“Difficult” and “challenging” seems to be the common set of buzzwords associated with many European wine regions during the harvest of 2013.   

The whispers of a problematic growing season in Bordeaux and hailstorms wreaking havoc in Alsace and Burgundy travel fast within wine circles. On initial assessment, it appears 2013 could be categorized as a wet year in Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain with a rain-plagued spring followed by more precipitation during harvest, a familiar refrain.

Although fickle weather posed more than just minor problems throughout the continent, taking a deeper gaze into our crystal ball reveals that not all is doom and gloom.

Preliminary reports on the 2013 vintage in Spain show a bit of promise, especially in some of the classic DOs.

It was a deluge in Iberia during the winter and early spring with rainfall close to 25% more than normal.  I can attest to some of this, as I spent a rain-soaked week exploring parts of northern and central Spain last March.  Normally this would be a recipe for trouble, but the country as a whole had been coming off a succession of drought years and the additional rain was actually a boon to many.

First the good news:  The highlights include Rioja, where producers picked healthy fruit in mostly dry weather, leading to balanced wines with ripe sugars and elegant profiles.  Further west in the appellation of Toro, a similarly dry autumn also produced potentially very good wines.  In Priorat, harvest stretched late into November, but winemakers are already touting a successful harvest.  Some are comparing the quality of 2013 to other excellent vintages like 2001 and 2004.

The shortcomings appear to be primarily in Galicia, where enologists in Rias Baixas and Bierzo had to work very hard to keep grey rot at bay in their vineyards.  The one silver lining is that these areas are traditionally prone to wet weather, so local producers are accustomed to dealing with these challenges.

Ultimately, the proof will be in the bottle.

Jim Greeley, Southwest FL Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG