The essential conditions needed to create sparkling wines, dry and sweet whites, rosés and reds was experienced at the end of the summer due to sunshine, warmth, some rain and cooler nights.
From June onwards the region saw hot, humid weather set in over the vineyards, with rainfall and temperatures higher than the ten-year averages (102 millimetres of rain vs 70mm and 22.5 °C vs 19.8°C).
Over a period of several weeks, this combination led to a downy mildew epidemic and all vineyards in south-west France were affected, the report said, with its consequences varying from plot to plot.
The pressure from disease settled after véraison in the last week of July and the hot, dry weather conditions over summer enabled the grapes to continue to develop, returning to good health.
For the Crémants, the hand-picked harvest began on 16 August, a more conventional timetable than the early 2022 vintage, but still a few days ahead of normal.
The early September heatwave that hit France at the beginning of September caused harvesting to take place earlier in the morning to preserve freshness and aromas, particularly for the white grape varieties.
For the reds, these conditions created uniform ripening and good concentration of aromas. For the whites, the rest of September remained crucial for the development of Botrytis cinerea, which was essential for the production of these wines.
The report also found that the “record pressure” from the downy mildew will have an impact on the volumes from affected vineyards, but it is “impossible to estimate” the losses across the entire vineyard and the final volume will be known in early 2024.
