Please enjoy Rueda Wine Co.’s take on the 2021 vintage in Rhone, with our Rhone Vintage Report 2021.
Overall
The 2021 vintage in the Rhône was incredibly challenging – a trial by fire – much like most of France. A barrage of challenges was seen from the outset: early budding leading to large amounts of frost damage, excessive rain, lack of sun, disease pressure and a tense and difficult harvest. However, despite these challenges, we have seen some utterly glorious wines emerge.
Image: A historic photgraph of the Rostaing and Gentaz families working in the Cote Rotie.
In the Vineyard
The 2020/2021 winter was mild and dry, leading to an unusually warm spring. The rain came late, and coupled with warm weather, the vines began to bud. At the beginning of April, an incredibly harsh frost swept over France and Northern Italy. This was the first time the Rhone had been punished so severely by frost in over 40 years, catching growers entirely off guard. Frost can behave unpredictably, often flowing down hillsides like water, hitting some vines while sparing others. Usually, vineyards in lower, flat areas are worse affected.
In the Northern Rhône, appellations like Saint Péray, Cornas, and Crozes-Hermitage were particularly hard hit, with the frost sweeping down to the lower slopes. In Hermitage, growers scrambled to light candles in their vineyards to ward off the frost, with some resorting to burning hay in barrels when supplies ran out. Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie also suffered losses, particularly at higher elevations where temperatures plummeted to -6°C. This was only the beginning of the tough season ahead.
May brought wet, mild weather and a warm and wet June, creating the perfect conditions for mildew. Growers had to be constantly vigilant, spending nearly every day in the vineyards either spraying for mildew or meticulously managing the vines to ensure the fruit remained healthy. Those who managed to stay on top of these challenges are the ones who succeeded in 2021.
Image: Work taking place in the vineyards of Jean-Michel Gerin.
In the Cellar
July finally brought some heat, with temperatures reaching 30°C by the end of the month. A brief heatwave in mid-August provided much-needed warmth to ripen the grapes. However, as the harvest approached, a small rainstorm in late September caused concern, especially with a larger storm forecasted for early October.
Many growers began harvesting earnestly, racing against the weather to bring in their grapes before the rain hit. Those who harvested their fruit in time produced exceptional wines in 2021.
Overview of the 2020 and 2022 Vintages
Although the 2021 vintage is the primary focus of this report and allocation campaign, we also have some excellent wines from the 2020 and 2022 vintages available.
2020 Vintage
The 2020 vintage in the Northern Rhône was marked by warm weather and relatively favourable growing conditions. Unlike 2021, there was little frost. The main challenge was managing the heat and ensuring the grapes didn’t become overly ripe. The result is a vintage characterised by rich, concentrated wines with higher alcohol levels, yet still retaining the trademark balance of the Northern Rhône. The Syrah wines from 2020 are bold and full-bodied, with dark fruit flavours, robust tannins, and long ageing potential. This vintage aligns more with the powerful styles of 2018 and 2019 but with more freshness.
2022 Vintage
The 2022 vintage was another warm year, with heatwaves pushing ripening forward and resulting in an early harvest. However, unlike 2020, the dry conditions stressed the vines, leading to lower yields with intense fruit concentration. The wines from 2022 are highly aromatic and express great purity, with excellent ripeness balanced by vibrant acidity. Growers were careful to pick at the right moment to avoid over-ripeness, which has led to a vintage that, while intense, still maintains elegance and precision. The 2022 wines are approachable in their youth but will reward patience in the cellar.
Closing Remarks
Despite initial concerns that the Syrah from this vintage might turn out lean, uninteresting and austere, my travels to the region in April 2024 proved the opposite.
The wines from our producers were a joy to taste. The quality is incredibly high. Lower alcohol levels and higher acidity characterise the vintage. The wines are balanced, elegant, pure and ethereal. They are fresh, with delicate but firm, dusty tannins. This is a vintage that you can both enjoy now and leave to age, a rather significant departure from the heavy richness and intensity of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 vintages. The 2021 wines are aromatic and fruit-forward; there is excellent depth of flavour and balance in alcohol and acidity. This is a true treasure as global warming takes hold.
Please enjoy reading through and learning a bit more about the producers in the RWC portfolio via the links below:
- A & E Verset
- Bernard Burgaud
- Georges Vernay
- Gourt de Mautens – Jerome Bressy
- Jean-Baptiste Souillard
- Jean-Michel Gerin
- Partick Jasmin
- Rene Rostaing
- Vincent Paris
Written and Edited By: Fernando Rueda