2013 Northern Rhône Vintage

A cold spring led to a difficult flowering and delayed the harvest, which was among the latest ever. Mildew pressure was heavy early in June, though drier, warmer weather prevailed over the second half of the season, allowing producers to get healthy grapes. In the north, Viognier was hit hard by coulure. In Hermitage, cold weather at flowering reduced yields, affecting the whites more than the reds. In Cornas, Alberic Mazoyer of Domaine Alain Voge said: "The hillside vineyards positively relished the copious spring rainfall." Across the Rhone Valley, the naturally dry and windy climate kept the vineyards in perfect health, and picking was spread from the first days of September to the very end of October, an average of three weeks later than over the previous decade. Rhone-wide, an early October rain triggered most of the picking, with more rain forecast a week later. In Cote-Rotie, Philippe Guigal of E. Guigal in Ampuis said: "In 2013 we never stopped the harvest." Picking there finished before the second rain in October. 2013 was one of the smaller harvests across the valley, and quantities were low everywhere.

• Rhone-wide: cold spring, difficult flowering and heavy mildew pressure early in June
• North: Viognier hit hard by coulure; Hermitage yields cut by cold at flowering
• Valley-wide: picking from the first days of September to the end of October, three weeks later than the previous decade
• Cote-Rotie: picking ran without a break and finished before the second October rain

Saint-Peray whites were showing superb quality, and Cornas wines were well-coloured with excellent balance. In his Hermitage vintage guide for Decanter, Matt Walls called the 2013 reds fairly structured, without great generosity of fruit but nonetheless solid: wines to give pleasure into the medium term rather than for long term ageing, and likely a little stolid in youth. He found quality largely good for white Hermitage, with balanced wines of good concentration and a strong stamp of terroir. Xavier Gomart, managing director of the Cave de Tain, believed 2013 would follow in the footsteps of 2011 and 2012, completing an unbroken series of trouble-free years for the northern appellations.

• Saint-Peray: whites showing superb quality
• Cornas: well-coloured wines with excellent balance
• Hermitage: solid reds for the medium term; balanced, concentrated whites (Decanter)

Wine Spectator's report said quality in the Northern Rhone could be excellent, naming Syrah as the north's promising grape and Viognier as its most variable. Across the Rhone Valley, well-balanced acidity helped colour, and sugar levels were moderate, so alcohol levels would be lower than in previous years.