Loire :  

Caution remains necessary this year in the Loire region due to very poor weather conditions this spring. The rainy weather in March, April, and May has led to the emergence of diseases by washing away protective treatments applied to the vineyards. 

Producers in the Loire, such as Domaine Philippe Girard, share the challenges they are facing. "The climate has been quite complicated at the start of the season. While we were fortunate to avoid frost and hail, we have not been spared by the rain," explains Amandine. "It is difficult to assess the damage caused by the development of mildew at this stage, but it is certain that we will be affected this year. We hope that good weather will settle in to improve the situation and allow the vines to grow." 

The situation in the vineyards over the past few weeks reflects these challenges. "To prevent the development of mildew, we have two tractors that can treat the vines when the leaves and soil are dry," she says. "The vines have grown little due to the lack of warmth, so green work has been relatively calm in recent weeks. The warmth should reverse this trend and allow the vines to grow." 

Despite the difficult weather conditions, the winegrowers of the Loire remain hopeful. "If the 100 days between flowering and harvest hold true, the harvest will take place around mid-September," the domain specifies. 

Beaujolais/Bourgogne :  

This year, French vineyards have been particularly affected by extreme weather events. Hailstones, sometimes the size of golf balls, have caused considerable damage in Beaujeu, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Vauxrenard, Juliénas, and Saint-Amour. Winegrowers hope the impact on their yields will be limited. 

Some producers have shared their experiences. For example, according to Domaine Roche Guillon, Valérie Coperet informs us: "Yesterday, we had hail. It didn't devastate everything (30%) in Fleurie, and it didn't touch the rest (Beaujolais Villages and Moulin à Vent). We will see how the situation evolves." Meanwhile, Christophe from Domaine des Gaudets reports: "Yes, last night we had a storm with hail that passed over the heights of Morgon. For my part, there was little damage. Unfortunately, this is not the case for some of my colleagues." He also adds that there was "a lot of rain."  

Domaine Fourrey has also been affected by the bad weather, losing about 50% of its vineyards. 

Rhône Valley :  

In the Rhône Valley, Domaine Pierre Amadieu, located in Gigondas, skillfully navigated a complex climatic year. Thanks to the Mistral, the region's emblematic dry wind, the vineyard was spared from hail and frost. "In the vineyard, everything is under control for now because the cold (and the Mistral!) has limited disease development despite significant rainfall," explains Henri-Claude Amadieu. 

Domaine Pierre Amadieu benefited from favorable windows for organic treatments, which need to be more frequent than conventional viticulture and renewed after each rain episode of at least 15 mm. "The weather always gave us a window for organic treatments," adds the winemaker. 

However, uncertainty remains about the impact of recent cold snaps on the flowering of Grenache, a variety particularly sensitive to poor fruit set. "We have to wait until the end of flowering to see if the recent cold spells have had an impact and if it hasn't caused too much fruit set failure in the Grenache. We will know in a few weeks at the end of the fruit set," he says. 

A notable positive this year is the great biodiversity observed in the vines and considerable water reserves in the subsoil, a boon before facing summer. "A big advantage this year is the huge biodiversity in the vines and excellent water reserves in the subsoil before facing the summer," he emphasizes. 

Currently, the flowering is almost finished for the Grenache, which is later compared to Syrah. This variety, the main one in the Southern Rhône, is very sensitive to fruit set failure, a phenomenon of flower non-fertilization that occurs in case of cold or humidity during flowering. "We estimate a 10 to 20% loss in some of our plains plots," says Pierre. However, this loss could be compensated by the size of the berries, especially if rainfall conditions are favorable at harvest time. 

Domaine Pierre Amadieu continues to demonstrate resilience and vigilance, closely monitoring their vines' progress and adapting to the whims of the weather. "Nothing is set in stone yet, but we are doing our best!" conclude the Amadieu brothers, with a note of optimism for the coming season. 

For our producers in the northern valley (Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Joseph, etc.), it is reported that neither frost nor storms have been recorded, which is good news amid the other affected regions. 

