Except for the odd rainy day, the weather in January and February was uneventful. The following months were dryer than the long-term average. April was a relatively warm month, fortunately helping to keep damaging spring frosts at bay. Bud burst began as early as 16 April on the Mosel. As usual, bud break followed around a week later on the Saar and Ruwer.
Flowering came early at the start of June, coinciding with some extremely hot, dry weather. The vines suffered somewhat in these conditions, producing a less-than-perfect fruit set. However, the resultant grape bunches were nice and loose and consequently less prone to disease.
Summer 2022 was extremely hot at times. Rainfall was also scarce. It was not until the end of August that the heavens finally opened. These downpours were plentiful if a little late. But not too late. This is because many of our vines have already reached middle or old age and are much more able to cope with drought, thanks to roots that dig deep into the soil to obtain the moisture that they need.
With bud burst and flowering having occurred relatively early, picking also started ahead of time on 16 September 2022. Conditions during the first half of the harvest were unusually cool but mostly dry and sunny. Occasional showers punctuated the remainder of the picking season. This rainfall was conducive to the development of botrytis (noble rot) as the grape skins became thinner, necessitating meticulous selection of the fruit. Overall, we brought in a remarkably diverse, fruit-driven range of potential wines blessed with harmonious acidity.
Fast-forward to the end of November 2022, and most of our fledgling Rieslings and Pinots are still fermenting. However, these wines are already very balanced and fruity in their unfinished state, with fine, vibrant acidity and moderate alcohol.
2022 promises to be a wonderful vintage, running the gamut from fresh entry-level and village wines (Gutsweine and Ortsweine) to dry, off-dry and sweet VDP.Grosse Lagen®.
In the meantime, we hope you continue to enjoy our amazing wines from 2021, 2020 and even further back.
Morscheid in december 2022