White Burgundy Vintages

2006- Excellent white wine vintage. The white wines are noticeably more aromatic than in 2005 with plenty of flesh and good structure, although acidity is not high. These wines have a similar appeal to the 1992s at the same stage. Many will be delicious to drink young while some, especially those picked earlier, will have the structure for considerable ageing

2005 - A small crop of potentially very fine, concentrated wines which should age extremely well.

2004 - Vigilant growers have made extremely attractive, quite aromatic white wines which will develop over three to five years. Others suffered from attacks of oidium in the vineyard, and there are some herbaceous wines to be avoided.

2003 - The extraordinary vintage of the great August heatwave. Very opulent white wines, particularly successful in the Maconnais. They key was not to panic and pick too early, and especially not to panic and bottle the wines too quickly. Those who aged their wines in barrel for as long as they usually would do have made the most balanced wines.

2002 - An excellent vintage with well balanced crisp white wines whose quality owes much to the sunny but coolish weather in September. The best wines will age very well. Particularly successful in Chablis.

2001 - A good vintage which needed another week of hot sunny weather to be outstanding. Well structured wines for drinking reasonably soon.

2000 - Very good, with excellent ripeness.  Some wines are slightly lower in acidity than in 1999, so will be ready for drinking quite soon.

1999 - A large crop of extremely good wines which are showing character and class as they begin to mature.

1998 - Difficult weather conditions with both oidium and some hail damage yielded some exotic, atypically rich wines; drink up. Very good in Chablis.

1997 - A hot, dry, sunny September made for delicious white wines which have been good to drink from the start. Drink them up now, except for the grandest wines.

1996 - September was very sunny (good for sugar ripeness) but also very cool, which led to high levels of acidity. The vintage has matured unevenly as a result with some wines now past their best and others still well short of maturity. The best are outstanding.

1995 - Supple, well-balanced wines ready to drink now. Very good quality across the board. Keep the top wines for a little longer.

Earlier fine vintages : 1992, 1990, 1989, 1985, 1979, 1973, 1969, 1964, 1959.

See Red Burgundy - Recent Vintages