Harvest 2022 – with nature it’s all about give and take

Earlier harvest

You will recall it was warm and very dry across most of Europe this summer but in truth Austria only had a couple of very hot days. We did have 23% less rain and it was this that has resulted in an earlier harvest which started on the 7th Sept, a week earlier than last year. 

A good range of acidity levels

Irony would have it that the rains came in September and despite dodging a few heavy downpours we had the white varietals safely in by the middle of the month. We are pleased with the fresh quality and health of the fruit which has a broader range of acidity levels this year. This is due to the mix of different soils and locations of our vineyards and is very valuable in creating interesting wines.

Good quality + reduced yields

So our first take is that even in warm years if you manage the vineyards wisely it is still possible to create aromatic, lively fun wines.  We cannot however defy nature so while we will achieve this, there there will be less of it. 2022 has significantly reduced yields. Nature after all needs balance to excel.