The vintage

1997

Italy's year, not Bordeaux's

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The 1997 vintage, rated

Italy's year, not Bordeaux's

In 2026 a bottle from 1997 marks a 29th birthday or anniversary

The vintage

Good · 3/5

A weak year in Bordeaux - an early, uneven harvest gave soft, forward wines meant to be drunk in the 2000s, and mostly they were. Italy is the reason to want this vintage: Barolo and Brunello were ripe and opulent, heavily praised at the time and still impressive, if a little showy for purists. Sauternes had an excellent year and the Douro declared 1997.

What we would buy, and why

Do not buy 1997 Bordeaux; there is no future left in it and the good names charge for the name alone. Put the money into Tuscany or Piedmont, both still widely available in sound condition. If you want the sweet option, 1997 Sauternes is genuinely fine, and a half-bottle from a top estate makes a handsome gift for under 150 euro.

1997 in the world

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published on 26 June in a first hardback run of about five hundred copies. Days later the Sojourner rover began trundling across Mars.

Best bets for 1997

  • Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1997 - 150-220 euro
  • Vietti Barolo Rocche 1997 - ripe, generous Nebbiolo, 250-350 euro
  • Fonseca 1997 Vintage Port - 150-200 euro
  • Chateau Climens 1997, Barsac - 150-220 euro

How we grade a bottle

Fill level, label, capsule and cork, then provenance. Every bottle is checked by hand by people who have handled thousands of old bottles, and we write down the flaws as well as the good news. What the fill levels mean · How to choose a birth-year wine

Real people, not a chatbot

Ask a person about this year

The people who answer are the same people who check and pack the bottles. Ask for photographs, a condition report or advice on a year and you get a straight answer from the ANNO team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 CET.