Vintages › 2023

The 2023 vintage: weather around the world

In 2023, 28 of 41 regions here had a growing season more than 3% warmer than their 1991–2020 normal; 7 were more than 3% cooler. North of the equator that was 23 of 28 warmer (season April–October 2023); in the south 5 of 13 (October 2022 to April 2023).

Furthest above normalCentral Otago +33%
Furthest belowBarossa Valley -10%
Wettest harvest windowStellenbosch +116%
Driest seasonNapa Valley -58%

The warmest season since 2000 for Chianti Classico, Mendoza (Luján de Cuyo), Jerez.

Every region's 2023 season on the heat scale

Growing degree days in 2023, with each region's difference from its own normal in the label. Colour shows how warm the season was for that region.

Warmest to coolest against normal

Much cooler (8%+ fewer GDD)
Cooler
Near normal (±3%)
Warmer
Much warmer (8%+ more)

Central Otago

New Zealand · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Much warmer

Heat: 1,160 GDD +33%
Season rain: 313 mm -11%
Harvest rain: 108 mm +19%

Hot months: Nov +2.2° Jan +3.8° Feb +2.3°

Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Loire Valley (Touraine)

France

Much warmer

Heat: 1,770 GDD +28%
Season rain: 371 mm +4%
Harvest rain: 151 mm +26%

Hot months: Jun +4.6° Sep +5.4° Oct +3.8°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Rioja

Spain

Much warmer

Heat: 2,170 GDD +28%
Season rain: 269 mm +9%
Harvest rain: 106 mm +47%

Hot months: Apr +4.4° Jul +2.4° Aug +3.4° Sep +2.9° Oct +4.1°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Wachau

Austria

Much warmer

Heat: 1,220 GDD +26%
Season rain: 490 mm -5%
Harvest rain: 62 mm -48%

Hot months: Jul +2.4° Sep +5.5° Oct +4.8°

Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Champagne

France

Much warmer

Heat: 1,470 GDD +25%
Season rain: 465 mm +27%
Harvest rain: 39 mm -22%

Hot months: Jun +4.6° Sep +5.5° Oct +3.5°

Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

Burgundy (Côte d'Or)

France

Much warmer

Heat: 1,750 GDD +24%
Season rain: 473 mm +4%
Harvest rain: 32 mm -51%

Hot months: Jun +3.8° Sep +6.2° Oct +4.3°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Alsace

France

Much warmer

Heat: 1,680 GDD +24%
Season rain: 331 mm -10%
Harvest rain: 81 mm -20%

Hot months: Jun +4.5° Sep +5.5° Oct +4.0°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Bordeaux

France

Much warmer

Heat: 1,930 GDD +24%
Season rain: 551 mm +20%
Harvest rain: 305 mm +82%

Hot months: Jun +2.7° Sep +4.4° Oct +3.7°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Mosel

Germany

Much warmer

Heat: 1,310 GDD +24%
Season rain: 494 mm +13%
Harvest rain: 129 mm +80%

Hot months: Jun +3.9° Sep +4.6° Oct +2.5°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Willamette Valley

United States

Much warmer

Heat: 1,490 GDD +21%
Season rain: 304 mm +1%
Harvest rain: 128 mm +8%

Hot months: May +3.7° Jun +3.0° Jul +2.2° Aug +2.5°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

Rheingau

Germany

Much warmer

Heat: 1,370 GDD +20%
Season rain: 406 mm +12%
Harvest rain: 122 mm +18%

Hot months: Jun +3.9° Sep +4.5° Oct +2.9°

Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Piedmont (Langhe)

Italy

Much warmer

Heat: 2,340 GDD +20%
Season rain: 410 mm +8%
Harvest rain: 68 mm -49%

Hot months: Apr +2.0° Aug +2.4° Sep +3.0° Oct +4.5°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Chianti Classico

Italy

Much warmer

Heat: 2,060 GDD +19%
Season rain: 482 mm -1%
Harvest rain: 184 mm -10%

Hot months: Jul +2.5° Sep +3.5° Oct +4.3°

Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Northern Rhône

France

Much warmer

Heat: 2,140 GDD +19%
Season rain: 509 mm -2%
Harvest rain: 52 mm -46%

Hot months: Jun +2.2° Aug +2.5° Sep +4.4° Oct +4.0°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Languedoc

France

Much warmer

Heat: 2,420 GDD +18%
Season rain: 221 mm -29%
Harvest rain: 62 mm +6%

Hot months: Jun +2.0° Aug +2.1° Sep +2.2° Oct +3.4°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Priorat

Spain

Much warmer

Heat: 2,580 GDD +17%
Season rain: 210 mm -24%
Harvest rain: 68 mm -41%

Hot months: Apr +2.9° Aug +2.4° Oct +2.9°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Southern Rhône

France

Much warmer

Heat: 2,530 GDD +16%
Season rain: 375 mm -15%
Harvest rain: 34 mm -63%

Hot months: Jul +2.1° Sep +3.9° Oct +4.0°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Douro Valley

