1998

Whites

A generally ripe crop but quantity varied widely according to location. Prime Côte de Beaune Chardonnay yields were savaged by a freakish run of bad weather and disease. After April frost and spring hailstorms came powdery mildew and, in August, a novel threat for Burgundy: sunburn. Four days of unremittingly fierce sun (Chablis recorded 42°C in the shade) scorched grapes unprotected by foliage. With photosynthesis arrested and grape maturity blocked by heat stress, rain was needed fast… but not too much. Of course, when it did come on 2nd September, an entire month`s worth fell in two weeks, not only restarting grape development but bringing botrytis. Fine weather from 16-25 September allowed all producers south of Beaune to pick in dry conditions although Chablis’ later harvest date meant that it had to deal with rain. Notwithstanding these trying conditions, the harvest numbers were satisfactory: Chardonnay typically recorded 12% - 12.5% potential alcohol, one degree below 1997, with low but adequate acidity. The bans de vendanges were a week early (Mâconnais 10/9; Chalonnais 15/9; Côte de Beaune 17/9; Chablis 22/9). In practice, as soon as ripeness allowed, everyone scrambled to get finished as the return of bad weather had been widely forecast. Although vintage performance inevitably reflected local factors - Chassagne, for example, largely escaped the adverse conditions which penalised Puligny and Meursault and did proportionately better - there is a common theme throughout 1998 whites from Chablis to Pouilly-Fuissé. Freshly aromatic, medium-weight, accessible flavours, underscored by mineral notes, offer sharper albeit less intense sensations than the rich, but sometimes clumsy 1997s. All 1998s below grand cru level are drinking now - most are at their peak.

Reds

A slow-developing, firmly structured vintage, with strong cellar potential diametrically opposed to the fleshy, approachable 1997. A particularly trying growing season in 1998 not only reduced potential yields - through a combination of frost, hail, coulure (pollenation failure), powdery mildew, sunburn and heat stressing - but also led to irregular grape maturity. August’s heatwave temperatures did indeed ripen the crop but blocked photosynthesis on drought-prone upper slopes, amplifying the heterogeneous character of the year. Rain finally came on 2nd September, restarting grape development but also bringing botrytis to overcropped or underprotected vines. Nine days of fine weather from 16th to 25th September stopped the rot and opened the narrowest of harvesting windows before rain returned on 26th September. Grape sugar levels varied widely but many producers returned figures equal to or above those of 1995 or 1996. Total acidity, however, was lower than in these two earlier vintages, but higher than in 1997. Frustrated by poor September weather, the 1998s display assertive phenolics like the 1993s. Strong materials emphasise flavours of black cherry, kirsch, bottled plums and associated stoned fruit. Mineral, graphite and leather notes abound. Colours are dense, veering towards cherry and blood-red hues. As so often, Côte de Nuits wines carry their tannic structure more lightly than their Côte de Beaune counterparts and some quite outstanding cuvées were made from Gevrey to Nuits-Saint-Georges, although frost damage in Chambolle, like Volnay, sent yields plummeting. The bigger wines have predictably closed up. Côte de Nuits premiers and grands crus will not be ready before 2004/5. Elsewhere, some surprisingly attractive wines emerged from the Auxerrois and from a bedraggled Beaujolais vintage.