2022

Bordeaux 2022 vintage will stay in the memory of the world of wine as the exceptional vintage which kept a lot of surprises. The year started well with bud break at a normal date, so the frost in early April did not too much damage. The flowering started in mid-May and in optimal conditions. June brought stormy rains which were able to partially reconstitute de water reserves of the soil, however hail fell locally with sometimes very important damages. The fruit  set took place a hydric limited context, which determines the small size of the berries. Veraison begun in mid-July in hot and dry conditions. August was hot however it kept a contrast of day and night temperatures, therefore the conditions for ripening the grapes were perfect. The white wines were harvested at a historically early date already in August. Also the reds were harvested very early at the beginning of September. Good news for the noble sweet wines: botrytis developed thanks to rain in early October and resulted in wines of great purity. 

Bourgogne 2022: A generous and promising vintage

The 2022 vintage encapsulates what Bourgogne does best: Generosity and promise! After three years of quality without quantity, with yields impacted by weather events, it is certainly welcome, taking some of the pressure off sales and allowing stocks to be built back up. Despite some small disparities depending on the varietal, the vines stood up pretty well to some rather extreme weather and were able to take advantage of the slightest rainfall. As the wines begin the ageing process in cellars stacked up to three barrels high, winemakers and négociants are happy because the 2022 vintage is certain to seduce the palates of wine lovers around the world!

The weather this year was once again extreme, with frost, heatwaves, and drought. Budburst was later than in recent years, which helped protect the vines from April frost. Then, it was the subtle balance between vine and terroir that we can thank for the fact that despite this year's harvest being deprived of water and subjected to four separate heatwaves, it came through unscathed. This balance can be perceived in the musts which, by all accounts, have good degrees of potential alcohol. The wines are revealing quality, with nice concentration and fine balance. And it's a surprising vintage because although the weather was very hot, the wines are vivacious and offer aromas of fresh fruit; the promise of good things to come.

White wine
The whites are rounded, smooth, and complex. They are rich and very expressive, with fruity aromas. They are present without being overbearing. In the mouth, notes of fresh fruit and beautiful balance preserve the freshness.

Red wine
The reds are just embarking on the ageing process, and are showing lovely color, smoothness on the tongue, and good concentration. The structure is carried by soft tannins with a roundness coupled with a lovely density. They offer indulgent aromas of ripe red and black fruit.

California 2022, The Tale of Two Harvests

With climate variability as the new normal, Napa Valley grape growers aim to be resilient and adaptable. Their preparation and experience paid off in 2022 as growers faced triple digit heat over five days in September quickly followed by rain that brought harvest to a sudden halt. Winemakers are calling the vintage “the tale of two harvests,” making it one of the more unique vintages in recent history.

The white wine harvest kicked off in early August, followed quickly by red wine varieties. The typical gap between the white and red wine harvest was almost nonexistent, and the frenzied tempo continued until the rains provided winemakers a much needed break. Following the rain, grapes left to hang through October enjoyed mild weather days that allowed winemakers to wait for perfect ripeness.

Winemakers describe 2022 white wines as having perfect acidity and freshness with remarkable flavors and textures, and red wines as excellent structured with deep red colors, luxurious tannins and exquisite fruit-forward aromatics. Winemakers believe the unique weather events that defined the vintage will showcase the full range of flavors that Napa Valley wines are so well known for from crisp and vibrant to dense and powerful.

Bordeaux Vintage Report by Château Margaux:

The description of the weather conditions has begun the same way almost every year for the last ten years: 2022 was once again the hottest year on record... and to this, we must add another climate phenomenon: a severe drought. However, these two factors impacted the harvest in such a way as to produce an extraordinary vintage.


Apart from some frosts in mid-January, the winter of 2022 was mild and relatively dry, with just 150 mm of rain. Nationally, the spring of 2022 was the third warmest (13.2°C) since 1900, close behind 2011 and 2020. It was the same in Margaux, with record temperatures during June, sometimes exceeding 40°C. Fortunately, in typical Bordeaux fashion, there was regular rain throughout the spring, with 182 mm in Margaux. Summer brought further extremes: three long, intense heat waves; the thermometer again recorded temperatures over 40°C several times, and over 35°C for more than 14 days in July and August. Slightly more than six long weeks passed without a single drop of rain. The 20 mm that arrived at the end of August was welcome, but its effect was more to cool the air than to significantly rehydrate the surface soil.
In these conditions, budburst was relatively spread out, between March 28th and April 13th, depending on the grape variety and the nature of our diverse terroirs. Conditions were sufficiently good that no coulure or millerandage was observed in our plots during flowering, which took place in the week of May 24th, indicating an early vintage. 
The summer weather then reinforced the early nature of the vintage. The white grape harvest took place extremely early, on August 18th.
For the red grapes, it lasted from September 8th to 27th, with normal temperatures in September and optimal harvesting conditions. The first autumn rains began on the last day of the harvest.

