2023 Rhône Valley Vintage

A historically dry winter was followed by a particularly rainy spring, with some stormy episodes, especially in the northern part, sometimes accompanied by very localized hailstorms. In Cairanne the rainy spring was followed by drought and a few rainfalls in July and August, which helped maintain good vineyard health, and in Gigondas the spring rains left water reserves that limited the hardships of the drought. Across the valley, the drought and late summer heatwave did not affect the vineyards, which benefited from a large diurnal range and cool nights. The north had the harder run: hailstorms, disease pressure, a heatwave and torrential rain in mid-September hit the northern crus, and weather conditions were more chaotic in the north than in the south, leading to a shorter harvest. Côte-Rôtie was spared the 200 mm that fell in full harvest in mid-September, but the other northern crus were not, and growers there struggled to organise picking. In the south the harvest ran differently: in the Côtes du Rhône the whites were a rather rushed harvest while the reds needed patience, and in Ventoux the harvest was long-lasting, with a particularly wide day-night temperature range at the end of September. Quality and quantity are both there throughout the region.

• Historically dry winter, then a particularly rainy spring with stormy episodes, especially in the north, and very localized hail
• Drought and a late summer heatwave across the valley did not affect the vineyards, helped by a large diurnal range and cool nights
• North: 200 mm fell in full harvest in mid-September on the northern crus, with Côte-Rôtie spared
• Yields: quality and quantity both there throughout the region; Costières de Nîmes had a relatively abundant crop

The harvest was complicated for the northern crus. At Domaine Marc Sorrel in Tain l'Hermitage, between the rains, late-arriving rot, dried mildew and scorching, Guillaume Sorrel had to drop up to 20% in some parcels, yet the vines were so loaded that the yield was reached, a first since he took over the domaine five years earlier. Ripeness was very heterogeneous within a single parcel and even a single vine, and some growers faced stalled ripeness at 10.5 to 11 degrees. Mildew was the other fight: Domaine Guy Bernard, with 6.6 ha in Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie, made six treatments, three organic and three conventional, and had no mildew on the bunches, while Frédéric Bernard said organic growers had heavy losses. In the north, after some worries came a lot of enthusiasm for very balanced wines. Marcel Guigal, Co-President of AOC Côte-Rôtie, said: "This year, we were very lucky, and we are fully satisfied, in terms of quality as well as in terms of quantity".

• Côte-Rôtie was spared the mid-September deluge that hit the other northern crus
• Tain l'Hermitage: Domaine Marc Sorrel dropped up to 20% in some parcels but still reached the yield
• Crozes-Hermitage: Co-President Yann Chave cited beautiful colours, adequate alcohol levels, excellent balance and fine red tannins
• Saint-Péray: a beautiful ripening period led to an adequate crop volume

In the south there was entire satisfaction with finely structured wines. In AOC Côtes du Rhône, cooperative grower Damien Gilles described beautifully powerful reds with structure, and whites that are rather mineral, fruity and fresh. In Lirac, Co-President François Miquel said: "September and October were incredible: abundant sunshine, cool nights, everything needed for a slow and successful ripening." In Cairanne, Laurent Brusset said the whites show acidity a little higher than in 2022, with reds showing notes of black cherry and raspberry. Gigondas made its first Cru vintage of white wines in 2023, and Co-President Pierre Amadieu described the red tannins as present and fleshy.

• Ventoux: a long-lasting harvest favoured optimal ripeness for all grape varieties
• Lirac: the vintage's heatwaves were beneficial to this Cru known for its freshness, according to François Miquel
• Costières de Nîmes: vines resisted disease pressure well and the crop was relatively abundant
• Beaumes-de-Venise: Xavier Vignon called it a very good vintage for Muscats