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1981 vintage guide for Red Burgundy

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Rain at harvest time produced thin, dilute wines

Weather Conditions

A warmish spring promoted flourishing growth and budding, but severe frosts late in the seasons threatened the crop. Luckily most of the grand and premier cru vineyards escaped with relatively little harm done to their vines. June saw good conditions for the flowering, but July brought with it showers and there were even hailstorms halfway through August, an otherwise fine month. Sunshine followed until mid-September, then the rains fell again, albeit intermittently, right through the harvest period.

Best Appellations

A short, disappointing and in some cases in the Côte de Nuits, hail-damaged, vintage. Well past it. Ignore.

Best Producers

Not applicable.

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