The vintage featured extreme weather conditions, with very little rain and numerous heatwaves during the summer. Once again, this vintage demonstrated the importance of biodynamic farming and organic practices that yield exceptional results. The dry and somewhat cold spring in March and April slowed down budding and vine growth, a trend that was even more pronounced in May, when less than 20 mm of rain fell throughout the month. June had slightly more rain, but it often came in the form of torrential downpours, causing much of the water to run off due to the Opoka soil structure. By August, we had received only half of the long-term average rainfall for our region. The harvest started in the second half of August, and at the same time, we welcomed revitalizing rainfall that restored the balance of vegetative vine growth, ensuring complete and optimal ripening. Hand-picked grapes were exceptionally healthy and achieved optimal ripeness. Once again, we have produced wines of superior quality, with grapes containing above-average sugar levels, even the skins and seeds have contained more phenolic and aromatic characteristics, allowing us to create varientaly expressive wines with extreme elegance. Our conclusion for the 2022 vintage would be that vineyards in iconic locations, cultivated through organic practices, yielded exceptional quality organic grapes and handled water stress and heatwaves more effectively.
The cold spring with a lot of rainfall transitioned into an exceptionally wet summer, where rainy days alternated with remarkably beautiful sunny days. In July, hailstorms struck the Brda region, so we devoted extensive time in the vineyards to protect the vines and grapes using various organic practices that have proven effective in the past. Nonetheless, we were grateful to have beautiful, warm weather in September, allowing the grapes to achieve full ripeness. However, this year's yield is approximately 20% lower than the average. With the indigenous Rebula variety, losses are minimal, and despite less favorable weather conditions, the quality remains exceptionally high.
