An inconsistent and controversial year for Burgundy wines, after some exceptional weather conditions caused problems with rot.

For the white wines this manifested itself in exceptional richness but also a lack of balance. Noble rot was a major factor in Meursault, where Pierre Morey even made a Bourgogne Vendanges Tardives which was nearly black in colour. When, while tasting from cask a wine of nearly 15º alcohol at Chateau de Fuissé I remarked that this could never have happened before, the late Marcel Vincent responded that the 1929s had been just like that at the same stage!

Quality is erratic across most appellations, with the majority of the wines lacking the structure to enable them to age gracefully. Stick with the top producers such as Leflaive, Sauzet, Drouhin and Leroy that produced some well-balanced examples which are still drinking well.
Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer

White Burgundy 1983 - The Weather
An uneven year for red Burgundy wines due to the vagaries of the weather throughout the growing season. Spring was late and very wet and then hailstorms hit parts of the Côte d`Or during July. August was very warm and growers` expectations at the outset of September were high. The heavens then opened and it rained solidly for the first 2 weeks of September. Rot became a serious hazard and was accentuated by hot weather at the end of September.