1974 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
1974 Bordeaux wine competes with 1977 for the honor, or is that dishonor of being the worst vintage out of a decade of difficult vintages. It is still not decided which vintage came out on the bottom of that contest. The 1974 Bordeaux growing season started well with a warm and dry May and June. Those positive conditions were gone after July. August brought cold, wet weather which remained through the rest of the growing season through the harvest. The harvest was in full bloom by September 24. Perhaps the 1974 Bordeaux wines could have been a little bit better. But the chateaux were still reeling from the complete collapse of the Bordeaux market that took place just two years earlier. The chateau owners had no heart, few buyers and no money to allow them to try and produce the best wines possible.
If you need a wine from a birth year or to celebrate an anniversary, 1974 is sublime for California, Cabernet Sauvignon. If the bottles have been well stored, some of those 1974, classic, California Cabernet Sauvignon wines are still showing well today at close to 40 years of age.
To read about other Bordeaux vintages from 1945 to today: Bordeaux Year to Year Detailed Vintage Reports & Guide 1945 to Today
