With the 2022 harvest in most parts of France coming to an end, Vignobles and Signatures, a collective consisting of 17 family-owned wine producers located all over France, reported a heterogeneous but rewarding vintage across different appellations.

For French winegrowers, 2022 has already been a dramatic year, with key challenges faced by vignerons including the spring frost in some regions followed by heat and drought, resulting in a very early harvest (8-14 days early on average). Overall, producers of the collective noticed that old vines coped better than young vines, and vineyards with soils that have better water-holding capacity tend to yield really high-quality grapes in this vintage.

Across the board, this vintage can be summed up in three words: rich, concentrated, and aromatic. Fortunately, despite the small berries due to extreme weather conditions, the yield, even though lower, remains at an acceptable level for most producers. The only exception is reported by Château de Tracy at Pouilly-Fumé, where the volumes are higher than in previous years thanks to the rain in June and various wet periods throughout the summer.

Unusual pattern reported

Some producers reported an unusual pattern for certain grape: the late-ripening Arbane, a rare Champagne variety, which is normally picked last at Champagne Drappier, was this year harvested first. Similarly, in Chateau Haut Selve and Chateau Bonnat in Graves, late-ripening Semillon was picked before Sauvignon Blanc.

There is always light behind the clouds, as observed by Maison Piron in Beaujolais. With the drought and heat, mildew and other fungal diseases were largely kept at bay, producing healthy bunches. 

This is a rewarding year for those who put in meticulous work in their vineyard and, as Francois Combard at Figuière, Provence, concluded, “By monitoring and analysing the grapes step-by-step throughout the growing season, we are able to maintain the crispness of the juice in this challenging year.”