France cuts wine output estimate after rainiest September in 25 years
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Like other crops, including cereals, grapes have suffered from heavy rainfall in France over the past year.
PHOTO: AFP
PARIS – France cut its projection for the 2024 wine crop on Oct 8 following the rainiest September in 25 years, with the year now forecast to be among the worst recent vintages in prized winemaking regions such as Champagne, Burgundy and Beaujolais.
The forecast of 37.5 million hectolitres is now in line with the poor 2021 vintage marked by frost damage. It is 22 per cent below the 2023 crop and 15 per cent below the five-year average, the Farm Ministry said.
It was revised down from an already weak forecast of 39.3 million hectolitres released in September, which took account of poor weather earlier in 2024. A hectolitre, or 100 litres, is equivalent to 133 standard wine bottles.
“This drop is due to unfavourable weather conditions, which impacted all wine-growing areas,” the ministry said in a monthly report.
All types of wine are affected, it said, but particularly those from Burgundy, Beaujolais and Champagne.
The Champagne crop would be down 33 per cent from 2023 and 14 per cent below the five-year average, while Burgundy and Beaujolais would be down 35 per cent.
Like other crops, including cereals, grapes have suffered from heavy rainfall in France over the past year.
The ministry said many vines had flowered in cool and humid weather, causing millerandage and coulure, conditions in which grapes are small or young grapes and flowers drop off the vine.
“Added to this were losses due to frost, mildew and hail.”
As a result of the September rainfall, the harvest was brought forward in some regions to limit health risks and additional losses.
In July, Champagne producers called for a 12 per cent cut in the number of grapes to be harvested in 2024 after sales of the wine fell more than 15 per cent in the first half of the year. REUTERS
