'It's a tragedy.' French winemakers face devastation after worst weather in 30 years

 

 
One of France's biggest export industries is facing a devastating blow after an unusually severe frost earlier this month damaged vineyards across the country, heaping pain on winemakers already reeling from the pandemic and US tariffs. The frost has affected 80% of vineyards in France's primary wine growing areas, according to the European Committee of Wine Companies. "This is expected to cause a yield loss ranging from 25% to up to 50% in some regions," the trade body told CNN Business on Wednesday.
The destruction spread across the Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence and the Loire Valley, said Anne Colombo, president of the Cornas appellation, a wine-growing area in the Rhone region."In some regions there will be very, very few grapes [this year]," she said, adding that the frost in Cornas is the worst in more than half a century.
Winemakers tried to keep air temperatures up by lighting candles and braziers in their vineyards, but in many cases it was not enough to protect their budding vines.
"An important share of the harvest has been lost. It's too early to give a percentage estimate, but in any case it's a tragedy for the winegrowers who have been hit," said Christophe Chateau, director of communications at the Bordeaux Wine Council.
The frost also threatens other crops, including beets and rapeseed, according to the National Federation of Farmers' Unions. "The anguish is immense in vineyards, orchards and fields," the organization said in a statement last week.
Not since 1991 have farms faced such a devastating weather event, according to French Prime Minister Jean Castex. Government spokesperson Gabriel Attal told journalists on Wednesday that in some areas "almost the whole annual production" of certain crops could be lost.
The French Ministry of Agriculture and Food last week activated its "agricultural calamities" program, triggering tax relief and other financial support measures for farmers. Government officials held an emergency meeting with bankers, insurers and agricultural representatives on Monday to identify additional support mechanisms.