French wines from the Wine Society SUS-210426-152346001
In March, temperatures in some parts of France reached 26 degrees C, resulting in strong bud burst of the vines and growth of tender new shoots. Then in April, a series of hard frosts, with temperatures as low as minus 7 degrees C, have caused havoc to 80 per cent of vineyards across France and also to much of the Piedmont region of Italy, with estimates of between 30 per cent and 90 per cent loss in some vineyards.
The worst late frosts for decades have prompted the French Government to declare an ‘Agricultural Disaster’ and has pledged nearly €1 billion of support for the industry. Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire, Rhone and Languedoc have all been affected and it is estimated that losses to the French agricultural industry could be over €3 billion.