Vintages in Burgundy – The Good, The Bad, & Who Made the Best Wines: 1985

Everyone talks about the vintages that produced the finest wines, and why wouldn’t they? Delicious and quite often worthy of deep-time in a cellar, they are the wines enjoyed and spoken of throughout the decades. Then there are the forgotten years, the vintages that saw terrible weather at the worst times, whose wines were all but written off as times passed. The worst years can still produce fantastic wines, when produced by houses that understand how to deal with what their dealt, and come out shining regardless of the conditions.

This series will be dealing with the vintages in Burgundy of fame, infamy, and everything in between - with the best regions/producers for that year. We hope you enjoy :)

 

After several bad vintages  - some of which were covered here - 1985 was a return to better conditions. An exceptionally cold winter had surprisingly little effect on the vines, and while the spring was more cold than usual, the only occurrence was a late budding. The summer was a bit warm, but still chilly for the time of year. Late summer into fall however saw some delightful sunny and warm weather, with very little rain. A notable exception was Aloxe-Corton, with was battered by hail in mid-august.

The result was a small yield overall, with the dry conditions deterring mold and rot. The most well made red wines are voluptuous and fruit-forward, with some still having their peak. The best whites are mostly well and past their prime, with a few exceptions of course.

The wines of Marsannay & Santenay are still showing especially well in certain producers. Also make sure to keep your eyes peeled for Marquis d’Angerville, Robert Ampeau, Denis Bachelet, Gaston Barthod-Noellat, Dujac, Faiveley, Jean Gros, Jadot, Michel Lafarge, Dr Georges Mugneret, J.F. Mugnier, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Georges Roumier, Armand Rousseau, Roland Trapet, Bonneau du Martray, Carillon, Drouhin, Jacques Gagnard-Delagrange, Jadot, François Jobard, Lafon, Latour, Leflaive, Leroy, Matrot, Pierre Morey, Ramonet, Roulot, and Sauzet.

Drinking a fine wine from Burgundy is always something special, make sure you are drinking them at the proper temperature. For whites, 52° is best, with reds rising up a few digits at 56°, and as always, don’t forget the Avintage DIVA line of wine refrigeration cabinets for all your wine storage needs. For more information, visit us at www.frenchcornercellars.com, or call at +1 (833) 839-4637.

 

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