Red Burgundy 1969: Drink now
A very fine year producing wines with good fruit intensity
Weather Conditions
A cold, rainy spring followed a mild winter. This resulted in a delay in a (protracted) flowering and a reduced crop. A warm July and August helped the grapes to ripen thoroughly, but early-mid September was cold and wet. The weather turned fine in time for an early October harvest.
The whites did better than the reds this year.
Best Appellations
Gevrey Chambertin and Chambolle Musigny
Best Producers
This year was small in size, but absolutely superb. Most wines have verve and breeding, with excellent fruit balanced by good acidity and good backbone. A few of the best are worth trying now but are few and far between.
The Bonnes-Mares from Bouchard Pere et Fils is a classic example. Others include Corton Bressandes from Joseph Drouhin which is rich and full in length and Clos St Denis which is stylish, fruity and elegant.
