About 80% of vineyards in France’s primary wine growing areas are expected to lose 25% to 50% of the grapes, according to the European Committee of Wine Companies after a severe frost earlier in April followed an unusual warm spell that caused buds to bloom.
Vineyards in the Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence and the Loire Valley are affected, said Anne Colombo, president of the Cornas appellation. “In some regions there will be very, very few grapes [this year],” she said, adding the frost in Comas is the worst in over a half-century.
Exports of French wine and spirits fell 14% last year, officials said, adding exports to the U.S. slumped 18%.
French winemakers are blaming climate change, noting that 20 years ago they harvested in the last week of September. Now it’s in the first week because warmer temperature cause their grapes to ripen earlier. Those warmer temperatures also moved the growing season to earlier in the year, placing new grapes at greater risk.