1998 Vintage: General Appreciation
In a similar way to the 1997 vintage, 1998 could best be described as challenging and the Cote de Beaune suffered worst where in many villages the crop was reduced by 35%. The harvest was saved by good weather and most had picked before the rain started again. Some thought that the wines were too tannic at the start but for the reds, it was a highly satisfactory vintage and to some extent the wines have turned out better than expected.
Red Wines
It is fair to say that in general the reds don’t have the richness of the 95’s, 96’s or the following 1999’s but they are harmonious and remarkably consistent with ample fruits and have turned out both elegant and fresh. The best wines started their optimum drinkability a few years ago and are very enjoyable now and will continue to provide enjoyment over the next 5-10 years.
White Wines
The 1998 whites are a bit of a mystery as initially, they were written off and in a similar way to the two preceding vintages they were thought to be mired by premature oxidation problems which interestingly does not seem quite as prevalent in my experience. Puligny Montrachet and Meursault seemed to suffer the most in terms of quantity but some wines have performed rather better than expected. Most have past their best but there are a few top wines that have shown well recently.

Best Red Wines of the Vintage

Red Wines of the Vintage

Gevrey Chambertin: Chambertin (Rousseau), Chambertin Clos de Bèze (Faiveley), Chambertin Clos de Bèze (Rousseau), Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetiers (Bruno Clair), Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetiers (Faiveley), Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques (Jadot), Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques (Rousseau), Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux Saint Jacques (Denis Mortet),  Gevrey Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes (Alain Burguet), Latricières Chambertin (Leroy), Mazis Chambertin (Dugat-Py), Mazy Chambertin (Rousseau), Ruchottes Chambertin (Georges Mugneret), Ruchottes (Christophe Roumier), Ruchottes Chambertin Cles des Rouchottes (Rousseau)

Morey Saint Denis: Clos de la Roche (Dujac), Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes (Ponsot), Clos de le Roche (Rousseau), Clos Saint Denis (Dujac)

Chambolle Musigny: Bonnes Mares (d’Auvenay), Bonnes Mares (Dujac), Bonnes Mares (Jadot),Bonnes Mares (Roumier), Bonnes Mares (Vogüé), Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (JF Mugnier), Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (Vogüé), Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes (Ghislaine Barthod), Chambolle Musigny Les Fuees (JF Mugnier), Musigny (Drouhin), Musigny (Jadot), Musigny Vieilles Vignes (Vogüé)

Vougeot: Clos Vougeot (Hudelot-Noëllat), Clos Vougeot (Denis Mortet), Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui (Anne Gros)

Vosne Romanée:  Échezeaux (Arnoux), Échezeaux (Dujac), Échezeaux (Grivot), Grands Échezeaux (Engel), Grands Échezeaux (DRC), Richebourg (Grivot), Richebourg (Anne Gros), Richebourg (Hudelot-Noëllat), Richebourg (Domaine Leroy), Richebourg (DRC), La Romanée (Bouchard), Romanée Saint Vivant (Arnoux), Romanée Saint Vivant (Sylvain Cathiard), Romanée Saint Vivant (Hudelot-Noëllat), La Tâche (DRC), Vosne Romanée Les Beaumonts (Hudelot-Noëllat), Vosne Romanée Les Brülées (Michel Gros), Vosne Romanée Aux Malconsorts (Sylvain Cathiard), Vosne Romane Clos des Réas (Michel Gros), Vosne Romanée Aux Reignots (Arnoux), Vosne Romanée Les Suchots (Arnoux)

Nuits Saint Georges: Nuits Saint Georges Les Boudots (Grivot), Nuits Saint Georges Les Boudots (Domaine Leroy), Nuits Saint Georges Les Boudots (Meo Camuzet)

Aloxe Corton: Corton Clos des Cortons (Faiveley), Corton Renardes (Domaine Leroy), Corton Clos Rognet (Meo Camuzet)

Savigny Les Beaune: Savigny Les Beaune Narbantons (Domiane Leroy)

Beaune: Beaune Greves (Michel Lafarge)

Volnay: Volnay Clos des Chenes (Michel Lafarge), Volnay Les Santenots de Milieu (Lafon), Volnay Les Taillpieds (de Montille)

Best White Wines of the Vintage

White Wines of the Vintage
Pernand Vergelesses/Aloxe Corton: Corton Charlemage (Bonneau du Martray)Auxey Duresses: Auxey Duresses Les Clous (d’Auvenay)

Meursault: Meursault Les Perrieres (Lafon)

Puligny Montrachet: Batard Montrachet (Domaine Leflaive), Bienvenues Batard Montrachet (Louis Carillon), Bienvenues Batard Montrachet (Leflaive), Chevalier Montrachet (Domaine Leflaive), Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles (Jadot), Montrachet (Marquis de Laguiche/Drouhin), Puligny Montrachet Le Cailleret (de Montille)

Chassagne Montrachet: Montrachet (Ramonet)