Le Guide du grand millésime 1998 | Wine Reviews

Looking for 1988 grands crus? You've come to the right place! Check out our complete guide to 1998 wines. A great year for French winegrowing, and one you must taste now! 

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THE 1998 BORDEAUX VINTAGE

In the end, the 1998 vintage is not very different from 1997.  It's going to be a good one overall, with the same weather worries as in September. 

The start of the vine cycle is off to a good, even start throughout the vineyard. The buds are coming on nicely, and all is going well. The rest of the season is just as good, with sunny weather in May and June allowing the grapes to develop well. Flowering and veraison proceed perfectly, and the whole vineyard is already looking forward to a great vintage. By the end of August, the grapes are well saturated with sunshine, and almost all have reached maturity, especially the Merlot. A thick skin will then surround this nectar. This was a good thing, as heavy rain fell on the vineyards in September. The ripeness of the grapes was put to the test, but their sanitary quality was not compromised thanks to the thick skin that protected the grapes. The greatest Châteaux will carry out a very strict sorting to keep only the best grapes and avoid any risk of rot. Yields will therefore be lower for this 1998 vintage, but the quality will still be there. 

- On the left bank, everyone's doing well, but the wines of Margaux and Pessac-Léognan will still draw a little more substance than their riverside neighbors.

- On the right bank, whether in Pomerol or Saint-Émilion, Merlot, which comes very early, produces wines rich in aroma and velvety texture.  For lovers of great wines, we have a few bottles that are sure to please... 

Petrus 1998rated 99/100 by Robert Parker launches the hostilities. No need to introduce this estate, which is surely the finest on the Right Bank.  With more power, we have Château Lafite Rothschild 1998a sign of Pauillac's excellence in this vintage.  To end on a more delicate note, Château Angelus 1998 will surprise you with its finesse and elegance.

 

THE 1998 VINTAGE IN BURGUNDY

The 1998 vintage is a vintage for winegrowers and sometimes for luck, where you'll have to choose your bottles carefully, as the very capricious weather is not going to help our winegrowers. As in Bordeaux, the vegetative cycle unfolded in the usual way, and the grapes began to get some sun. Unfortunately, there will be a lot of rain in the vineyards, which won't make things easy for our winegrower friends. 

As a result of the rain, the quality of the wines will be rather heterogeneous. For red wines, the côte de nuit fared best, with wines of good color and intensity. You'll need to select your wines carefully, however, as the heavy rainfall in the region means that some wines won't reach optimum ripeness. You'll end up with relatively light, supple Pinot Noir with a fresh finish for the less successful, while the others will have a fuller, more voluminous texture on the palate. 

The same applies to white wines. Some Côte de Beaune appellations were hit by hail, which damaged the grapes and forced the winemakers to carry out intensive sorting to preserve the quality of the juice. The whites from the Chablis region retain their characteristic freshness, while the wines a little further south are well-balanced, rich and have good ageing potential. 

For the curious, we still have a few bottles of a Burgundy Grand Cru. Le domaine Pierre Bourrée, in the Corton appellation. This Grand Cru surely produces the most powerful Pinot Noir in the Côte de Beaune. 

 

THE 1998 VINTAGE IN THE RHONE VALLEY

1998 proved that some disasters can be good for wine. 

Well, it's true that winegrowers weren't initially of this opinion. The Rhone Valley is going to be hit by heavy frosts, which will reduce the mass emergence of buds in the vines. At first sight, this could be disastrous for winegrowers, who won't be able to produce as many hectoliters as in previous years. But in the end, the buds will still be present in the vineyard, albeit in lesser volume, but this will enable those that have emerged to take advantage of the sun and share less of what the vine yields. The months of June to August are magnificent, with lots of sunshine, and the grapes will gain in concentration and ripeness. The harvest will take place in very good conditions, and the grapes will enter the cellars, albeit in smaller quantities, but healthy and very ripe. Whether in the northern or southern Rhône Valley, the wines are of the highest quality. Beware, however, of winegrowers who are a little too greedy for sugar, who seek "over-ripeness" to the detriment of balance, but hey... The best of them have harvested at the right time.

We have some superb bottles from the region, including a Tribute to Jacques Perrin at Château de Beaucastel 1998rated 100/100 by parker, accompanied by the Landonne by E.GUIGAL 1998also rated 100/100 by Parker. And to finish on a high note, we still have some Méal en Hermitage white 1998. Bottled honey.

 

THE 1998 VINTAGE IN THE REST OF FRANCE

The 1998 vintage will leave many memories for the winemakers, and not only because we are World Champions!

It's going to be marked by very strong climatic alternations, with flowering ahead of schedule, followed by heavy rain at harvest time. Quite a few parameters that are going to put a strain on our winegrower friends. Generally speaking, however, the 1998 vintage will be a good one just about everywhere in France.

In ChampagneAugust was a crucial month for the vines, with very high temperatures - almost too high, in fact, as some grapes even toasted.

The Pinot Noir produces juices of character and fullness, while the Chardonnay is all about delicacy.

In Alsace and LoireAs for the Cabernet Franc, it will keep a good freshness and offer interesting ageing potential for fine vintages.

The South-West also stands out from the crowd with its top-quality juices.

The Malbecs are powerful with good acidity, which ensures good ageing potential.