1985

Bordeaux 1985/ An extraordinary vintage. Particularly elegant in their early years, these wines are now mellow and suave with considerable finesse. The Médoc wines, supple with mellow tannins, are deliciously soft and fruity. The Pomerols and Saint Emilions possess a marvellous combination of concentration and finesse. The dry white wines are rich and complex. The sweet wines are ample, honeyed and fruity.

1985 Burgundy by Clive Coates MW / The 1985 vintage represents a turning point in the wine history of Burgundy. Before this date, on the whole, winegrowers made wine, merchants bought it, assembled several plots, if necessary, and sold it. Subsequently, more and more estates began to mature, bottle and market the wines themselves. In the meantime, many merchants had taken the opportunity to expand their own estates, so that, particularly at the upper end, they were more or less self-sufficient. In the 1970s, and earlier, there were barely around twenty producers – we think of Rousseau, Dujac, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Gouges, Lafarge and Leflaive – who did not sell in bulk. Many of today's super-stars bottled only a token quantity and were unknown to even the most perceptive merchant or journalist.

The emergence of these new areas is transforming Burgundy. In a very short time, almost everyone who had a grand cru and many who had a good premier cru were bottling as much as they could themselves. There was, of course, the question of cash flow. If you sold to a merchant, you were paid in full at the time of the next vintage. If you sold in bottles, you didn't get the money until about two and a half years later, after bottling 18 months after harvest and possible shipping in winter thereafter. We would therefore not be able, unless we were otherwise financed, to move from bulk sales to bottled sales overnight. I remember the late Philippe Engel explaining to me that the transformation for him took ten years.

The process was encouraged by local residents. Burgundy is a generous wine region. Most growers are on very good terms with their neighbors and are only too happy to help if there is a problem. Naturally, the best ones have a queue of potential buyers waiting to step in if one of the regular customers falls through. What could be more natural for the important owner of the much sought-after estate than to recommend a hitherto unknown young neighbor who was looking for business. If he or she was a cousin or in-law, so much the better.

Moreover, the quality was improving, and by leaps and bounds. The best growers went to Viti in Beaune then to the University of Dijon. Many left for a stopover in California or Australia, or elsewhere in France. Tasting each other’s wines with your neighbors has become commonplace. Firstly, selling your wine under your own label required you not to cut corners, which you might have been tempted to do if you were simply selling in bulk. Tasting your wine alongside those of your friends and reading a review of it in a wine magazine will soon tell you whether you are producing superior quality or not. Second, viticulture and viticulture techniques had become increasingly sophisticated. There has been a return to plowing and the elimination of herbicides and pesticides. The size of the harvest was taken into greater account. And finally the introduction of the sorting table: the greatest contribution to increasing quality of all. Today, everyone has a sorting table. The first time I saw it was Domaine de la Romanée-Conti when I was making a video in 1987. Finally, after a disappointing run of vintages in the 1970s and early 1980s, 1985 ushered in a series of high quality years that continues to this day. Burgundy has not had a bad vintage since 1984. Thirty years.

The consequence of all this is that it is increasingly difficult for everyone, not just the outside journalist, to keep up. Every year, new areas, worthy of exploration and waiting to be discovered. In 1985, I visited six estates in Gevry, four in Morey and Chambolle and perhaps eight in Vosne. Today I should visit 25 in Gevrey, and so on. A marathon for which I no longer have the energy. I am very lucky to have been there at the time and to have experienced what was an exciting time in Burgundy.

Severe winter temperatures and spring frosts did great damage, leaving many in the region unhopeful of a good year. The destruction was excessive especially in the northern Montagne de Reims, in the hillside vineyards west of Reims and in the Aube. The early summer weather did not raise the hopes, but finally fine September weather came to the rescue and yields ended up being better than feared (albeit tiny, 6,827 kg/ha) when picking commenced on September 30th. Champagnes from 1985 are typically beautifully balanced and intense with great length and character that is still improving today. Dom Pérignon, Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie and Blanc des Millénaires, Krug Vintage and Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque excelled, to name a few.

Napa Vintage Report: Weather Conditions After experiencing one of the first starts thanks to early bud break, the season was relatively cool and ended up being one of the longest and best yet. Summer offered warm days, cool nights, and a cool August set the stage for a sunny September that brought the fruit to a uniform, gradual ripeness rarely encountered in California. The Cabernets are as atypical as the vintage. Fruit maturity was achieved at relatively moderate sugar levels and the acidity was perfect for balance. With Sonoma benefiting from the same conditions as Napa, the vintage yielded an overwhelming number of successful Cabernets. Generally ripe and supple, the wines are well proportioned and integrated with fine tannins. At the time, it was the finest vintage since '74. With aging, the best display refined fruitiness and elegance, but a number ripen slowly. Silver Oaks' Alexander Valley Cabernet led the strong Sonoma contingent and was drinking well at the turn of the century.

Italy Vintage Report by Tb: 1985 more than made up for the weak year that preceded it. An extremely cold winter ensured the vines went into complete hibernation, until a warm, dry spring woke them up, well-rested, giving them the energy they would need for the varied summer weather. The dry autumn paved the way for the harvest of one of the best vintages of the decade, both in Piedmont and Tuscany. Although little cultivated, 1985 was an exceptional campaign and is best remembered for the genesis of modern wine production, particularly in Tuscany. Led by the Super Tuscans, it saw the start of rapid development in the production of modern fine wines. It also produced a wine that has gone down in history as one of the best in the world - Sassicaia 1985.

