Difficult and Austere
A cool, wet summer led to delayed ripening and high rot pressure. Growers had to rigorously select, and even then the grapes only reached marginal ripeness levels. The harvest was small and of mixed quality.
Character and Development
Hardly any producer dared to declare 1987 as a vintage. The base wines were characterized by green acidity and unripe aromas — traits that even long lees aging could not mask. In assemblage, the 1987 base wines found use at best as an acid backbone.
The vintage illustrates a reality that is often overlooked in the marketing world of Champagne: not every year is a good year. Champagne lies at the northern edge of viticulture, and before climate change improved conditions, difficult years like 1987 were not uncommon. The art of assemblage — the blending of base wines from different years — was developed precisely for such situations.
For collectors: 1987 champagnes are nearly impossible to find and of academic interest at best.
No Personal Tastings Yet
From the 1987 vintage, I have not yet tasted any champagne. This is partly due to availability, partly because not every vintage comes to market as a Millésimé. Many producers use the base wines from 1987 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 1987, this post will be supplemented with personal impressions.
| Vintage | 1987 |
| Character | Difficult and austere |
| Tasted Champagnes | 0 |