1985

Best Wines of 1985: Which Wines to Buy from the 1985 Vintage?

Champagne 1985: A Classic and Harmonious Vintage

The 1985 vintage in Champagne is characterized by an exceptional year with favorable weather conditions, producing high-quality grapes that were well-balanced, ideal for crafting classic champagnes with great finesse and remarkable aging potential.

Best Wines:

• Krug (Millésime 1985): An iconic champagne with aromas of ripe fruits, brioche, and hazelnut, showcasing beautiful complexity and a long, elegant finish.
• Dom Pérignon (Millésime 1985): A champagne with a strong character, combining notes of yellow fruits, honey, subtle minerality, and great freshness.
• Salon (Cuvée 'S' Blanc de Blancs 1985): An exceptional wine with aromas of candied lemon, brioche, and toasted bread, offering remarkable purity.
• Taittinger (Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1985): A refined wine with aromas of white fruits, almonds, and white flowers, providing a creamy texture and great finesse.
• Selosse (Champagne Selosse Initial 1985): A highly complex champagne with aromas of dried fruits, honey, and hazelnuts, revealing unique richness and depth.

To Buy: Krug, Dom Pérignon, Salon, Taittinger, and Selosse, exceptional champagnes that are ready to enjoy today or will continue to improve over time.

Bordeaux 1985: A Vintage of Excellence and Complexity

The 1985 vintage in Bordeaux is considered a great one, especially on the Left Bank, where the wines are of great structure and complexity, with remarkable aging potential.

Best Wines:

• Château Margaux (Margaux): A wine of absolute finesse, with aromas of blackcurrant, rose, violet, and a silky texture that evolves beautifully with age.
• Château Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac): A refined and elegant wine, with notes of black fruits, graphite, and tannic structure, offering great longevity.
• Château Latour (Pauillac): A powerful and structured wine, with aromas of blackcurrant, tobacco, and impressive depth, with exceptional aging potential.
• Château Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac): A complex wine with aromas of black fruits, leather, spices, and great richness, offering a beautiful length on the palate.
• Château Pétrus (Pomerol): A wine of immense elegance, with aromas of black fruits, truffle, chocolate, and impressive structure.

To Buy: Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château Pétrus, wines of great class, ready to drink or continue to improve.

Burgundy 1985: A Vintage with Great Character

The 1985 vintage in Burgundy produced wines with beautiful structure and great complexity, perfect for long aging. The wines are typically elegant and well-balanced, with ripe aromas and soft tannins.

Best Wines:

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (Côte de Nuits): An exceptional wine with aromas of black fruits, dried flowers, and underbrush, offering incredible depth and complexity.
• Domaine Leflaive (Puligny-Montrachet): A rich Chardonnay with notes of yellow fruits, hazelnut, fresh butter, and elegant minerality.
• Domaine Armand Rousseau (Gevrey-Chambertin): A refined wine with aromas of black cherry, rose, licorice, and a supple texture with great structure.
• Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé (Musigny): An elegant wine with aromas of red fruits, rose, and a very beautiful length.

To Buy: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Armand Rousseau, and Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé. These wines all have great aging potential and offer exceptional tasting experiences.

Rhône Valley 1985: An Exceptional Vintage

1985 was an excellent year in the Rhône Valley, producing powerful, rich wines that are perfectly balanced, with great complexity and impressive aging potential.

Best Wines:

• Château de Beaucastel (Châteauneuf-du-Pape): A rich and complex wine with aromas of black fruits, garrigue, spices, and a beautiful tannic structure.
• Guigal (Côte-Rôtie): An elegant and concentrated wine with aromas of black fruits, pepper, violet, and great depth.
• Domaine Jean-Louis Chave (Hermitage): A dense and rich wine with aromas of black fruits, chocolate, leather, and licorice, perfect for aging.
• Domaine du Pegau (Châteauneuf-du-Pape): A concentrated and powerful wine with aromas of black fruits, tobacco, and garrigue, offering great structure.

To Buy: The great wines from the Rhône Valley, such as Château de Beaucastel, Guigal, Jean-Louis Chave, and Domaine du Pegau, are perfect for lovers of powerful and complex wines with impressive aging potential.

Piedmont (Italy) 1985: An Exceptional Vintage

1985 was an excellent year for Barolos and Barbarescos, producing wines with great complexity and exceptional aging potential.

Best Wines:

• Gaja (Barbaresco): A complex and elegant wine with aromas of red fruits, rose, tobacco, and licorice, offering great finesse and beautiful length.
• Vietti (Barolo): A rich Barolo with notes of black cherry, truffle, leather, and tobacco, perfect for aging.
• Pio Cesare (Barbaresco): A refined and elegant wine with aromas of red fruits, violet, and leather, very well-balanced.
• Bruno Giacosa (Barbaresco): A complex and refined wine with aromas of red fruits, earth, and licorice, offering excellent structure.

To Buy: The Barbarescos and Barolos from Gaja, Vietti, Pio Cesare, and Bruno Giacosa, which are exceptional wines with excellent aging potential.

California 1985: A Vintage for Aging

The 1985 vintage in California was marked by ideal conditions, producing rich and concentrated wines that can improve over many years.

Best Wines:

• Opus One (Napa Valley): A rich and elegant wine with aromas of black fruits, cedar, chocolate, and tobacco, offering great complexity.
• Robert Mondavi (Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon): A powerful wine with aromas of blackcurrant, pepper, cedar, and tobacco, perfectly balanced.
• Kistler (Sonoma Coast Chardonnay): An elegant Chardonnay with aromas of yellow fruits, hazelnut, and fresh butter, with beautiful minerality.
• Harlan Estate (Napa Valley): A concentrated and complex wine with aromas of black fruits, tobacco, chocolate, and spices, with great length.

To Buy: Opus One, Robert Mondavi, Kistler, and Harlan Estate, wines from Napa Valley with proven excellence, ready to drink or continue to improve.

The 1985 vintage has produced exceptional wines in all the regions mentioned, each with aging potential that improves over time.