The wine year 2022 in retrospect

Helmuth Zozin - Director

2022 was an extraordinary year, one in which the reality of global warming was brought home to us. It was a year of warm temperatures and sunny weather, fortunately with enough rain at just the right times in this part of the world.
The year started dry and warm. The new shoots appeared at the beginning of April as normal, but the very warm spring accelerated vine growth to such an extent that by the time they were flowering we were already anticipating an early year. This was followed by an exceptionally sunny and warm summer, but with sufficient rainfall just when it was needed.

The result was almost perfect vine development, with healthy leaves and grapes. Due to the dry conditions, the berries remained small – a basic prerequisite for a good vintage.
The only blemish was a hailstorm at the beginning of July, which mainly affected our red wine sites by the lake and in Manincor. As always after a storm, we treated the vines on the basis of biodynamic principles, first with camomile tea and then with our dynamized preparations.
We are always astonished to see how well the vines respond. Depending on the site, volumes were down by 10 to 30%, but no damage was done in terms of quality. For us, applications of stinging nettle tea, camomile tea, horsetail tea, dynamized horn manure and horn silica are now routine to stimulate our vines for optimum health, vitality and maturity.
After a hail storm, we repeatedly witness the amazing effects of biodynamic preparations within an ecological system. They ensure that the vines recover more quickly, and their annual rhythm is restored as if nothing had happened.

At the end of July, beginning of August, when it was particularly dry, we started to worry a little about whether our vines might suffer. The years spent building up the humus layer by working with compost and a diverse vegetation cover have meanwhile strengthened the resilience of the vines to such an extent that no symptoms of stress were observed. This exceptional summer has shown us once again that we are on the right track.
We started harvesting on 26 August, which is similar to the early harvests of 2007, 2009 and 2017. A continuous period of fine and stable weather enabled us to bring in the grapes from one site after another at just the right time. Little needed to be done in the way of grape selection; only the occasional berry had to be removed.
As usual, we started with the white wine grapes in Terlano. The Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc grapes all arrived at the cellar in absolutely perfect condition – with yellow skins, fruity aromas and balanced acidity and sugar levels.
In this first phase of the harvest, we picked the grapes in the mornings from 6 a.m. to 12 noon, so that they could be brought in while still cool. This also has the positive effect of reducing energy consumption for cold storage. Our white wine grapes are pressed at less than 10°C in keeping with our declared goal of producing wines with finesse and elegance.
The must is then transferred unclarified to wooden barrels, where spontaneous fermentation begins after one or two weeks – which is a challenge every year, as our aim is to produce absolutely dry white wines. The fermentation processes often continue until Christmas or even into the following summer. However, we are usually rewarded for the risk by the complexity of the wines and the distinctive character of the terroir.

Harvesting our Pinots was an especial pleasure this year. The grapes were more perfect than ever and give promise of a very good Mason and a great Mason di Mason. Things continued in this vein with the Schiava, Lagrein, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Moscato Giallo grapes. The harvest was finally completed with the Petit Verdot on 12 October. And the verdict: Grape quality ranged from very good to excellent.
It is still too early to speak of a once in a hundred year vintage. But one thing is clear: The grapes harvested in 2022 are among the best we have ever brought in. A particular pleasing feature is the combination of wonderfully ripe aromas with relatively moderate alcohol levels and a crisp acidity.

Our white wines combine yellow fruit with a fresh minerality and are powerful on the palate with an absolutely vertical structure. The reds are full of ripe fruit aromas such as cherry, currants, Tarocco oranges, blackberries and elderberries. Plenty of ripe tannins provide a dense, yet always juicy structure on the palate. So the first signs are positive throughout, and we are looking forward to an great vintage with slightly reduced volumes.