Vintage Weather
2002 across the wine world
Every region on record for 2002, read the same way: temperature, rain, harvest timing, and the events that shaped the season.
Northern hemisphere
A wet flowering and cool summer, then a dry, sunny September ripened a small crop.
A dry, warm summer and a cool September north wind gave healthy, balanced grapes.
A near-perfect season with no extremes produced a legendary vintage.
A warm summer, then mid-October rain; Saar and Ruwer made the star Rieslings.
Rain, cool weather, mould and September hail cut the crop; late sun rescued some Nebbiolo.
A mild season and late heat spikes gave a fast, early, ripe harvest.
A dry, warm season with cool nights gave ripe wines with balancing acidity.
North Coast frost and May rain, then September heat; firm, racy Cabernet, per Decanter.
A cool start, a hot summer, and low yields that gave richer fruit flavors.
Southern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere: the vintage year is the harvest year, so the growing season began in the previous calendar year (spring in September to October, harvest in February to April of the vintage year).
A mildew-hit spring, then sunny ripening and a cool, dry March gave deep-colored reds.
A cool, low-rain season gave a record crush and outstanding quality.