Portugal

Much warmer

Heat: 1,910 GDD +15%
Season rain: 643 mm +33%
Harvest rain: 426 mm +87%

Hot months: Apr +4.1° Aug +2.3° Oct +2.4°

Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Ribera del Duero

Spain

Much warmer

Heat: 1,840 GDD +15%
Season rain: 233 mm +21%
Harvest rain: 143 mm +106%

Hot months: Apr +4.2° Oct +2.8°

Rank 5 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Columbia Valley

United States

Much warmer

Heat: 1,810 GDD +14%
Season rain: 57 mm -16%
Harvest rain: 25 mm +1%

Hot months: May +4.0° Jun +2.1° Jul +2.0°

Rank 5 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Mendoza (Luján de Cuyo)

Argentina · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Much warmer

Heat: 2,380 GDD +14%
Season rain: 92 mm -43%
Harvest rain: 19 mm -56%

Hot months: Nov +2.4° Dec +2.4° Feb +2.3° Mar +3.2° Apr +2.7°

Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Tokaj

Hungary

Much warmer

Heat: 1,640 GDD +13%
Season rain: 445 mm +9%
Harvest rain: 185 mm +90%

Hot months: Sep +4.4° Oct +3.3°

Rank 7 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

Valpolicella

Italy

Much warmer

Heat: 2,290 GDD +13%
Season rain: 625 mm +11%
Harvest rain: 174 mm -5%

Hot months: Sep +3.2° Oct +3.7°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Jerez

Spain

Much warmer

Heat: 2,880 GDD +10%
Season rain: 184 mm -9%
Harvest rain: 28 mm +9%

Hot months: Apr +4.6° Aug +2.1°

Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Maipo Valley

Chile · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Much warmer

Heat: 2,040 GDD +10%
Season rain: 59 mm -33%
Harvest rain: 27 mm -26%

Hot months: Nov +2.5° Dec +2.4° Feb +2.8° Mar +2.7°

Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Colchagua Valley

Chile · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Much warmer

Heat: 1,890 GDD +9%
Season rain: 78 mm -30%
Harvest rain: 52 mm +30%

Hot months: Dec +2.5° Feb +2.8° Mar +2.7°

Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Marlborough

New Zealand · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Warmer

Heat: 1,310 GDD +5%
Season rain: 473 mm +13%
Harvest rain: 160 mm +34%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 10 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Kakheti

Georgia

Warmer

Heat: 2,160 GDD +3%
Season rain: 515 mm +8%
Harvest rain: 104 mm -8%

Hot months: Aug +2.2°

Rank 16 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Sonoma County

United States

Near normal

Heat: 1,830 GDD +2%
Season rain: 71 mm -53%
Harvest rain: 23 mm -55%

Hot months: Jul +2.1°

Rank 12 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Finger Lakes

United States

Near normal

Heat: 1,370 GDD +1%
Season rain: 598 mm +5%
Harvest rain: 143 mm -9%

Hot months: Apr +3.1°

Rank 16 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Napa Valley

United States

Near normal

Heat: 1,930 GDD -0%
Season rain: 45 mm -58%
Harvest rain: 13 mm -64%

Hot months: Aug +2.0°

Rank 14 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Hawke's Bay

New Zealand · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Near normal

Heat: 1,440 GDD -0%
Season rain: 835 mm +80%
Harvest rain: 131 mm -16%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 19 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

Stellenbosch

South Africa · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Near normal

Heat: 2,120 GDD -2%
Season rain: 238 mm +9%
Harvest rain: 91 mm +116%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 24 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV

Niagara Peninsula

Canada

Near normal

Heat: 1,380 GDD -2%
Season rain: 462 mm -17%
Harvest rain: 87 mm -42%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 18 of 26 for heat · Winkler I

Margaret River

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Cooler

Heat: 1,850 GDD -3%
Season rain: 227 mm -7%
Harvest rain: 24 mm -53%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 21 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Yarra Valley

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Cooler

Heat: 1,500 GDD -4%
Season rain: 719 mm +49%
Harvest rain: 202 mm +59%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

McLaren Vale

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Cooler

Heat: 1,800 GDD -5%
Season rain: 291 mm +59%
Harvest rain: 86 mm +42%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 25 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Coonawarra

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Cooler

Heat: 1,390 GDD -6%
Season rain: 345 mm +52%
Harvest rain: 77 mm +25%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler II

Hunter Valley

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Cooler

Heat: 2,230 GDD -6%
Season rain: 452 mm -17%
Harvest rain: 145 mm -16%

Hot months: Mar +2.7°

Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler V

Paso Robles

United States

Cooler

Heat: 1,770 GDD -7%
Season rain: 22 mm -57%
Harvest rain: 2 mm -89%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

Barossa Valley

Australia · Oct 2022–Apr 2023

Much cooler

Heat: 1,690 GDD -10%
Season rain: 366 mm +84%
Harvest rain: 68 mm +20%

No month ran 2°C above its normal high

Rank 25 of 26 for heat · Winkler III

The weather of a season, not a verdict on its wines. Growers pick earlier in hot years and fight rot in wet ones; good and poor wines come from both.