Rhône 2022 En Primeur
Overview
A return to the new norm of warmer vintages, after last year’s blip, has shown good to very good results in both the Northern and Southern Rhône, even if the style of wines seems slightly at odds with the “hottest, driest year since 1950”! In general, the wines are generous without being too powerful, with a purity of fresh fruit and fragrance, whilst maintaining surprisingly moderate alcohol levels, by Rhône standards at least, being around 12.5% to 14.5% in the main. Across the board they are very pleasant to drink even at this stage, so whatever you choose will provide pleasant drinking throughout their lives.
The Big Picture
As we travelled around from grower to grower, we found wines that didn’t fit the narrative of a hot, dry vintage – they were full of freshness with a juicy character. We heard several theories trying to rationalise this apparent contradiction in the wines. The most common was that nearly 20 years after the shock of the 2003 vintage the vines themselves are beginning to adapt to the changing climate. Once the heat and drought hits, the vine’s self-preservation system kicks in and they close down, blocking maturity. The winemakers are perhaps being a little modest as well; they too have learned new techniques to adapt to the new norm of a warming climate. In the South especially, there was much talk of the varieties; increasing the proportions of those that bring freshness to the blends (such as Counoise) and increasing the proportion of white grapes used in the red wines, as well as increased use of whole bunches, which can bring freshness in a warm year when the stalks themselves are ripe.
The Wines
In spite of, or indeed because of, the drought conditions the wines show an attractive blend of warm sweet fruit and a surprising freshness. Some are lighter in style with crunchy red notes, whilst others are fuller and richer with darker, blacker fruits. They also show finesse, elegance and concentration. There are some tannins but amongst our growers, at least, they are rounded, ripe and any ‘edges’ will be smoothed of by further ageing before they are bottled next year. Increasingly growers don’t like comparing vintages but 2010 and 2007 were mentioned, both years that showed good concentration but more importantly, finesse. Once again, the whites continue to impress, they are richer and more powerful than last year, full of ripe, waxy, stone fruit and floral undertones. They should be appreciated for their generosity and ebullience; none of the whites we tried were too big for comfort!
The Weather
The hottest, driest year since 1950 (even hotter than the now “infamous” 2003) saw broadly similar weather patterns in both the South and the North. A dryish winter was followed by a warm spring which allowed early budburst. There were some worried faces in April when a cool spell looked like it might repeat the frosts of 2021, but the fears were unfounded. May was very hot with temperatures reaching in excess of 30ºC. At this stage the valley had seen just a third of its average rainfall. The heat led to a quick but successful flowering. A little welcome rain was reported in June, just 90mm, but this was enough to encourage the vines to push on; by the 15th of June there was a heatwave, the earliest on record. It was also windy which exacerbated the water loss. Veraison, the colour change of the grapes, reportedly started early in July which is super-early. The upside of this weather was an almost complete absence of disease this year, the downside that it has reduced the yields by producing smaller berries with thick skins and a lot of pulp but not much juice. There was however some “weather” in August, but its impact was wildly diferent. On the 14th of August a storm hit the South; it was localised and devastating, a tornado of hail and rain tracked across the Crau plateau of Châteauneuf wiping out up to 80% of the crop, just two days before the harvest had been scheduled to start. The Bruniers at Vieux Télégraphe were the most exposed and as a result no Vieux Télégraphe red or white has been made this year. At Giraud and at Gonnet too they were afected but to a lesser degree. Elsewhere in the valley the storm provided much needed, and welcome, rain and it arrived in more benign form in the North the next day. Immediately after, the winds blew again ensuring that the increased humidity did not turn to rot. Harvest started early, around 22nd August for the whites and a few days later for the reds and was all over before the end of September.
