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A very hot year produced wines of variable quality
Weather Conditions
After a string of poor vintages, this year saw a return to better weather conditions, leading to the production of some good wines. A frost-free winter and a mild spring was followed by dry, hot conditions during summer. The grapes were ripe to harvest by the middle of a warm September. Even though rain began to fall towards the end of the month, by that time the bulk of the crop had been picked. The drought-like conditions of summer resulted in good ripening in the Pinots, but the quality of the Chardonnay suffered in comparison.
Best Appellations
Like the 1983s, the white wines were big, spicy, alcoholic and over-balanced. More than a few oxidised quickly.
Best Producers
Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne, Leflaive’s Chevalier-Montrachet and Ramonet’s Bâtard-Montrachet were three of the few exceptions. Edmond Delagrange, François Jobard, Lafon, Pierre Morey and Guy Roulot were also very good. But all but a few wines are now past their best.
