Harvest of resilience: Great wines expected for 2022 despite challenges

Nov. 9—The Wine Institute released its 2022 Harvest Report this week, and said vintners are confident that great wines will come from this year's vintage despite a challenging year that included widespread spring frosts and a brutal heat wave in the early fall.

"In April, the greater Lodi region experienced the worst frost event growers had seen since 2008," the report states. "In some cases, the damage was so extensive that vintners chose not to harvest their vineyards. The record-breaking heat wave in early September posed additional challenges and many vineyards felt the impact."

Despite the extreme weather conditions, the harvest timing was fairly normal, according to the report, beginning in early August as usual.

Yields were average to slightly below average due to dehydration caused by the heat wave, but winegrowers reported incredible quality in early-pick whites and expect to make some excellent wines with proper execution in the cellar.

Stuart Spencer, executive director of Lodi Wine Growers, said it's difficult to determine how severe the damage and loss from frost and heat affected each grower and vineyard, as all experienced different results from the weather.

However, he said the the worst damage was experienced in the northern Delta areas of Clarksburg and Thornton, as well as along the eastern side of the region.

"As stated, some growers chose not to pick due to extremely low yields, and other vineyard sites affected by frost still managed to produce a moderate crop," he said. "Many growers that were affected also relied on crop insurance. The extreme heat wave in September affected all vineyards to some degree. Some vineyards fared better depending on the size of the canopy, the trellis system in place, and the overall health of the vineyard going into the heat wave."

Yield losses due to dehydration could have ranged from 10-40% depending on a lot of factors, Spencer said.

The Lodi appellation's 100,000 winegrape acreage is the largest in the state, and according to the report, the most planted grapes of 2022 were the Cabernet, Chardonnay and Zinfandel varieties.

Vintners in nearby Amador County saw rainfall in March and April following a dry winter, the report states, which resulted in bud break occurring earlier than expected.

The severe spring frost wiped out growth in the county's low-lying vineyards, while higher-elevation areas and blocks with later-budding varieties fared fairly well.

In late summer, varieties and vineyards withstood the September heatwave differently, as some vines shut down while others experienced dehydration and stalled sugar development.

Harvest on the appellation's 3,569 winegrape acres began in mid-August, a week to 10 days earlier than average, and finished early, and overall yields were about 45% of normal.

However, vintners reported very good fruit quality with near-perfect chemistry. Smaller crops resulted in high flavor and color concentration, along with good acidity retention.

In Calaveras County, which has just 721 winegrape acres, the April frost caused significant damage across the region, with yields down an average of 60% and up to 100% for some vineyards.

Harvest began around the normal time for Chardonnay, and for Cabernet Sauvignon, some growers began picking about 10 days later than in 2021.

An extended heat wave from early August to early September brought triple-digit temperatures that caused Cabernet Sauvignon vines to shut down. The smaller crop size resulted in an early end to harvest, the report states.

"Despite the challenges that Mother Nature delivered in 2022, many vintners are reporting exceptional quality wines from this year's harvest," Spencer said. "And we are all enjoying the rain and the good soaking our vineyards are getting right now."