Late Frost and Small Harvest
Severe late frost in spring decimated the harvest dramatically. Summer could not compensate for the damage — it was cool and changeable. The small quantity of healthy grapes reached only moderate ripeness.
Character and Development
After the triumvirate of 1988-1990, 1991 was a painful setback. Most producers refrained from declaring a vintage. The base wines were thin and acid-driven — usable for non-vintage blends, but hardly for more.
Some Blanc de Blancs from 1991 surprise, however: Chardonnay coped better with the cool conditions than Pinot Noir, and individual parcels on the Côte des Blancs delivered surprisingly elegant base wines. Salon — the most famous Blanc de Blancs house — did not produce a 1991 (which confirms the quality assessment), but some smaller growers took the risk.
The 1991 vintage reminds us that Champagne is no climate paradise. Even after three perfect years, a single frost can destroy everything. It is this unpredictability that makes Champagne so expensive — and at the same time so fascinating.
No Personal Tastings Yet
From the 1991 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 1991 primarily for their non-vintage assemblages — which does not mean the quality was poor. A vintage does not need to be declared as a Millésimé to be good.
Should the opportunity arise to open a 1991, this post will be supplemented with personal impressions.
| Vintage | 1991 |
| Character | Late frost and small harvest |
| Champagnes Tasted | 0 |