1928 Wine

Vintage 1928: exceptional tannic power and longevity

The 1928 vintage ranks among the pinnacles of the interwar period, and stands above all as one of the most long-lived of the twentieth century. After a mild winter and a warm spring that encouraged early budbreak, a burning, dry summer reduced yields, concentrated the juice and thickened the skins — particularly those of the cabernet sauvignon. The harvest, begun at the end of September, brought in healthy, very ripe grapes. The result was powerful, richly structured wines whose massive tannins initially baffled: it would take several decades for them to integrate. That same backbone explains their exceptional ageing ability; where the charming 1929 offered immediate pleasure, 1928 rewarded patience, and the finest bottles can still be enjoyed with a freshness that very few vintages of such age can claim.

Bordeaux 1928 — The tannic power of the Médoc and Pomerol

In Bordeaux, the hot, dry summer of 1928 produced grapes of remarkable concentration, giving rise to wines built around a dense tannic structure and sustained acidity. Yields, reduced by the drought, further accentuated this compact substance. In their youth, these reds were closed, almost severe; yet the balance between power and freshness allowed them to cross the decades without faltering. The Médoc, led by its first growths, produced upright, deep wines whose aromas have now evolved to tertiary notes of leather, tobacco and undergrowth, while the Right Bank brings a more velvety texture on the great terroirs of Pomerol.

On the Left Bank, Château Latour 1928 is regarded as the reference wine of the year, with a density and length that left their mark on the estate's history. It shares the summit with Margaux and Haut-Brion, while on the Right Bank Petrus 1928 ranks, alongside Cheval Blanc, among the most sought-after bottles of the vintage. In Saint-Julien, Château Gruaud Larose 1928, still present in our cellar, illustrates the success of the Médoc's second growths in this great structured year.

Sauternes 1928 — A perfect botrytis, legendary sweet wines

In Sauternes and Barsac, 1928 ranks among the truly great sweet wine years. The summer heat followed by favourable late-season conditions allowed ideal development of noble rot, concentrating the musts without excessive heaviness. The wines combine a generous sweetness with an acidity that ensures remarkable longevity; nearly a century later, the finest bottles retain a rare aromatic freshness and precision.

Château d'Yquem 1928 towers over the vintage — it is one of the greatest sweet wines ever born on this terroir —, alongside a Suduiraut at the very height of its form. In our cellar, Château Coutet 1928 from Barsac and Château Guiraud 1928 extend this success, on registers of honey, candied apricot, saffron and orange peel.

Burgundy 1928 — Frost and hail overcome, the finesse of pinot

Burgundy experienced a contrasting year: a spring frost in Chablis and severe hail in the Côte de Nuits reduced harvests, but the best-exposed terroirs — notably in the Côte de Beaune — produced wines of fine bearing. The 1928 reds are distinguished by a lighter body than the Bordeaux of the year, fine and already integrated tannins, and a delicate aromatic profile of dried cherry and herbs. More structured than the 1929s that would follow, they offer the precision and drinkability characteristic of great pinots from cool years.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti stands among the major signatures of the vintage in the Côte de Nuits, while the great Chambertins — foremost among them those of Domaine Armand Rousseau — rank among the most accomplished reds of the year. These bottles, now exceedingly rare, demand an impeccable provenance.

Rhône 1928 — A great year for Syrah in the north

In the Rhône Valley, 1928 ranks among the most solid vintages of the first half of the century. The hot, dry climate, which favoured a slow and complete ripening, yielded dense, structured Syrahs in the north, fully equal to the region's ageing potential. The Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie wines of the year combine power, firm tannins and deep aromas of black fruits, leather and spice; in the south, ripe grenache grapes produced warm, generous wines.

On the granite slopes of Tain, the Hermitage of Domaine Jean-Louis Chave perpetuates a family tradition long predating the vintage, while the house of Paul Jaboulet Aîné and its Hermitage La Chapelle embody the great northern tradition of Syrah. The rare surviving bottles now qualify as collector's pieces.

Champagne 1928 — The vintage of the century in effervescence

In Champagne, 1928 is frequently described as the vintage of the century. After a spring frost and irregular flowering, a superb summer and an ideal end of season produced wines of exceptional richness and balance, endowed with an ageing potential that few years have matched. The cuvées of that year have developed, over time, a vinous complexity of dried fruits, honey, brioche and toasted bread.

The Krug 1928 cuvée has entered legend: presented by Decanter as one of the greatest Champagnes ever produced, it reached record heights in the auction room. It ranks, alongside Pol Roger and Bollinger, among the most coveted Champagne bottles of the era.

Buy a 1928 wine at SoDivin: a great year for laying down in the cellar

Choosing a 1928 wine means acquiring one of the greatest structured vintages of the twentieth century — a year of tannic power and rare longevity, the very opposite of the immediate charm of 1929. Our cellar currently brings together eight bottles from 1928: the legendary Château d'Yquem and two other top-ranking Sauternes in Château Coutet and Château Guiraud, a benchmark Pomerol with Vieux Château Certan, a great Saint-Julien signed by Gruaud Larose, and two armagnacs from the same year — eaux-de-vie that travel through time with superb grace. Each bottle is expertly assessed and checked — level, label, provenance — then dispatched the same day before 2 pm in secure packaging, supported by high-definition photographs. Consult the SoDivin Vintage Guide to place 1928 among the years of its century.