1998 Bordeaux

1998 is an important vintage for collectors because the highs are seriously high (legendary), and prices are still relatively reasonable.

 

After a temperate start, 1998 was a dry, sunny, warm-to-hot growing season. August was scorching—most days were over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), with 5 days over 35 degrees C, and one hit 39 C (nearly 102 degrees Fahrenheit). Berries were notably small and thick-skinned.

 

September provided a few showers early in the month, which, according to sugar analyses performed shortly after, caused negligible dilution. Conditions remained excellent during the dry white and Merlot harvests in the early and middle parts of the month. So, most of the Merlots around Pomerol and Saint-Émilion had been harvested before the weather took a significant turn for the wet.

 

By the third week of September, producers were rubbing their hands and talking about 1998 being another 1961. Unfortunately, the rains came just as the Médoc was starting to think about Cabernet harvest dates. Hopes dashed. On September 27th, the region received around 30 millimeters (1.18 inches) of rain. Rains continued intermittently, culminating in a deluge on October 1st of about 40 millimeters (1.57 inches), forcing the hands of the Left Bank châteaux.

 

Because it was such a challenging harvest on the Left Bank, 1998 has largely flown under the radar. There is no doubt that 1998 was a Right Bank year and a glorious one. What I love about the best Pomerols and Saint-Émilions is how they possess a great core of intense but not over-the-top powerful fruit, with most sporting alcohols of around 13% to 13.5%—which is elegant by today’s standards. The tannins are plush, and the acids remain firmly in the background. The vintage highlights are Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Trotanoy, Angélus, and Pavie—completely different styles, all total blockbusters. They are now plateauing off in their drinking window sweet spots, with tertiary complexity yet plenty of fruit remaining at the core and satiny smooth tannins.

 

Equally under the radar are the wines from Pessac-Léognan, with a firm nod in the direction of Châteaux Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.

 

Despite the dilution challenges, the Left Bank wines are holding up surprisingly well. The firm level of tannins in their youths obviously did an incredible job of preserving the fruit in many of the top wines, which is to say that they still possess a remarkable core of slowly maturing red and black fruits. The tannins have subsided to a harmonious level yet still provide a lot of backbone and, therefore, great potential for further cellaring. My top pick from the Médoc is Château Mouton Rothschild, although its little brother, d’Armailhac, should get an award for value. Lafite also looked amazing, while Rauzan-Ségla and Calon-Ségur remain bright and still have a lot of cellar life ahead of them.

 

After a promising start to the noble rot “tries” in mid-September, things started to go a bit pear-shaped in Sauternes due to the late September and early October rains. Patience paid off, however, as the weather brightened toward the end of October, yielding some evenly botrytized, super concentrated berries. In the end, 1998 produced a mixed bag of sweet wine quality levels and styles, not to mention drinking windows. It's no surprise that Yquem is, yet again, one of the top sweets this vintage. Also very impressive is the 1998 Rieussec. Both sport considerable botrytis-inspired layers with fantastic intensity and vibrancy, aging slowly. Hot on the heels of these two wines are de Fargues and Rayne-Vigneau, which are just as vivacious and youthful but slightly less layered.

 

The 1998s are ready to drink now, making this the ideal time to take advantage of this sweet spot vintage!