Elegant and Underrated
The winter of 1984/85 was bitterly cold, one of the coldest in decades. Many feared frost damage to the vines. But the cold cleansed the vineyards of pests, and the warm summer that followed allowed healthy, concentrated grapes to ripen. The harvest was small, but of outstanding quality.
Character and Development
The 1985 vintage is a perfect example of "less is more". The small yields meant concentrated grapes with intense aromas. The champagnes were elegant, structured, and with aging potential that surprised many.
Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs particularly shone in 1985. The Blanc de Blancs were taut, mineral-driven, and with a fine creaminess that developed over decades. But Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims also delivered first-class material, powerful, but never heavy.
1985 stands somewhat in the shadow of its predecessor 1982 (the crowd favorite) and its successor 1988 (the critics' vintage). Yet 1985 is possibly the better compromise: more elegant than 1982, more accessible than 1988. If you find a bottle, grab it. This vintage has developed beautifully and today shows mature, nutty complexity with still perceptible freshness.
The Krug 1985 and the Salon 1985 are among the great champagnes of the last century.
No Personal Tastings Yet
I have not yet tasted any champagne from the 1985 vintage. This is partly due to availability, partly because not every vintage comes to market as a Millésimé. Many producers use the base wines from 1985 primarily for their Non-Vintage assemblages, which doesn't mean the quality was poor. A vintage doesn't have to be declared as a Millésimé to be good.
Should the opportunity arise to open a 1985, this post will be supplemented with personal impressions.
Posts
the_champagne.guy @champagnethienot Brut im Glas – klar, präzise, schön trocken. Und dann zaubert meine Tochter spontan ein schnelles Schokomousse im Thermomix. Natürlich probiert. Natürlich gehofft. Aber: leider nicht ganz zusammengefunden. Die Mousse zu süß, der Champagner zu straff – da war mehr Kontrast als Harmonie. Aber hey – wir leben ja für die Erfahrung. Und manchmal ist auch ein Pairing-Fail ein Genuss. Weil er zeigt, wie viel ein guter Champagner kann – und wo seine Grenzen sind. Hätte ich das mit der kleinen Beilage vorher gewusst, hätte ich vielleicht ein bauchiges Glas, vielleicht das @riedel_official Wine Wings statt dem Performance Champagnerglas gewählt um andere Aromen zu fördern :) 🍾 Kurz & knapp zum Champagner: 🍇 Rebsorten: 45 % Pinot Noir, 40 % Chardonnay, 15 % Meunier 📅 Grundjahr: 2017 🕰️ Reserveweine: 45 % 🍬 Dosage: 4 g/l (Extra Brut Charakter) 🌍 Herkunft: Reims, familiengeführtes Haus seit 1985 🥂 Stil: Zitrus, Apfel, feine Brioche, sehr klar und frisch #TheChampagneGuy #PairingFail #ThienotBrut #ChampagnerRealität #SchokomousseImThermomix #ChampagnerLiebe #WeilNichtAllesPasst #AberWirProbierenTrotzdem
Auf Instagram weiterlesen →| Vintage | 1985 |
| Character | Elegant and underrated |
| Champagnes Tasted | 0 |