Red Burgundy - 1985
Meteorological data: Several hundred hectares destroyed by frost in January (temperatures down to -25°C). The Côtes de Nuit were the worst affected. Flowering often difficult. Beautiful summer. Drought in August; sunshine and mild temperatures in September.
Harvest status: From September 26th.
Abundance: A larger than normal harvest.
Quality: Healthy, ripe grapes.
Overall quality of the vintage: Excellent. Rich, ripe and fruity wines, very well balanced. Very pleasant to drink now, but also with great ageing potential.
White Burgundy - 1985
Chablis suffered from a cold winter of frost, but the unaffected grapes ripened. On the Côte de Beaune, flowering was late, and delayed the harvest accordingly.
Harvest status: a late but healthy harvest, limited production.
Overall quality of the vintage: Very good, concentrated and powerful wines, moderately complex but tasty, supple and ripe. The wines are generally already past their peak or should be drunk now.
Bordeaux Red - 1985
Meteorological data: One of the coldest winters: frosts caused serious damage in some vineyards. Very good early flowering. An exceptional summer: long, hot and dry until the end of October.
Harvest status: Dates: from 25 September. Excellent harvest conditions throughout October.
Abundance: high volumes. Too high for some crus (diluted wines and declassified harvests).
Quality: Very fine grapes.
Overall quality of the vintage: Excellent. Very attractive, balanced, harmonious and fine wines. The best will keep until 2010.
Bordeaux White - 1985
Meteorological data: adverse climate conditions overall.
Overall quality of the vintage: good, but with great disparities between estates. The less good wines lack acidity and grace. The best have improved with age.
Bordeaux Syrupy - 1985
Meteorological data: insufficient humidity for the development of noble rot. Conditions too dry until October.
Harvest status: Dates: From October 1st. Harvest extended until November 8 and, in some cases, until December 19.
Abundance: limited.
Quality: noble rot insufficiently developed.
Overall quality of the vintage: Average. Sweet wines had it been possible to await the formation of noble rot. Little ageing potential, best drunk now.
Champagne - 1985
Meteorological data: Very cold winter: temperatures down to -25°C cause an average loss of 10% of the vines. Some 62,000 vines are uprooted. Wet and dull spring. Early summer. The grapes begin to ripen in mid-August. September and October bring much-needed heat and sunshine.
Harvest status: Dates: Late harvest, from September 30th.
Abundance: Small harvest.
Quality: Excellent. The grapes have reached perfect maturity and are nicely plump.
Overall quality of the vintage: excellent. Perfectly balanced, elegant and fruity wines, with good acidity and a good degree of alcohol. Some are now beginning to decline.
Red Rhone Valley - 1985
Overall quality of the vintage: Very good. Some very good successes in the north of the northerly sector. Great ageing potential. On the southern side, rich, supple and concentrated wines, but uncertain in their development.
Alsace White - 1985
A fine year throughout the region, particularly favourable for the Gewurztraminers; the vintage also marks the success of one of the best cooperatives in the region: the Turckheim winery. Superb at birth, their Brand and Ollwiller grand cru Rieslings will remain so. Created in 1956, the winery can also pride itself on being the only cooperative cellar to feature on the wine list of one of Alsace's most prestigious restaurants: Auberge de l'Ill, in Illhaeusern. That honour goes to the winery's red wine aged in oak barrels.