The Vine, an independent fine wine magazine, has been published by Clive Coates MW since 1985. Keenly read by oenophiles the world over.

France has maintained its position as the home of the great wines; from Bordeaux to Champagne and from Burgundy to Provence, there is a wine to suit every palate and price range and this is the most comprehensive guide to those wines, appellations and domaines ever published. There are hundreds, if not several thousand, of individual descriptions of the leading estates, the greatest of which are starred (one, two or three, in the Michelin red guide sense). All noteworthy domaines are listed and local vintages assessed.

The Vine has received numerous awards, including a special commendation for its "considerable contribution to the knowledge and understanding of wine" from the Wine Guild of Great Britain and the French government recently awarded him the 'Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole'.

The Vine Ratings

The Vine does not give specific notes to unfinished wines: wines still in cask, or only recently bottled. Nor does it award specific marks out of context. The time to do this is when bottles can be dispassionately judged against each other: usually no sooner than a year after bottling and shipment. Only then is it apposite or sensible to differentiate one's reaction as exactly as a half point out of 20.

Furthermore, wines must be judged within their context. There is a 20/20 top Bordeaux. There are also wines of lesser vintages which have performed magnificently, and must be saluted as such. No marking system in the world can accomodate all this. Only words can do justice. The words are here.

But... for those who insist on marks, here is a translation:

20.0 Excellent. 'Grand vin'.
19.5 Very fine indeed.
19.0 Very fine plus.
18.5 Very fine.
18.0 Fine plus.
17.5 Fine.
17.0 Very good indeed.
16.5 Very good plus.
16.0 Very good.
15.5 Good plus.
15.0 Good.
14.5 Quite good plus.
14.0 Quite good.
13.5 Not bad plus.
13.0 Not bad.
12.5 Poor.
and under Not worth bothering about.

Issue No 204 - January 2002

This month Clive Coates covers 1961 Claret, Domaine Jean Grivot, Chateau Cheval-Blanc, Pingus, Tenuta Di Trinoro and Elio Altare.

Issue No 203 - December 2001

This month Clive Coates covers Austria 2000, 1999 Oregon Pinot Noir, 1997 Red Bordeaux and the 2001 Vintage. Also, book reviews by Jasper Morris MW.

Issue No 202 - November 2001

In this issue of The Vine Clive Coates covers 1991 Red Burgundy, 1999 White Burgundy, Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases and Louis Roederer.

Issue No 201 - October 2001

Includes a review of the auction season 2000/2001, 1997 Red Burgundy and Domaine Bonneau Du Martray.

Issue No 200 - September 2001

This month Clive Coates reflects on nearly 17 years of The Vine. Also, 2000 White Burgundy and Chateau Canon.

Issue No 199 - August 2001

This month Clive Coates covers Chateaux Latour and Climens, Domaines Des Comtes Lafon, Meo-Camuzet and Du Comte Georges De Vogue as well as 1994 Port.

Issue No 198 - July 2001

This month Clive Coates looks at Domaine Michel Lafarge, Domaine De Chevalier, Chateau Leoville-Barton, Richebourg and 1998 Burgundy.

Issue No 197 - June 2001

This month Clive Coates surveys 2000 Bordeaux and 1996 Medoc and Graves.

Issue No 196 - May 2001

This month Clive Coates takes a look at Barolo and Barbaresco in Italy; Chianti Classico and Super-Tuscans as well as Red Bordeaux.

Issue No 195 - April 2001

This month Clive Coates looks at Alois Kracher, 1999 Austria, Quarles Harris, Smith Woodhouse and Gould Campbell as well as 1975 and 1978 Red Bordeaux.

Issue No 194 - March 2001

This month Clive Coates continues his appraisal of Red Burgundy.

Issue No 193 - February 2001

Part one in Clive Coate's annual survey of Red Burgundy.

Issue No 192 - January 2001

Chateau Pontesac, Domaine Armand Rousseau, The Alsace and Cotes de Provence along with Oregon Pinot Noir make up this month's tastings from Clive Coates, MW.

Issue No 191 - December 2000

This month Clive Coates looks at the Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard, Domaine Dugat-Py and Domaine De Trevallon wineries, 1955 and 1960 Port as well as a review of the 2000 vintage and more.

Issue No 190 - November 2000

The 1990 vintages of Bordeaux and Burgundy are reviewed in this Issue along with a vertical tasting of Champagne Lanson spanning 40 years.

Issue No 189 - October 2000

In this issue of The Vine, the 1999 Cote Chalonnaise catches Clives attention as does the 1996 Red Burgundy. He also provides us with an interesting review of the 1999/2000 auction season.

