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Burgundy’s April frost impact ‘limited’
The 2022 vintage in Burgundy has got off to a good start, with only limited consequences from the frost in early April, the BIVB has reported.
Although the BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne) admitted that the two frosts in early April following a mild, dry winter had “made everyone fear the worst”, it said the impact had been limited to “certain sectors in the northern part of the region”.
Growers in areas protected from frost were hugely relieved as the frost on 3 and 11th April came after growth cycle had already started due to a mild spring, and shoots had already started to appear on the vines. However budburst was only “slightly slowed” in vines that were hit by frost, with the BIVB pointing out that the vines were at different stages of development across the region, depending on their location and varietal.
It confirmed that the estimated date of mid-budburst is slightly later than in 2021, although still within the average for the past 28 years.
It noted that the warmth in early May, along with rainfall had accelerated the pace of the season, with flowering starting as early as last week in some of the earliest varieties and sectors.
However, last month the BIVB warned of challenges ahead, due to sustained demand combined with reduced yields in 2021 , which meant stocks were well below the average of the last five campaigns. There are also concerns that the increase in springtime frosts is increasing financial pressure on growers, and tightening their margins.
In an interview with the drinks business last month, Frédéric Drouhin, president of Burgundy grower and negociant Maison Joseph Drouhin, expressed his concerns for the pricing of wines from this important French wine region due to the the inflated costs of production, including mitigating the increasing problem of springtime frosts.
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