Vintage Weather

2016 across the wine world

Every region on record for 2016, read the same way: temperature, rain, harvest timing, and the events that shaped the season.

Temperature
Cold → Hot
Argentina (Mendoza)

Cold · Harvest rain, Mildew / rot, Botrytis, Low yield

El Nino brought Mendoza's worst harvest in decades, yielding mineral Malbec.

Harvested autumn 2016

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Australia

Warm · Harvest rain

El Nino heat and a compressed harvest still delivered a sensational fine wine year.

Harvested autumn 2016

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Bordeaux

Warm · Mildew / rot

A soaking spring mildew scare gave way to near-drought and classic elegance.

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Burgundy

Average · Frost, Mildew / rot, Low yield

The worst frost since 1981 devastated yields but ideal ripening made fresh, elegant wines.

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Champagne

Cool · Frost, Mildew / rot, Heat spike

Record rain and mildew nearly wrecked it, then August heat saved the crop.

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Rhône Valley

Average · Hail

April hail cut yields, but a long season built elegant, terroir-true wines.

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Mosel

Average · Mildew / rot, Hail, Frost, Heat spike

A rainy spring gave way to a hot, dry summer, yielding elegant, moderate wines.

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Barolo

Warm · Hail

A balanced season without extremes produced an all-time great wine.

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Tuscany

Average · Low yield

A balanced season and a late harvest made a precise, age-worthy classic.

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Port & Douro

No weather read · Heat spike, Harvest rain, Mildew / rot, Low yield

A very wet spring raised disease pressure before a scorching September.

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Rioja

Warm · Heat spike

A dry summer and late heat spike still built a large, balanced crop.

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Napa Valley

Average · Heat spike

An even growing season with September heat that brought the Cabernet in fast.

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Willamette Valley

Warm · Heat spike

An early start, a moderate summer and a calm harvest with no weather pressure.

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Sonoma

Average

A cool 'Fogust' produced balanced, elegant, age-worthy wines across the board.

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Washington State

Average · Heat spike

A record crop from an early warm start and a long, cool finish.

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