Posted: Feb 02, 2018
Local wine council says some chateaux lost up to 90% of their crop during country’s worst harvest since 1945
Wine production in the French region of Bordeaux shrank 40% last year, the Bordeaux wine council said on Wednesday, with severe frost sapping yields in a year that nonetheless produced a good vintage.
“The total harvest in 2017 was 3.5m hectolitres, down 40% on 2016,” the council said, adding that vineyards in Saint-Émilion had been the worst affected.
Some chateaux in France’s biggest wine-growing area had lost 80-90% of their harvest while others had lost none, the council added.
The final figures will be published this month and are expected to show that 2017 produced France’s worst wine harvest since 1945.
Vineyards found themselves coated in late frosts twice at the end of April, ravaging the fragile shoots and buds that emerged prematurely following an unusually mild March.
To try to warm the vines, some producers in Bordeaux set fires in oil drums and placed them between the rows of budding grapevines.
Vines in the north-eastern region of Alsace, which produces mainly white wines, were also hit by the frost, while those in the south suffered through an exceptionally dry summer.
There was a silver lining, however. While quantity was down, quality was up, meaning more enjoyment per bottle.
By Agence France-Presse
January 31, 2018
Source: Theguardian.com
Go-Wine's mission is to organize food and beverage information and make it universally accessible and beneficial. These are the benefits of sharing your article in Go-Wine.com
The Wine Thief Bistro & Specialty Wines is a locally owned small business in downtown Frankfort, IL offering world class wines in a relaxed, casual gathering spot for friends and family. Offering world class virtual tastings and touchless carryout.
https://www.twtwineclub.com/aboutusGo-Wine 25 Great Wineries in US selection prioritizes quality, value and availability.
www.go-wine.com/great-wineries-in-americaTasting wine is a nice experience, but visiting the places in which wine is made is a magic moment. Available in New York City for touchless pickup.