How good is the 1987 vintage? Wine Reviews

We wanted to share with you our opinions on the 1987 vintage for the various French wine-growing regions. Here is our complete guide to the 1987 vintage. You'll also find some great bottles in stock on our website:

> Grands crus de 1987

 

• Vintage 1987 in BORDEAUX

The 1987 vintage is an interesting vintage to taste, but one that is highly underestimated given the work of some fine estates. It has to be said that the winegrowers were really unlucky on this one. Sometimes, there are minor climatic hazards that disrupt the development of the vines, but in this case, it was a disaster that occurred just before the harvest, during the final sprint! Everything had started off really well. April was perfect for vine development and bud-break. Then the months of May and June confirmed our winemakers' belief that this was going to be a great vintage, with a very good, trouble-free flowering. The veraison was perfect, and the vines were going to produce in abundance. Not to spoil anything at the end, the months of July and August were also of great quality, with plenty of sunshine, heat but not too much, and a few drops of rain to refresh and swell the grapes. As September drew to a close, many of the Merlots reached maturity and were ready to be picked, as were some of the Cabernet Sauvignons. Some estates harvested relatively early, which enabled them to avoid the catastrophe that was to come. During the first fortnight of October, violent rains fell on the entire vineyard. It was a catastrophe. The unripe grapes were unable to complete their development, and the heavy rains added mildew to the mix. Everyone rushed to pick the grapes, but it was already too late. The grapes brought in during this period were not very healthy. The consolation for the Bordelais was that the previous two years had been very good, abundant years. This will enable them to carry out a more severe sorting on this 1987 vintage, in order to remove as many disease-affected grapes as possible, and thus avoid a "rotten" taste in the wine. For the houses that will carry out this severe sorting, the vintage won't be so bad. The worry is that they will have entered grapes that are not yet ripe enough, but that won't stop them from producing fine wines. The 1987 vintage is an interesting one to taste, when you start with houses that have done a good job. Admittedly, the wines are silkier, rounder and more charming, but they show their supple, accessible character quickly, which isn't too bad. While it's true that right bank wines such as Saint-Emilion and Pomerol are faring a little better, all appellations will have their Château of choice in this vintage. 

In Saint Emilion, we have Château Cheval Blanc 1987 which is in the top 3 of the appellation's finest wines. In Pauillac, apart from the great 1er Grand Cru Classé wines, we have Château Lynch Bages 1987 which shows all its power and structure.

The 1987 vintage was a great success in Sauternes. After a fortnight of rain in October, the sun came out, allowing Botrytis to develop well in this humid environment. We are fortunate to still have Château Yquem 1987a true jewel of the Sauternes. 

 

• Vintage 1987 in BOURGOGNE

The stories keep repeating themselves, and Burgundy's vineyards are not about to escape. Even if the pill is "easier" to swallow for Burgundians than for Bordeaux, the 1987 vintage could have been a very fine one. The vegetative cycle began to take shape in April, with good flowering taking place. No worries were to be deplored, and a fine homogeneity throughout the vineyard reassured our winemakers. As in Bordeaux, the months of May and June passed off without a hint of rain, suggesting a radiant summer. July and August were very hot, and the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays began to ripen nicely. Unfortunately, heavy rainfall spoiled the party. Heavy rains fell shortly before and during the harvest, ruining a season's work. At this precise moment, many critics were going to take shortcuts and announce that the 1987 vintage was ruined, that the grapes were waterlogged. But it was not to be. The grapes enjoyed a superb summer to reach maturity, and were therefore of very good quality, before the rains came. That's why estates that have done a lot of sorting, or picked at just the right moment, are not going to suffer in the same way as an estate that has picked its grapes under the waves. That's why the 1987 wines aren't so bad. Admittedly, the wines are a little softer than in the great years, but the acidity and fruit quality make them a pleasure to taste. 

Same story for the white wines, which will not escape the rain. The harvest took place in very difficult conditions, and the grapes were quite diluted, resulting in fairly light whites with little substance. 

 

• Vintage 1987 in VALLÉE DU RHÔNE

The 1987 vintage will be a little more complicated in the Rhône Valley. Even if the vintage remained decent, it was not going to be a great one. Winter had settled into the vineyards and was feeling rather good. It didn't want to leave, which delayed budburst. It was neither homogeneous nor healthy for the vineyard. The months of July and August were correct, without too much heat, and the winegrowers avoided the worst during the ripening phase. However, as elsewhere in France, rain fell during the harvest, diluting and damaging the grapes. As a result, wine lovers will be able to enjoy relatively light, fruity juices. Some fine estates will carry out very strict sorting and keep only very ripe grapes, but this will have an impact on prices, as yields will be very low. If you come across Rhône wines from 1987, we advise you to opt for wines from the north, which will have more concentration than those from the south.  

 

• Vintage 1987 in the REST OF FRANCE

Across France, the 1987 vintage was marked by rain and humidity.
This is the case of ChampagneThis year's vintage (for a large proportion of the houses) will have no choice but to be produced from Pinot Noir, which has fared better than Chardonnay in producing fairly fruity juices. 

Visit Loire and in AlsaceThe results are the same. Light, fruity wines with good acidity, but they don't last.