Bordeaux - there are always exceptions, but I agree about 1975, 1995 and 2003. I’m not over-confident about 2005 either.
Wasn’t 1978 Bordeaux really hyped up, but deadpanned by Parker? Wasn’t that really the start of his rise?
I’ve had some good '75s but not enough to call the whole vintage. And I’m not old enough to remember the hype. I think 2003 was desperation hype after 2002, which was a disaster if I remember right. I did get a Mission Haut Brion 2002 for really cheap though 
It was only the WS that pushed 2000 (“Vintage of the Century” was the cover, as I recall). When I was in the region in 2002, winemakers were scratching theirs heads about that.
Parker never hyped it, though as I recall he was moderately positive (a fair position).
Initially he sounded very positive about the 97 Barolo and Barbarescos, suggesting they were on par with the 96s in a different style. Later he (correctly) cautioned about the overripeness.
The British critics by and large were very negative about 2003 in Bordeaux in the early stages. Jancis Robinson wrote a pretty scathing column about overripe wines. As I recall, she said something about them possibly appealing to American palates. Parker extolled them.
I would add 1997 in Tuscany. The Brunellos I’ve had didn’t really go the distance. Too warm a year, I think.
2007 in the Southern Rhône has to be high up the list, too, judging by the many notes posted here about badly unbalanced wines. (I never owned any.) 1997 there was badly overrated, too, from my limited experience.
I have to disagree about 1993 Burgundy. There are an awful lot of fabulous 1993 Burgs.
I must admit that the highlight of Pierre Rovani’s ratings of Burgundy is that he often didn’t like the best wines (in terms of producers and vintages) and their prices remained more reasonable.
This is absolutely true, but did anyone care at the time?
It’s easy for me to say with good old hindsight, but I suspect RMP wanted 03 to be good, as 02 was the first vintage in his prime period where EP took place before his scores were published: the prices were the lowest for a very long time and I think his relevance took a hit. Actually, although the handful of top 03s are probably better, I have found most 02s to be a lot better than expected and a lot better than their counterparts in 03.
2007 CdP for me is the one that immediately comes to mind. Tasted many at the wineries and was viscerally impressed, but in the bottle just so many disappointments.
2003 was not a hyped vintage, at least by anyone I can recall
2008 BDX futures were pretty much set to be DOA given the financial crash and the poor reports from Bordeaux, but then RMP declared it “probably a notch below 2005, but it is better than any other vintage in the last decade except 2000”.
I have yet to find a single 2008 BDX that lives up to that claim.
I m with Howard on 93 red Burg…wish I had more Engel, Pousse d or, Rion. It gets down to the definition of a great vintage. A lot of great wines were made in '93, maybe not by everybody.
One thing about mid 70s vintages: they followed a period when everybody was closing out wines for pennies…the Schoonmaker dump featured wines like Roumier Bussieres for $5 retail…Austin Nichols…Monsieur Henri closed out 71 Rieussec to us at $36 a case…we had 73 Las cases for $90 a case… 73 Mouton for $12…
So when 75 BX came out at relatively high prices it was a tough sell. This was before every Bob, Jancis, and Matt went to Bordeaux for en primeur tastings. We just had to take the word of the sellers. I’m glad we didn’t bite.
In my mind, this is the perfect example of a massively over-hyped vintage that massively disappointed. And like you, I was seduced by some early Cotes du Rhône and the critics’ hype.
Not in the US.
I thought 1993 had a reputation young as overly tannic and underfruited. I certainly don’t recall it being hyped at the time of release. I thought it’s positive reputation only developed over the last decade or so.
All red California wines from 1997, which I had privilaged to taste were outstanding or great, here are my examples:
- Ahlgren Bates Ranch Reserve Cabernet ( 92/100)
- Caymus Special Selection Cabernet (95/100)
- Staglin Estate Caberent ( 97/100)
- Forman Cabernet ( 94/100)
- Newton Unfiltered Merlot (96/100)
So based on my (little) experience this is benchmark vintage for California North Coast reds.
90 red burgs are admittedly variable, but they offer far too many absolutely stunning wines to be considered hugely disappointing overall. 1990 Jayers and Rougets–particularly echezeaux–are unbelievably good. 90 Rousseaus are glorious. 90 Mugnier Amoureusses has been lovely recently, as has Bachelet Charmes. 90 Leroy Beaux monts is a stunner. The list goes on and on. 90 lafarge clos de chenes is beautiful. 90 Meos can be excellent. 90 DRCs are at least quite good.
05 Bordeaux would be my pick. I haven’t tasted all of them recently, but the half dozen or so i’ve had lately, particularly left bank, have been pretty forgettable.
Agree. I actually preferred the 98’s after some cellaring.