1991 vintage guide for Medoc and Graves

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A small and difficult vintage

2/5

Weather Conditions

The year of the frost. Plummeting temperatures on the night of 20 April wiped out up to 70 percent of the crop. Second buds complicated the ripening process of what remained, and rain in late September provoked much rot, resulting in many wines that were dilute as well as not entirely clean.

Best Appellations

Nonetheless the most ruthlessly selective properties in the northern Médoc made good, slightly beefy wines, generally superior to 1987 or 1992. Merlot fared better than Cabernet. Graves was less badly affected by frost, and some good medium-bodied wines were made. White Graves tended to be light but attractive.

Best Producers

In the Médoc Cos d’Estournel and Pichon-Longueville were both excellent.