Bordeaux harvest was that for some odd reason, all the different grape varieties seemed to have ripened at the same time. Producers did not have enough room on the fermentation vats to handle so much fruit at the same time. Had producers reduced yields and utilized the selection they do today, 1970 Bordeaux wine would have been much better.

That being said, 1970 Bordeaux wine was the first vintage to usher in the modern era for Bordeaux, as the vintage allowed for a large production of high quality Bordeaux wine from every appellation. Dry white Bordeaux from Graves were fine and very good Sauternes were produced as well. However, all the whites are a bit long in the tooth these days.

1970 saw rampant speculation on Bordeaux wine.  That trend continues today.  Several good wines were produced from both banks. Pomerol once again produced stunning wines with Trotanoy and Petrus leading the pack. While those two wines were at the top of the pyramid, other Pomerol producers made good wine, Chateau L’Eglise Clinet, Chateau Latour a’ Pomerol, Chateau La Conseillante are all worth considering. It was not a good vintage for St. Emilion. Other than Chateau Latour, the vintage was not kind to the First Growths. But Latour was not the only successful wine of the Medoc. Chateau Palmer is sublime. It’s miles ahead of the light wine produced at Chateu Margaux. Lynch Bages, Montrose, Ducru Beaucaillou were also successful. Sauternes was moderate, and even Chateau d’Yquem is fading today.

The following Bordeaux wines represent the best blend of price and quality from the vintage: 1970 Best Bordeaux wine for the money today

To read about other Bordeaux vintages from 1945 to today: Bordeaux Year to Year Detailed Vintage Reports & Guide 1945 to Today