Vintage Weather

2009 across the wine world

Every region on record for 2009, read the same way: temperature, rain, harvest timing, and the events that shaped the season.

Temperature
Cold → Hot
Argentina (Mendoza)

Warm · Heat spike

A warm, dry year with a February heat spike and an early harvest.

Harvested autumn 2009

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Australia

Hot · Heat spike, Smoke, Drought, Low yield

Record heat and bushfire smoke made 2009 brutal, but cooler regions found real quality.

Harvested autumn 2009

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Bordeaux

Hot · Hail

Warm days, cool nights, and a dry finish made one of Bordeaux's greatest vintages.

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Burgundy

Hot · Heat spike

A glorious August heatwave made rich, opulent, low-acid, immediately seductive wines.

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Champagne

Warm · Heat spike, Mildew / rot

A hot, dry August made rich, plush, early-drinking Champagne.

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Rhône Valley

Warm

Warm, sunny weather with timely rain built opulent, generous wines.

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Mosel

Warm · Harvest rain, Botrytis

A warm, dry summer made for a big, ripe, crowd-pleasing vintage.

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Barolo

Hot · Heat spike

A hot, sun-intense summer produced an uneven, producer-driven wine.

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Tuscany

Hot · Heat spike, Harvest rain

An August heat spike and September rain made approachable, forward wines.

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Port & Douro

No weather read · Drought, Low yield

Near-rainless summer drought and low fertility brought an early harvest.

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Rioja

Hot · Drought, Hail

A hot, dry summer and early harvest built a generous, Very Good year.

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Napa Valley

Average · Harvest rain

A long mild season that ended in a race against October rain.

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Willamette Valley

Warm · Heat spike, Harvest rain

A warm, swing-heavy year with long hang time and plentiful Willamette yields.

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Sonoma

Average · Harvest rain

Ideal even ripening was capped by a violent October storm that rewarded early pickers.

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Washington State

Hot · Heat spike, Frost

A record-hot summer rushed harvest, and an October 11 frost closed the season.

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