Southern Rhône 2022: Full report and top-scoring wines

[breakout] Southern Rhône 2022 overall vintage rating: 4/5 Extreme weather conditions produced reds that range from light and juicy to dense and powerful. Blockages in ripening caused by heat and drought made for moderate alcohol levels, but sometimes tough tannins. Whites can lack freshness. Some excellent, ageworthy Châteauneuf-du-Papes ; also good in Rasteau . [/breakout] ‘Hot, dry vintages tend to favour red wines and 2022 is no exception. In general the style is fairly concentrated and fruity, if not profound’ [subscriber-content]Budbreak was a little later than an average year in the southern Rhône , yet harvest was early, so the growing season was contracted due to the extraordinary heat and drought. Flowering went well, and it was the earliest veraison (when grapes turn from green to red) ever reported. Scroll down for Matt Walls' top-scoring southern Rhône 2022 wines The extreme weather conditions were both a blessing and a curse. Berries were particularly small this year due to the lack of water, meaning a large proportion of skins compared to juice, making for some very tannic wines. This isn’t problematic if the tannins are ripe, but where the hydric stress was more severe, some wines lack depth or taste green and bitter. The hot weather also contributed to low levels of acidity. One welcome effect of the stop-start ripening, however, was to curb alcohol levels, which are pleasantly low this year. The dry weather at harvest, which started in mid-August for the whites, meant there was no disease pressure in the vineyards and producers could wait for the right moment to pick. See all 400 Rhône 2022 tasting notes and scores Hot, dry vintages tend to favour red wines and 2022 is no exception. Grenache fared well, particularly old vines grown on water-retaining clay, whose roots had better access to water reserves. Mourvèdre is very dense and tannic this year, providing resonance and ageing potential. Syrah struggled in the heat. The whites can lack elegance and freshness, but certain producers with old vines in the best terroirs made some very impressive wines, in a broad, generous, Provençal style. It was often the Clairette -based blends that stood out for their freshness over the richer Roussanne. Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines Northern Rhône 2022: full report and top-scoring wines Individual appellation analysis: Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise | Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres | Lirac & Tavel

Because some vines suffered blockages and others didn’t, it’s hard to summarise the style of the 2022s in the southern Rhône, but in general it’s fairly concentrated and fruity, if not profound. Châteauneuf performed the best, while the more brutally tannic, overripe or overly alcoholic wines were found elsewhere. It’s a better vintage than I expected, and there are many good wines to buy, some of which will age well. There are also plenty of wines to swerve. [breakout] Southern Rhône 2022 red wine of the vintage Domaine de Cristia, Chapelle Saint Théodoric La Guigasse, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Southern Rhône 2022 white wine of the vintage Domaine de la Solitude, Vin de la Solitude, Châteauneuf-du-Pape [/breakout]

[breakout] Rhône 2022 score tables: All top Rhône 2022 score table

Top-scoring southern Rhône 2022

Top-scoring northern Rhône 2022

Top-scoring Rhône 2022 red wines

Top-scoring Rhône 2022 white wines [/breakout]

Top 10 southern Rhône producers in 2022 Château de Beaucastel Château de St Cosme Château Rayas Clos des Papes Domaine de Beaurenard Domaine de Cristia Domaine de la Janasse Domaine de la Mordorée Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Le Clos du Caillou [/subscriber-content] Top-scoring southern Rhône 2022 wines: A selection of 30 southern Rhône wines which scored 95 points or above, listed white then red in score order. [wine-collection] Related articles Rhône 2022 en primeur diary: The south Get to know Southern Rhône: Good, better, best Southern Rhône white wines: how do they compare?