In Belgium, unlike the French vines which are suffering enormously, the lack of rain satisfies the winegrowers and winegrowers. The drought is there, but the temperatures remain confined below 40° for ideal weather for the development of the vines. The year 2022 should be an excellent vintage.
With our special correspondent in Nivelles, Jean-Jacques Hery
We are at the Domaine du Chapitre, in Walloon Brabant, a family estate created ten years ago by the Hautier family. The vine descends gently on the hillside towards the river below. ” Clearly, it will be a very, very good year », announces Annie Hautier. The winegrower at the Domaine du Chapitre walks between the rows of vines. The drought is here, but with just one day over 40° this summer, all is well for the grapes. ” Last year, we had lots and lots of humidity. We were subject to mildew, there was also a lot of frost, which we did not have this year “, she explains.
” We see that the clusters are quite pretty, we really join the climate of Burgundy. We have winegrower or winegrower friends who tell us : “Ah, but you have the climate of our home forty or fifty years ago” she adds.
Advantage to Belgian wines
For Pierre Rion, president of the association of winegrowers of Wallonia, global warming will offer a comparative advantage to Belgian wine. During the maturation of the grape, it is gorged with sugar and tannins, two substances necessary for winemaking and which here reach their ideal level at the same time. which is no longer the case in the south of France for example.
” In the south, our winegrower friends have early technical maturity, that is to say that around August 15, they can already harvest. But they do not yet have a good level of tannins. So they have to wait. And meanwhile, the sugar level goes up and the alcohol goes up. Bordeaux, Côtes du Rhône, Languedoc wines are unfortunately increasingly loaded with alcohol “, he explains.
Pierre Rion hopes that 2 million bottles will be produced this year in Wallonia, that would be a record.
►Also read: Climate change: viticulture will be sustainable or it will not be