Champagne: Champagne year of the decade. We can expect a long lifespan for these champagnes. The year 1985 turned out to be an exceptional harvest year. The frosts that plagued the region tested the people of Champagne in ways that were last felt 150 years ago. In January, the temperature in the region was -25 degrees Celsius. As the vines were still hibernating, they were saved from mass destruction. When the vines finally woke up, the temperature had risen to -15 degrees. It was not enough, however, and around 10 percent of the vineyards froze.

Temperatures in the region were still several degrees below zero in April. Fortunately, the sensitive flowering phase was saved from frost and the weather changed significantly. Summer temperatures were hot in August and September. The long Indian summer continued and the harvest took place at the end of September. The result was a small harvest of concentrated grapes. Stylistically, the wines were always tight and vigorous. However, the high concentration of their taste and the aromatic layers reveal the potential of the wines. The wines are still young, and some are just opening, so they will improve by being stored for 7 to 10 years.

1985 Burgundy by Clive Coates MW / The 1985 vintage represents a turning point in the wine history of Burgundy. Before this date, on the whole, winegrowers made wine, merchants bought it, assembled several plots, if necessary, and sold it. Subsequently, more and more estates began to mature, bottle and market the wines themselves. In the meantime, many merchants had taken the opportunity to expand their own estates, so that, particularly at the upper end, they were more or less self-sufficient. In the 1970s, and earlier, there were barely around twenty producers – we think of Rousseau, Dujac, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Gouges, Lafarge and Leflaive – who did not sell in bulk. Many of today's super-stars bottled only a token quantity and were unknown to even the most perceptive merchant or journalist.

The emergence of these new areas is transforming Burgundy. In a very short time, almost everyone who had a grand cru and many who had a good premier cru were bottling as much as they could themselves. There was, of course, the question of cash flow. If you sold to a merchant, you were paid in full at the time of the next vintage. If you sold in bottles, you didn't get the money until about two and a half years later, after bottling 18 months after harvest and possible shipping in winter thereafter. We would therefore not be able, unless we were otherwise financed, to move from bulk sales to bottled sales overnight. I remember the late Philippe Engel explaining to me that the transformation for him took ten years.

The process was encouraged by local residents. Burgundy is a generous wine region. Most growers are on very good terms with their neighbors and are only too happy to help if there is a problem. Naturally, the best ones have a queue of potential buyers waiting to step in if one of the regular customers falls through. What could be more natural for the important owner of the much sought-after estate than to recommend a hitherto unknown young neighbor who was looking for business. If he or she was a cousin or in-law, so much the better.

Moreover, the quality was improving, and by leaps and bounds. The best growers went to Viti in Beaune then to the University of Dijon. Many left for a stopover in California or Australia, or elsewhere in France. Tasting each other’s wines with your neighbors has become commonplace. Firstly, selling your wine under your own label required you not to cut corners, which you might have been tempted to do if you were simply selling in bulk. Tasting your wine alongside those of your friends and reading a review of it in a wine magazine will soon tell you whether you are producing superior quality or not. Second, viticulture and viticulture techniques had become increasingly sophisticated. There has been a return to plowing and the elimination of herbicides and pesticides. The size of the harvest was taken into greater account. And finally the introduction of the sorting table: the greatest contribution to increasing quality of all. Today, everyone has a sorting table. The first time I saw it was Domaine de la Romanée-Conti when I was making a video in 1987. Finally, after a disappointing run of vintages in the 1970s and early 1980s, 1985 ushered in a series of high quality years that continues to this day. Burgundy has not had a bad vintage since 1984. Thirty years.

The consequence of all this is that it is increasingly difficult for everyone, not just the outside journalist, to keep up. Every year, new areas, worthy of exploration and waiting to be discovered. In 1985, I visited six estates in Gevry, four in Morey and Chambolle and perhaps eight in Vosne. Today I should visit 25 in Gevrey, and so on. A marathon for which I no longer have the energy. I am very lucky to have been there at the time and to have experienced what was an exciting time in Burgundy. Now, with some relief, I am more or less retired.

Taylor's Port Vintage Report: The 1985 vintage was preceded by an exceptionally cold and wet winter, with nighttime temperatures in Pinhão well below freezing between January 7 and 15. Bud burst occurred in early April and flowered towards the end of May. The set of berries was excellent and the young clusters perfectly formed. The summer was hot in all regions, with no precipitation in July and August.

Harvest started early at Vargellas and other Taylor vineyards in the upper Douro Valley, with grapes generally reaching maturity by September 15. The picking took place under clear skies, with mild, warm days and cool nights. The grapes were healthy and ripened evenly, resulting in a well-balanced must with high sugar levels. The cool night temperatures helped produce long and regular fermentations, allowing the musts to be well worked and producing rich, aromatic, full-bodied wines with magnificent depth of color and firm tannin structure. By the end of the harvest it was evident that the year had produced wines of exceptional quality in all regions of the Douro and there was justified optimism among shippers about the prospects of a declaration.

Wines with a very fine aroma. Exceptional quality. A classic vintage, with intense aromas and a firm structure of fruit and tannins. Almost all producers declared their production. Excellent time. Cold start to winter, but warm February and March. A little rain in spring and normal temperatures until summer. A very hot June, followed by a normal summer. Harvest in perfect conditions.