Rhone Valley Harvest 2022

The 2022 harvest has been unusual and of high quality!

 

Our three vineyards in the Rhone Valley have had completely different harvests this year. Nevertheless, the summer heat and rain at the end of August and September meant that the berries were perfectly ripe on each property.

While the harvest at Château La Nerthe and Prieuré Montézargues were both less spread out over time than in previous years, those in our Côtes-du-Rhône vineyard “Les Cassagnes de La Nerthe” were scattered because of the rainy spells that animated this harvest season.

A hailstorm hit Château La Nerthe in the afternoon of August 14, which afflicted part of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. This event caused yield loss, which was significant depending on the plot. Fortunately, the mistral wind and hot temperatures quickly dried the affected berries, and we were able to start the harvest immediately, thanks to the early ripening from the scorching summer. The normal harvesting order was only slightly modified.

Cassagnes de La Nerthe vineyard resulted in a small and very qualitative crop. The white grape varieties developed quite early, as did the Grenache noir, whose harvest was closer than usual to that of the syrah. This year has been particularly favorable for our flagship Côtes-du-Rhône grape varieties, Grenaches blanc and noir.

In Tavel, at Prieuré de Montézargues, we have rarely had such a healthy and early harvest! We picked in the usual order, starting with the grenache blanc, then the grenache noir, cinsault, and syrah, and ending with grape varieties like clairette or bourboulenc, whose skin is more resistant to weather hazards. The berries are quite small and concentrated, and the quality is there!

The entire harvest promises exquisite wines, concentrated, fruity, and generous.