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Loire vintage report

 

Words: Yoan Bernard
Published: 17th October 2024

THREE-MINUTE READ

 

The Loire is the most diverse wine region in France, arguably Europe. This applies to both soil types and climatic conditions. Hence, it is difficult to create a single vintage report as we would for single-year releases such as Burgundy or Bordeaux.

 

When it comes to the Loire, it is more complicated. Producers have different ageing regimes for their cuvées and their reds and whites, depending on the desired style of wine they want to create. This means producers will release multiple vintages every calendar year. Indeed, our offer this year sees no less than five vintages – from 2019 to 2023 – being offered by our producers for the first time.

 

2023

This vintage was plentiful in both quantity and quality. Less heat than 2022 will make this a vintage with plenty of freshness, medium alcohol levels, well-balanced acidities and fruit purity. It was an almost frost-free vintage, with warm conditions in May and June to aid flowering.

Rain and mildew in late June and early July were a real threat but the growers who were in the vineyards, stopping the spread, were able to yield a big harvest. The Chenin Blanc in Anjou needed the most “hands-on” support in the vineyard to secure a good harvest. Chinon, Saumur and Bourgueil were luckier. The harvest in Sancerre was one of the biggest in a while, with top-quality grapes. This is a vintage which I think will provide much enjoyment across the entire region.

 

2022

This is the definition of a hot and ripe vintage. It saw very little rainfall, so rivers, and the scarce rainfall which did arrive, both played a crucial role in keeping the vineyards tempered. Mid-August rains were gladly welcomed and gave the vines a breather from the heat. This resulted in very concentrated grapes. This high concentration made for good levels of acidity in the reds. Similarly, the white and sweet wines have ended up having good tension and acidity.

The heat also allowed most of the Loire to avoid disease. Good quantities were produced throughout the region, especially after the frost-ravaged 2021 vintage. I think 2022 is a very good vintage that will age splendidly in the cellar.

 

2021

The 2021 vintage was marked by savage spring frosts in early April which significantly reduced production. The cold spring was followed by a wet and cool summer which led to mildew. Fortunately, the drying wind and warm, sunny conditions in September and October saved the vintage. The result was a very small crop of classically proportioned wines with high acidity and modest alcohol levels. The wines are typically on the lighter end of the spectrum. The reds will appeal to those with a preference for more leafy styles of Cabernet Franc. It is, typically, a vintage for early drinking, particularly in comparison to the much riper and more powerful vintages on either side.

 

  

2020

Late winter and early spring of 2020 saw plentiful rain, building up important water reserves in the soil which would prove useful for the dry summer to come. There was no frost this year, but the Covid-19 pandemic posed its own particular challenges. Spring was warm and sunny, as was the summer, though there were no real heat spikes. Harvest was early, beginning in late August; it offered normal yields of healthy fruit. The warm and sunny season gave very good wines with good levels of alcohol, acidity and structure. Picking dates were important for ensuring freshness and balance, particularly for Sauvignon Blanc, but the best producers made excellent wines with good ageing potential.

 

 

2019

This is a vintage of concentration – a characteristic built up by several factors during the growing season. The year began badly, with frost devastating many vineyards at the beginning of April, then again in late April and early May. A difficult flowering reduced volumes further, before drought and heat spikes made the vines suffer more. Picking began in the middle of September, yielding fruit of exceptional quality but tiny quantity. Berries were typically small with thick skins. The concentration effect applied not just to sugar levels, but to acidity and flavour as well. As a result, the wines are typically better balanced than the riper 2018s. For many producers, 2019 is the vintage with the greatest ageing potential from the past decade or so.

  

 

 

Image of Ivan Massonnat of Domaine Belargus exploring his vines in Anjou with Buyers Adam Bruntlett and Yoan Bernand. Photography by Account Manager Chris Hanssen