The 2022 vintage in Burgundy
2022 has been heralded as one of the most joyous vintages in recorded history. Following the extraordinarily difficult season of 2021, where producing fruit to the requisite quality kept growers on a knife’s edge, the welcome change in 2022 produced a vintage of perfect quality and remarkable consistency across all appellations.
The Growing Season
2022 started in perfect fashion, with an early budbreak and a mild spring that laid the foundation for a long growing season. The majority of the vineyards avoided the danger of frost in April and the inflorescences were able to flower uninterrupted, this was in part due to the efforts of the seasoned growers who spent a nail-biting 10-day period lighting lanterns, firing up wind turbines and utilizing heated cable trellis systems.
The following months were the warmest and driest on record, with 2022 providing a blueprint for how to manage a warm year. Periodic rainfall throughout this period provided necessary cooling in the vineyard which created an incredible balance between bright acidity and flavour ripeness. When it came to harvest, yields were comfortably sitting at 90% of maximum - the prime amount to not compromise on concentration. The evenness of harvest across both Pinot Noir & Chardonnay was reason for celebration amongst vignerons with full bunches, perfectly ripe grapes and barely any raisining occurring.
The White Wines
During the first decade of the 21st century, warm and dry years like 2022 were generally seen as a great red vintage but signalled an over-ripe and plump year for whites that lacked the freshness of the great years. Experience and innovation have changed this with producers being able to not only harness the richness but maintain the acidity and bright structure to make whites of power, depth and longevity. Picking earlier retains the fine-boned structure and in a year like 2022 it combines this tension with generosity and power.
The major villages of the Cote de Beaune: Puligny, Chassagne and Meursault all showcase their trademark intensity and have been exceptionally received by critics globally. What truly sets 2022 apart is not just the quality of the Premier and Grand Cru wines, but how remarkably the Village and Bourgogne wines overdeliver, offering exceptional quality and value worth collecting.
The Red Wines
2022 is arguably even more impressive for Pinot Noir, a grape generally known for its fickle nature. Like Chardonnay, the lesser sites outperform all recent vintages and offer remarkable penetration, intensity and structure. That said, the finest sites of the Côte de Nuits reach truly breathtaking heights. In its annual vintage report, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti noted that to find a comparable year, one must look back to 1959—a legendary vintage celebrated for its rare combination of extraordinary quality and generous quantity, making it a benchmark for collectors. Extended ripening of Pinot Noir in 2022 allowed for the development of dense tannins in the grape skins, creating wines of commanding structure, while the remarkable concentration of flavor compounds ensures a sense of harmony and balance.
The standouts
2022 is a vintage that offers quality at every price level. Our recommendation at the World of Wine is to not only secure bottles from the great sites and estates, but to make sure you try some of the lesser celebrated villages that have been buoyed by baseline quality of the vintage.
Don't Miss - Red Burgundies
- Domaine Dujac Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts 2022
- Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle Musigny 2022
Don't Miss - White Burgundies
- Domaine Ramonet Puligny Montrachet 2022
- Domaine Roulot Meursault 2022
- Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2022
Surprise Value Red Villages:
Mercurey, Santenay, Savigny-les-Beaune, Hautes-Cotes-de-Beaune & Nuits
Surprise Value White Villages:
Pouilly Fuisse, Macon, Rully, Marsannay