Notes on the 2022 vintage in the Northern Rhône.

The 2022 Northern Rhone vintage is hot on paper and balanced in the glass. I tasted through forty-seven wines across Hermitage, Cote-Rotie, Cornas, and Saint-Joseph in August, and my notes are more optimistic than the weather data suggests.

Picking dates ranged from 22 August in the earliest sites to 10 September in the high-altitude Saint-Joseph parcels. Alcohol levels are moderate for the heat, 13 to 13.8 percent in most reds, because the vines shut down during the worst of the drought and preserved acidity.

What to expect

The Hermitage reds are dense and structured. They will need time. The whites, particularly from the Maison Blanche lieux-dit, are the surprise of the vintage: concentrated but not heavy, with the acidity that the 2020s lack.

The Cornas wines are powerful. This is a vintage that rewards patience. I would not open these before 2028.

Saint-Joseph is the value play. The reds are clean, lifted, and priced well below Hermitage. We will have good availability.

Arrivals

The 2022s will arrive in Florida in April 2026. Allocations will be released to the trade in March. If you want to be on the list, write to me now.