1981 vintage guide for White Burgundy

drink now

A small vintage of indifferent quality; most are light

2/5

Weather Conditions

Heavy frosts reduced the potential crop of Chablis by as much as a third. 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 poor vintage: thin and ungenerous. Now finished. Ignore.

Best Producers

Not applicable.