THE WINE of the DECADE.
FINE – the world’s leading fine wine publisher and TASTINGBOOK – the world’s largest wine information platform – have created the world’s most unique wine competitions –THE WINE of the DECADE.
Carefully selected wine pros around the world have joined the WINE of the DECADE jury to select the best wines of the decades from different wine regions around the world.
The WINE of the DECADE events were first started in South Australia in 2013. It has been followed by several WINE of the DECADE events – 1940's in 2014 and 1970's in 2015, Napa Valley WINE of the 1990's DECADE in 2015 and in 2016 CHAMPAGNE of the DECADE 2000's in Rheims, WINE of the DECADE 2000's in Burgundy, CHAMPAGNE of the DECADE 1990's' in Helsinki and WINE of the DECADE 2000's in Rhône. The latest event was the WINE OF THE DECADE 1980’s - Winner was Sassicaia 1985. The Next one is the WINE OF THE DECADE 1990’s.
WINE OF THE 1980’s DECADE -Competition's winners have been selected! The winner is Sassicaia 1985
The results of the largest 1980’s tasting in this century were surprising – the best wine of the 1980’s comes from Italy.
In the Finals, 250 best wines from vintages 1980-1989, chosen by tastingbook.com and FINE Wine Magazine's wine professionals, were evaluated and ranked as blind by the panels of 24 professionals coming from Australia, India, USA, UK, Germany, Lithuania, Norway and Finland (selected Judges from over 8000 tastingbook.com pros: wine writers, bloggers, MW's. wine makers etc.)
The Best Wine of the 1980’s -title was given to the Sassicaia 1985
“No wine has ever been as great as this from Sassicaia, and it is one of the best wines Italy has ever produced.” James Suckling 100 points
“I had this wine in a blind tasting - I have had it frequently, and have never failed to give it a perfect rating. A monumental Cabernet Sauvignon, it is one of the greatest wines made this century. Robert Parker 100 points
Other Winners of the main categories are:
Best Red Wine of the 1980’s: Winner: Sassicaia 1985, Tuscany, Italy
Best White Wine of the 1980’s: Winner: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 1986, Burgundy, France
Best Champagne of the 1980’s: Winner: Dom Pérignon P3 Rosé 1988, Champagne, France
Best Fortified Wine of the 1980’s: Winner: Quinta do Noval Nacional 1982, Douro, Portugal
Best Sweet Wine of the 1980’s: Winner: Château d´Yquem 1986, Sauternes, France
All the winners, TOP 100 list and prizes can be found at www.tastingbook.com
previous WINE OF THE DECADE EVENTS:
August 2023 / Vine of the Decade 1800s’
THE WINNER OF WINE OF THE 1970’s DECADE, PENFOLDS GRANGE 1971, WILL TURN WORLD ON TO AUSTRALIA’S FINEST WINES
by Tony Love News Corp Australia Network
THE naming of Penfolds’ 1971 Grange as the world’s greatest wine of the 1970s will have immediate impact on Australia’s reputation in international fine wine circles.
Current Chief Penfolds winemaker Peter Gago, still in shock over the announcement that one of the finest vintages of Australia’s most famous red wine has beaten the greatest French estates to such an accolade, believes the win means just as much for Australia’s wine industry as it does for his employer Penfolds.
“It’s really amazing for Australia,” Mr Gago said.
“This will alter the perception that we are only good for critter and basic commodity wines,” he said.
The half-million dollar, internationally judged tasting of hundreds of famed labels from France, Spain, Germany, Italy and new world producers like Australia and the US placed Penfolds 1971 Grange at the top of an astounding collection of luxury global wines.
Included in the judging, held by European FINE Wine magazine FINE, were the greatest French wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhone.
The 1971 Grange tipped out the legendary Chateau d’Yquem 1975 Sauternes, considered the world’s best sweet wine, in a 98.5 points to 98 points showdown, while other Granges from the 1970, 1972 and 1976 vintages also made it into the top 100 listings.
The results of the tasting will reverberate around the fine wine world, Mr Gago said after being told of the judges’ decision.
“Grange always gets benchmarked against similar wines, but the fantastic thing was this was the best of the best across the whole decade,” he said.
“It’s a whole new level of seriousness and will be noticed by the elite wine connoisseurs of France, the UK and US and Germany.”
The 1971 vintage of Grange has long been considered one of the great years of the famed lineage of Australia’s most famous red wine, made mostly from shiraz but in this outing also including 13 per cent of cabernet sauvignon.
Along with the 1955 and 1990 vintages, it has convinced prominent overseas wine judges and critics to name Penfolds Grange as a global icon.
Its fame has led to many other South Australian shiraz being lauded as one of the continent’s leading gifts to the wine world. Wines such as Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz are also revered by collectors around the globe.
Australia also is renowned in international circles for its extraordinary history of aged fortified wines from the Victoria’s northeast Rutherglen region, and its capacity for Hunter Valley Semillon to age for many years to deliver one of the most unique white wine styles.