The 2022 vintage at the Castel Family Estates.

Cédric Pla, Technical Director of the Castel Family Estates, looks back at a vintage that illustrates the vine’s resilience to the elements, and winemakers’ ability to adapt to changes in climate.

Preliminary tastings provide a glimpse of a high quality vintage on the Left and Right Banks of Bordeaux, in the Languedoc, in Provence and in the Loire.

A vintage marked by climatic contrasts

"The 2022 vintage began with a mild and dry winter, but with sufficient water reserves in the soil. Mild temperatures in February and March favoured early bud break. A significant attack of frost affected the whole of France, most severely in the west. Encouraging growth of the secondary buds enabled the majority of affected plots to recover.

The flowering stage was spread over a longer period, due to relatively cool temperatures. However, the result was more than satisfactory for all grape varieties. A spring with little rain enabled us to limit the development of weeds and cryptogamic diseases. In the summer months, a series of heatwaves affected the vineyards with the largest surface area.