Issue No 188 - September 2000

This month Clive Coates goes to the Cote de Beaune, and reviews 1999 White Burgundy and 1999 Chablis.

Issue No 187 - August 2000

In this issue Clive covers three 1997 tastings - 1997 Burgundy, 1997 Sauternes and 1997 Chablis; along with vertical tastings of Chateau Haut-Brion, Domaine Leroy and Francois Jobard's Meursault, Genevrieres.

Issue No 186 - July 2000

Clive spent three weeks in the Rhone Valley in February 2000 where he reviewed over 100 of the best domaines' 1998s and older vintages

Issue No 185 - June 2000

1999 Bordeaux. The Full Story

Issue No 184 - May 2000

Clive Coates reviews the 'world's longest living wine'; 1997 Oregon Pinot Noir; the magic 'grand cru' Clos-de-Vougeot and more.

Issue No 183 - April 2000

This month Clive Coates looks at 1996 Red Bordeaux, three years on and Austria 1998, the best of the Danube Whites.

Issue No 182 - March 2000

This month Clive Coates looks at 1998 Red Burgundy.

Issue No 180 - January 2000

This month Clive Coates looks at future trends for the Millennium, high class single quinta port, Quality Burgundy, 1966 Red Bordeaux and 1990 Champagne.

Issue No 179 - December 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at Le Pin v Petrus, Hermitage La Chapelle, The Great Loire Reds, 1999 Vintage and more.

Issue No 178 - November 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at 1989 Bordeaux and Burgundy ten years on; visits Fronton and Clos de Vougeot and more.

Issue No 177 - October 1999

1995 Red Burgundy, Cahors, More 1998 White Burgundy, Review of the Auction Season 1998/1999.

Issue No 176 - September 1999

This month Clive Coates delves into 1998 White Burgundy and 1997 Vintage Port.

Issue No 175 - August 1999

This month Clive Coates covers J J Pruem, Corton-Charlemagne and 1959 Sauternes, plus Madiran and Pacherenc Du Vic-Bilh and Who's Who in the Jura.

Issue No 174 - July 1999

Lloyds Cotsens' 1929 Bash, 1966 V 1963 Port, Jurancon, Chateau Ferriere, Echezeaux and Grands-Echezeaux.

Issue No 173 - June 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at 1998 Bordeaux plus the 1997's one year on.

Issue No 172 - May 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at 1918 Bordeaux, the Spanish wine Vega Sicilia, Calem Port and 1996 Burgundy.

Issue No 171 - April 1999

This month Clive looks at 1995 Red Bordeaux and the wine regions of Limoux and Cassis. He also celebrates 200 years of Dow's Port.

Issue No 170 - March 1999

This month in The Vine - 1997 Red Burgundy and Book Reviews.

Issue No 169 - February 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at 1997 Red Burgundy.

Issue No 168 - January 1999

This month Clive Coates looks at 1996 Oregon Pinot Noir, he compares 1959, 1970 and 1989 Bordeaux, he looks at 1997 Wachau Rieslings and Gruner Veltliners and more.

Issue No 167 - December 1998

This month Clive Coates looks at Chateau Rauzan-Segla, Condrieu, The 1998 Harvest and more.

Issue No 166 - November 1998

Issue No 165 - October 1998

1988 Red Burgundy, Chablis 1995, 1996 and 1997, plus a Review Of The Auction Season 1997/1998.

Issue No 164 - September 1998

An issue dedicated to 1997 White Burgundy.

Issue No 163 - August 1998

In this issue of The Vine, Clive looks at Le Chambertin - "the King of Burgundy" -, 1990 Champagne and the Cotes du Roussillon 'appellation'. One of Burgundy's 'grand cru' monopolies, Clos de Tart and the 1986 Red Bordeaux also catch Clive's eye this month.

Issue No 162 - July 1998

This Month Clive Coates Looks at 1985 Bordeaux, Chambolle-Musigny, Mas De Dumas Gassac, 1995 Port and Californian Pinot Noir.

Issue No 161 - June 1998

This month, Clive reviews the 1997 Bordeaux plus the 1996s one year on.

Issue No 160 - May 1998

This month Clive Coates looks at 1961 v 1982 v 1990 Bordeaux, Indulgence, 1995 Californian Pinot Noir and more.

Issue No 159 - April 1998

This month Clive Coates looks at 1994 Red Burgundy, 1993 Royal Tokaji and Fonseca Guimaraens. He also reviews Chateau Calon-Segur and a new Spainish wine, Abadia Retuerta.