More Wines & More Value: Inside Burgundy’s 2022 Vintage

Burgundy tends to get more than its fair share of proverbial—and literal—shelf space among wine connoisseurs. It’s generally for good reason: The hallowed French region has proven for millennia that its undulating terroirs form the epicenter for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But far too often, the conversation about Burgundy centers around sky-high prices and extremely limited amounts of wine.

Luckily, the record-breaking 2022 vintage offered Burgundian winemakers a whopping 75% uptick in volume according to the BIVB—the regulatory association for Burgundian grape growers—and it didn’t come at the expense of quality. We sat down with K&L’s resident Burgundy expert to get an insider’s view of the warm season, plus advice on what to buy and enjoy right now. Read on for our takeaways, and the can’t-miss bottles.

Takeaway 1: Hot Vintages Become Classic Vintages

After the devastating 2021 vintage, where hail and bad weather decimated yields across Burgundy, vintners were craving a return to normal with the ‘22 season. The vintage began with an early budbreak and mild spring, prepping the vines for a long growing season. Though the threat of damaging frost loomed large in April, most vineyards avoided the harm and flowered without interruption.

“The vines sprang back to life after the difficult ‘21 vintage. And even though it was a really, really, really hot vintage, 2022 was a consistently hot vintage. And the wines have amazing acidity and brightness and freshness for such, such a hot vintage,” says K&L Burgundy Buyer Alex Pross. “When you really look at historically classic Bordeaux and Burgundy vintages like 1949, 1954, and 1990, they’re all hot vintages.”

On paper, the ‘22 vintage was the driest on record and Mother Nature’s gentle spring foreshadowed an intensely hot summer. Luckily, heavy rains in June and sporadic showers in August and September gave the vines enough respite to ensure full, even ripening.

“There's a belief out there that the vines in cooler regions like Burgundy have begun adjusting to the ‘new normal’ of hotter weather,” explains Pross. “And so many farmers now have a cover crop on their grounds and are farming more intelligently, using all the information and data to make sure these hot vintages aren’t going to be disastrous.”

Overall, both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir performed beautifully under the ample sunshine of the 2022 summer leading to a relatively early harvest and wines with an abundance of color, flavor, and vibrancy in the glass. This means you can shop with confidence from the Côte de Nuits through the Macônnais—from north to south, the wines are exceptional and have the structure to age.

Takeaway 2: More Volume Means More Values

The beauty of weather conditions blessing an entire region is that it offers an opportunity to confidently explore new growing regions where weather tends to be variable. In good vintages, these areas with marginal climates tend to yield their best wines—offering stellar wine at a fraction of the price of more renowned villages. And in 2022, the warm, uninterrupted season caused massive upticks in production for most producers—a direct translation to more wine arriving in the United States.

“Because 2022 is a bigger vintage, there will be more selection, and, if you find a wine you like, you’ll most likely be able to come back and get it again,” explains Pross. “Plus there will be a wider selection from across the region. We’re really trying to bring in the best Burgundy for everyone, partially by focusing on incredible wines from $30 to $70, which is where you can get really good quality red and white Burgundy.”

Villages like Mercurey and Pouilly Fuissé, with its new premier cru designation, are offering standout value right now. Partially thanks to climate change, many villages previously known for thin or rustic wines are now able to produce complex, nuanced Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays with considerable elegance for the money. For example, check out the 2022 Château Vitallis Pouilly-Fuissé "Les Vignes du Château" $26.99. We have been following this producer since before the Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru and villages designations were granted, and we’re thrilled that this region and this producer are getting the recognition they deserve.

In 2022, even cool, windy appellations like the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Hautes-Côtes de Beaune–which lie on the crests of hills—were warm enough to produce well-balanced wines. In addition, many younger vintners are inheriting family domaines and bringing advanced winemaking degrees and techniques home, resulting in wines that overdeliver for the price. 2022 Nuiton-Beaunoy Hautes Côtes de Beaune Rouge $17.99 offers bright berry fruit and a great zippy finish.

“It’s a really exciting time to be in these places,” says Pross, adding that improved technology and vineyard management techniques are shrinking the quality differences between these undersung areas and their marquee competition. “Many of them used to sell their grapes to négociants and now they’re making incredible wines with a ton of value.”

Takeaway 3: Volnay and Santenay are Treasure Troves This Season

“I think because of where Santenay is located, down to the south and off the beaten path, those wines are going to be very bright with red red fruit and have a zestier feel to them,” says Pross, citing producers such as Château de la Charrière, who has been in Santenay for 13 generations. “Thanks to the warmer weather, we’re seeing really pretty fruit and very approachable wines without the rusticity that used to characterize some Santenay wines.” Try the 2022 Château de la Charrière Santenay Blanc 1er Cru "Beauregard" $34.99 for a peak into 2022 Santenay whites, or the 2022 Château de la Charrière Bourgogne Rouge $17.99 to get a sense of the Charrière house style.

While Santenay wines are gaining elegance, the crop of 2022 Volnays arriving stateside show their classic, lacy sophistication. “I'm just loving these wines so much,” says Pross of the early Volnays. “The fruit is so pretty and they're incredibly floral and approachable,” adding that K&L is adding several new Volnay producers to its catalog, including Pierrick Boulay and Rossignol Fevrier. Here’s a fantastic in-stock 2022 Volnay to check out while we wait for the rest of the releases: 2022 Charles Père et Fille Volnay 1er Cru “Fremiets" $54.99 93DC.

“Keep your eyes open because we've got a lot of exciting things coming in,” says Pross. “We’re going to have a lot of fun offerings, and many of them are surprisingly affordable. I don't want people to overlook Burgundy because it seems unattainable or unaffordable because that's just not true.”

A Few Favorite In-Stock 2022 White Burgundy

2022 Clotilde Davenne Cotes d'Auxerre Bourgogne Blanc $29.99

2022 Domaine Seguinot Bordet Chablis 1er Cru "Fourchaume" $39.99

2022 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau St-Aubin 1er Cru "Bas Vermarain" $49.99

Click for 2022 Red Burgundy collectibles on Pre-Arrival

- Laura Burgess, K&L Writer & Editor