After the freeze (2017), it's time to take stock.

The years follow one another and sadly look the same. From 19 to 29 April 2017, frost hit the French vineyards hard, even inflicting damage on 100% of the plots in some regions. Summary.

The constant is irrevocable, the spring frost has been a misery this year. In addition to being severe, it has practically dictated its law in all sectors. In the Languedoc region, for example, you have to go back to the 1990s to find traces of such a harsh episode. The same goes for Alsace. Inventory region by region.

Bordeaux

Partly spared last year, the Bordeaux vineyard is probably the most damaged. Nearly 80% of the 100,000 hectares or so seem to have been affected by the frost wave. All areas and particularly the corners of Saint-Emilion, Libourne and Pomerol are severely affected. Some estates, the most exposed, are 100% frozen. 

Sud-Ouest

Fronton, the lands of Cahors and Gaillac also suffered. Some winegrowers deplore up to 80% loss. The region has not experienced such a period since the beginning of 1991. 

Languedoc-Roussillon

20,000 hectares destroyed out of a total of 240,000 in this region. Some appellations were more affected, such as corbières, minervois and cabardès. The Aude, for example, lost 4,000 hectares of vines. A new tragedy for this vineyard already hit last year by drought and hail.

Rhone Valley

Here, it is rather the southern appellations, Côtes-du-Ventoux and Lubéron that have been reached. In spite of everything, the damage is fairly limited. Phew.

Bugey

In the Cerdon vineyard, which covers 180 ha, frost destroyed 80% of the buds. In the Montagnieu vineyard, the vines are damaged between 30% and 100%. This is an unprecedented phenomenon for the area, which can be explained by the arrival of buds three weeks early, followed by a sudden cold spell with temperatures dropping to -7°.

Beaujolais

The vineyard is almost spared. Only the south is affected (Azergues Valley) but is doing very well in this apocalyptic weather context. Poof again!

Bourgogne

This is more serious. Chablis was hit about 25%. The balance is only provisional, but Chablis winegrowers estimate the affected areas at 1500 hectares, mainly in the north of the appellation. We told you about it during our visit to Thomas Pico and Alice & Olivier De Moor. The vines of Burgundy had already been affected last year by episodes of negative temperatures and hail ...

Jura

On the other hand, the Jura suffered heavy casualties, the cold having been bitterly cold and tough. Towards Arbois it is of the order of 30 to 80% but in the south of the vineyard, there are big damages, the appellation côtes-du-jura counts numerous domains which were 100% damaged .

Alsace

The fall in temperatures in mid-April and morning frosts have endangered the Alsatian vines. According to the first observations, some plots of land are 100% affected, the plain around Colmar is particularly bruised. The vineyard has not been affected since 1991.

Champagne

At Epernay, between 20 and 25% losses, especially on the chardonnay which is earlier. Even on the great whites, the chardonnays have frozen, especially in the lower Avize area and at Cramant. In the northern part of the Montagne de Reims, it was also very cold, with a lot of damage towards Verzy and Verzenay.

Loire Valley

Finally, the Loire was also affected. Touraine, in certain specific sectors, appears to be 80% affected. A disaster, like last year. Questioned by Le Point, Damien Delecheneau, of the Grange Tiphaine and president of the Montlouis-sur-Loire wine region, deplores "three years of frost out of five, a situation that has become untenable". In Pouilly, two thirds of the vineyard is affected, between 30 and 80%. In the Coteaux-du-Layon, it is variable, the left bank close to the Layon seems to have suffered a lot, the right bank overall a little less. The real disaster is Savennières. The western part has been burnt to a crisp 100%. Never seen before. Finally, the Muscadet was not spared either...