Full Vintage & Growers Report
Read MoreChâteau de Beaucastel
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Still Red | Single bottle
Still Red
Dense and powerful, endowed with a rich tannic profile and layers of cherry, blue/black fruits, notes of hung meat, complex dark floral elements and soft spices. The precision and freshness make this tempting but it will need time to show its best! 8-25 years Part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: "Report and top-scoring wines Drinking Window: 2033 - 2049 Dark and inky in colour this year. It’s fresh in its berry fruits, really quite powerful, with muscular tannins and driving acidity behind. A dense, dark and brooding vintage of Beaucastel. The aromatic precision however is extremely impressive: elderberry, sloe and blackberry. It’s solid and will age well. Do not drink this young, as it will likely disappoint if opened too early. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudres. Syrah and Counoise are whole bunch fermented." 96/100 Decanter Tasted by: Matt Walls (at Rhône Valley, 18 Sep 2023) "Incredibly juicy nose – black tea, leather and spiced notes as well. The palate is rounded, sleek and plush. There is so much density on the palate. Supple mid palate and a meaty note on the rich finish. There is good, fresh acidity here as well, with a weightiness to the palate but balanced by the fresh acidity. Complex and impressive!" (Alistair Cooper MW). 17.5 Jancis Robinson.com
Single bottle
£255.00 / -
Still Red | Case of 12
Still Red
Dense and powerful, endowed with a rich tannic profile and layers of cherry, blue/black fruits, notes of hung meat, complex dark floral elements and soft spices. Great precision and freshness! 3-9 years. Part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: "Report and top-scoring wines Drinking Window: 2033 - 2049 Dark and inky in colour this year. It’s fresh in its berry fruits, really quite powerful, with muscular tannins and driving acidity behind. A dense, dark and brooding vintage of Beaucastel. The aromatic precision however is extremely impressive: elderberry, sloe and blackberry. It’s solid and will age well. Do not drink this young, as it will likely disappoint if opened too early. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudres. Syrah and Counoise are whole bunch fermented." 96/100 Decanter Tasted by: Matt Walls (at Rhône Valley, 18 Sep 2023) "Incredibly juicy nose – black tea, leather and spiced notes as well. The palate is rounded, sleek and plush. There is so much density on the palate. Supple mid palate and a meaty note on the rich finish. There is good, fresh acidity here as well, with a weightiness to the palate but balanced by the fresh acidity. Complex and impressive!" (Alistair Cooper MW). 17.5 Jancis Robinson.com
Case of 12
£360.00 / -
Still Red | Case of 6
Still Red
Dense and powerful, endowed with a rich tannic profile and layers of cherry, blue/black fruits, notes of hung meat, complex dark floral elements and soft spices. The precision and freshness make this tempting but it will need time to show its best! 5-15 years. Part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: "Report and top-scoring wines Drinking Window: 2033 - 2049 Dark and inky in colour this year. It’s fresh in its berry fruits, really quite powerful, with muscular tannins and driving acidity behind. A dense, dark and brooding vintage of Beaucastel. The aromatic precision however is extremely impressive: elderberry, sloe and blackberry. It’s solid and will age well. Do not drink this young, as it will likely disappoint if opened too early. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudres. Syrah and Counoise are whole bunch fermented." 96/100 Decanter Tasted by: Matt Walls (at Rhône Valley, 18 Sep 2023) "Incredibly juicy nose – black tea, leather and spiced notes as well. The palate is rounded, sleek and plush. There is so much density on the palate. Supple mid palate and a meaty note on the rich finish. There is good, fresh acidity here as well, with a weightiness to the palate but balanced by the fresh acidity. Complex and impressive!" (Alistair Cooper MW). 17.5 Jancis Robinson.com
Case of 6
£360.00 / -
Still Red | Case of 3
Still Red
Dense and powerful, endowed with a rich tannic profile and layers of cherry, blue/black fruits, notes of hung meat, complex dark floral elements and soft spices. The precision and freshness make this tempting but in magnum it will need serious time to show its best! 8-20 years. Part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: "Report and top-scoring wines Drinking Window: 2033 - 2049 Dark and inky in colour this year. It’s fresh in its berry fruits, really quite powerful, with muscular tannins and driving acidity behind. A dense, dark and brooding vintage of Beaucastel. The aromatic precision however is extremely impressive: elderberry, sloe and blackberry. It’s solid and will age well. Do not drink this young, as it will likely disappoint if opened too early. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudres. Syrah and Counoise are whole bunch fermented." 96/100 Decanter Tasted by: Matt Walls (at Rhône Valley, 18 Sep 2023) "Incredibly juicy nose – black tea, leather and spiced notes as well. The palate is rounded, sleek and plush. There is so much density on the palate. Supple mid palate and a meaty note on the rich finish. There is good, fresh acidity here as well, with a weightiness to the palate but balanced by the fresh acidity. Complex and impressive!" (Alistair Cooper MW). 17.5 Jancis Robinson.com
Case of 3
£372.00 /
