It’s all smiles after unexpectedly good results
The 2022 vintage: Our winegrowers and merchants are, on the whole, looking pleased. After historically low volumes in 2021, followed by some tricky weather during the growth cycle, the 2022 vintage is proving to be a pleasant surprise, and one that combines both quality and quantity. With beautiful balance, perfect health, and wonderful color extraction, it would be unreasonable to ask for more. The potential is there to make 2022 a great vintage indeed.
After a winter that was milder and drier than average, the first green shoots appeared in the earliest sectors at the start of April. A mass of cold air from the north then caused temperatures to drop across the Bourgogne region, which once again had to take arms to fight four nights of frost between 3-11 April. Winegrowers feared the worst, but luckily, at that point in the cycle, most of the vines were protected, as they were still in the “buds-in-cotton” stage. The damage was nothing like that experienced in 2021, even if some early sectors did suffer badly.
In the end, this vintage was no earlier than normal, as some had predicted at the start of the growth cycle. Picking started on 16 August for a few plots of Crémant de Bourgogne. Then it was the turn of the Chardonnay vines for still wines on the Côte de Beaune from 20 August, as the pace picked up with the Crémant. The rest of the region followed on behind. The last grapes were gathered on the Côte de Nuits, the Hautes Côtes, and in the Chablis region during the third week in September.
It is somewhat unusual that the harvest should go on for almost a month. This was down to diverse ripening good weather, and surprisingly good volumes. But nobody complained.
The grapes were in fine condition and wonderful health. The sorting tables were mainly used to eliminate a few dried-out berries. The yield in terms of juice was surprisingly good.
The general consensus is that the musts are balanced with controlled degrees of alcohol and good acidity. The qualitative potential of the phenolic compounds is excellent for the reds, suggesting a vintage with good ageing potential. For both reds and whites, the musts are very aromatic, and fermentation is happening fast.
Vinification is now almost finished, and we’ll soon know more about the aromatic profiles and final equilibrium for this 2022 vintage.