1983 vintage guide for White Burgundy

drink soon

Largish crop of ripe, fruity but somewhat unbalanced wines

3/5

Weather Conditions

Spring saw appaling weather conditions: temperatures were low and rain fell heavily. There were heavy, if localised, hailstorms in May: Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny were particularly affected, losing a third of the crop. However a hot, dry June saw a good flowering and the sunny conditions continued throughout July and much of August. Heavy rainfall and little sunshine at the end of that month and through to mid-September adversely affected the ripening process and brought on rot; and the harvest took place in changeable weather.

Best Appellations

A large vintage of big, beefy, alcoholic wines, often touched by pourriture noble (noble rot). Elegant they were not, but they were consistent both geographically and hierarchically. Now they are fading.

Best Producers

Only the grands crus still offer life, eg, Chevalier-Montrachet from Leflaive, the top wines of Ramonet, the DRC and Laguiche’s Montrachets.