Early harvest in Roussillon after July heatwave
Roussillon is the latest French wine-growing region to announce an early 2022 harvest due to soaring temperatures.
The first pickings were recorded on August 3, following early flowering and maturation. Unfortunately, the heat has also contributed to lower yields as the vines struggled to retain moisture.
However, according to Wines of Roussillon, the 2022 vintage still looks promising, thanks to the good sanitary conditions of the vineyards.
Furthermore, abundant September rainfall produced plentiful water reserves for the vines, whilst May and June’s ideal temperatures allowed ample vegetative growth.
Roussillon was also spared the frosts, which adversely affected many other French regions.
Flowering started mid-May, about 10 days earlier than normal, with healthy bud burst and good fruit set across all varietals.
However, things took a turn for the worst in June. The Syndicat des Crus requested permission to irrigate the vineyards, which were granted by the INAO, because of the extreme drought conditions. Garrigue fires started on June 29, reaching some vines planted at the edge of woodlands.
July’s sustained heatwave lasted until July 24, with three consecutive weeks of temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius recorded in Perpignan. Direct heat damage on berries was observed in mid-July in certain areas as temperatures soared.
Despite the sustained heat and drought conditions, Wines of Roussillon remain hopeful about the quality of the 2022 vintage.
At the halfway point of the harvest, Roussillon producers anticipate a smaller harvest, possibly equivalent to 2019.
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