French wine producers expect this year’s grape yield to be the lowest in almost 20 years, as a result of exceptionally bad spring and early summer weather.
The harvest is being gathered in the coming weeks in what the French call “les vendanges”, a highlight of the country’s agricultural calendar.
But a mixture of late frosts, heavy rain throughout the spring and early summer, and higher than usual levels of mildew on the vines means that in some regions, especially in central France, the yield is expected to be down by as much as 20 percent from last year.
The latest figures from the French Agriculture Ministry estimate the country’s total output will be 42.5 million hectolitres [one hectolitre = 100 litres] compared to 51 million in 2011, a decrease of 15 percent and the lowest output since 1991. France exports some 15 million hectolitres of wine annually.
The situation is even worse in Italy, which expects a yield of 36 million hectolitres in 2012 compared with 52 million last year.