Napa Valley Vintage 2022

The season start was promising after much needed winter rains helped filling up the water reserves after three previous drought years. 

The whites varieties were picked in perfect condition, but the later ripening reds faced the climatical extremes.

Almost a week heat wave exeeding over 100F in Septmeber starting on Labour Day halted the physiological ripening of the grapes yielding lower color extraction, acidity and flavour development, while sugar levels exceeded and fruits were rasining. Then after the heat spike came heavy rains putting an end to the drastic harvest period.

On earlier ripening subregions of Napa such as Carneros and Coombsville, the harvest took place prior the heat wave and the wines from these regions did not suffer. But vintners faced true challenges with the later ripening Cabernet Sauvignon which quality was uneven depending on the sites. Despite the challenges, the general quality of the wines made from 2023 harvest shows good but are presumably not as long-living as 2021s or 2023s. 

Austrian vintage report 2022

The 2022 growing season has certainly tested Austrian winemakers. At first it looked like it would be a very dry year, if not for occasional showers of rain – which didn't always come at the best of times. However, the great dedication and hard work of Austrian winemakers has been rewarded with ripe, well-balanced white wines with a beautiful display of fruit. The red wines are exceptional, showing power, structure and velvety tannins.

The 2022 vintage was a little more differentiated than in 2021, for example, depending on the region and the grape variety. Overall, however, the 2022 Austrian wines display pronounced maturity, fine fruit and harmonious acidity. The year was characterized by extreme heat and drought in summer, offset somewhat by repeated rains just before the main harvest. This significantly boosted the grape ripening process, but it also meant that winemakers had to act quickly to protect their grapes. With a harvest volume of 2.5 million hectoliters, 2022 is slightly above the long-term average (2.4 million hectoliters).

Niederösterreich (Lower Austria): whites with varietal typicity, ripe reds

Niederösterreich produced ripe white wines with fine fruit aromas and slightly less acidity than in the previous two years. It was also possible to produce dense wines from a single vineyard (Ried) and reserve. The flagship grape variety Grüner Veltliner has delivered a distinct varietal typicity, just like Riesling and Pinot in all its forms. Aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller and Traminer, as well as regional specialties Roter Veltliner, Zierfandler and Rotgipfler produced impressive results. The red wine centers of Carnuntum and the southern region of Thermen delivered powerful red wines with good structure and ripe tannins. The rare Eiswein could also be harvested in the run-up to Christmas.

Burgenland: powerful reds and sweet wines with pronounced fruit

Burgenland white wines display pronounced fruit notes and distinct varietal characteristics. Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc performed particularly well. The season had everything to make an exceptional vintage of red wine. Powerful, dark and dense red wines with fine structure and ripe tannins are expected in all red wine strongholds. This means that the prerequisites for high-quality rosé wines have also been fully met. The noble sweet wines are also full of promise: a beautiful botrytis formed both in the Seewinkel region and in Rust, providing a good basis for a juicy Prädikatswein with distinct fruit. A few frosty nights in December also made it possible to harvest Eiswein.

Steiermark (Styria): harmonious whites with fine fruits, concise Schilcher

In the three wine-growing regions of the Steiermark, the white wines have developed a lot of juice and power, without losing any of their attractive finesse and structure. Young wines are already very rounded and harmonious. The Sauvignon Blanc, which has now risen to Steiermark's flagship variety, should be particularly good. However, the wines Gelber Muskateller, Morillon (Chardonnay), Pinot Blanc and Welschriesling, as well as the rare Traminer, are also very pleasant. In the Weststeiermark, Schilcher rosé displays a clear texture and distinct aromas of red fruits.

Wien (Vienna): Balanced and rounded Gemischter Satz

The Viennese vineyards located on the outskirts of the city (e.g. on the Nußberg, in Grinzing, Neustift as well as on the Bisamberg and in Mauer) produced grapes with good sugar ripeness and lower acidity. The result was round and well-balanced Wiener Gemischter Satz wines, as well as a harmonious and fruity Riesling. These wines are pleasant a little earlier than the previous year.

Bergland: ripe wines with early harmony, good PIWI varieties

In Cologne, Vorarlberg and Tyrol (Tyrol), winegrowers are delighted with a successful vintage. Thanks to favorable conditions, white and red wines produced equally positive results. In Upper Austria, rapid harvesting and careful selection were necessary to obtain high-quality grapes. The PIWI (fungus resistant) varieties were able to give good results, once again.