Record-breaking heat in France threatens wine production

Extreme weather conditions in France have significantly slowed the growth of grapevines in the country’s leading wine-producing regions. Producers are forecasting a significant drop in production due to the prolonged drought, which may force them to begin the grape harvest at one of the earliest dates on record.

A record-breaking heat wave in June, which intensified in early July, caused serious damage to the young vines of the world’s second-largest wine producer. The water shortage has hit the regions of Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy the hardest. 

Laurent Deloné, president of the Burgundy Wine Industry Group (BIVB), confirmed that the main threat is a critical water shortage, which has caused the grapes to stop gaining weight and size. In Champagne, the harvest is expected to begin as early as mid-August—roughly a month earlier than the traditional long-term average. According to Maxime Tubar, president of the Champagne Winegrowers’ Union, the expected yield will be about 10% lower than last year. Only the use of reserve stocks from previous years and potentially heavy rains in the coming weeks will help salvage overall sparkling wine production volumes.

In Bordeaux and Burgundy, where temperatures were even higher, winemakers are currently refraining from giving specific figures but are warning in advance of an expected significant reduction in the final harvest.

Source: Reuters.

In southern France, nearly 3,000 people have been evacuated due to large-scale wildfires. The fires are spreading rapidly due to the heat and strong winds, and firefighters continue to battle several major blazes.

In France, officials estimate that the extreme heat may have caused more than 2,000 deaths in a single week. According to preliminary estimates, a significant number of these deaths may be directly linked to prolonged exposure to abnormally high temperatures.