Bordeaux/ South West :  

Complications on the right bank of Bordeaux. A storm hit just before midnight on the night of June 18th with unprecedented violence. "There were first a lot of lightning bolts; I was in my veranda, and it was as bright as day. Then hailstones the size of a €1 coin and 3 mm thick, accelerated by the wind, destroyed everything. The hail even killed birds," reported a local winegrower, still in shock. 

Vignobles Dubard confirmed this devastation: "The vines were doing well until this morning: we were hit by a hailstorm on our Lalande de Pomerol plots. Unfortunately, there is a lot of damage (still difficult to estimate precisely, but more than 50%), but that's the way it goes...". 

On the other hand, Vignobles Chanfreau, located on the left bank, also faced difficult weather conditions, albeit of a different nature. "Indeed, the climate is not helping us this year; we have experienced record rainfall and particularly low spring temperatures! We are very happy to see the sun shining today and hope with all our hearts that it will continue to accompany us until the harvest," explains Loïc Chanfreau. "We haven't been hit by frost or hail this year; unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone. We've been lucky. The heavy and frequent rains have forced us to treat more often to prevent diseases, which has not been easy because we can't always drive tractors into the soaked plots without risking getting stuck and damaging the vines," he continues. To address these challenges, the team worked hard to leaf-strip and prune, removing leaves around the future clusters and unnecessary shoots at the base of the vines to reduce disease pressure and improve treatment efficiency. 

"The start of the growing season has not been easy," admits Loïc. "The good news is that our vineyard is doing well, and we had better weather during flowering, so it went perfectly. We still have all the cards in hand to make this vintage a success!" 

In Côtes de Gascogne, the situation is different. At Domaine de Millet, the producer reports: "At Millet, as in the Gascogne Armagnac region, we are lucky this year: no frost in the spring and, for now, no hail." 

Currently, depending on the grape varieties and exposures, the vines are at the end of fruit set or at the green pea stage. The flowering went well, with sufficiently mild and sunny weather for good fruiting, she says. 

June was very rainy and humid, sometimes cool. Different grape varieties reacted differently. "The Colombard vines slowed their vegetative growth, and the shoots are short. In contrast, the Egiodolas showed no difference and are tall and lush. As usual, the Baco was not bothered! It adapts to all circumstances," the producer explains. The grass between the rows grows quickly, requiring regular mowing and mechanical passes between the vines. "We adapt," she concludes. 

Even within the same region, producers' situations vary greatly. While some, like Vignobles Dubard, face significant losses due to hail, others, like Vignobles Chanfreau and Domaine de Millet, manage to adapt and overcome the climatic challenges as best they can. 

Jura :  

For the past few weeks, temperatures have been relatively cool, sharply contrasting with the summer weather that Franche-Comté experienced in recent months. This climatic "yo-yo" is causing significant concern among wine professionals in Jura, who fear their vines may be hit by frost. 

"What I can tell you is that beyond the heavy rain we've had since April, this year's frost episode has severely affected Jura," explains David Pillot, Commercial Director of Fruitière Vinicole Arbois. Approximately 70% of the future harvest has been lost regionally, but the impact varies significantly depending on the area (lower slopes, plains, mid-slopes), with some winegrowers faring better than others. Organic producers have been particularly hard-hit, with almost their entire harvest destroyed by frost. Others, however, have been marginally affected. "In an average year, we usually bring in around 20,000 hectoliters. This year, we'll be happy if we reach 8,000," he confides. 

The challenges don't end there. Hail adds to the list of calamities. A few weeks ago, the city of Besançon was struck by a hailstorm. This city is less than an hour's drive from the first vineyards of the cooperative members, creating a constant threat. "We tremble at every weather report these days," adds David. 

Moreover, the ambient humidity promotes diseases. "Humidity favors diseases... You see, fate seems to be against Jura, but more generally against all French viticulture this year. My thoughts go especially to Chablis, which has been particularly hard-hit this year." 

Despite these challenges, the winegrowers remain hopeful. "We'll tally up in August, but the little that's left on the vines looks healthy for now. The two main threats remain hail and downy mildew," he concludes. 

In conclusion, the year 2024 has presented French vineyards with unprecedented challenges due to extreme weather conditions. From heavy rains and hailstorms to late frosts, winegrowers across various regions have faced significant obstacles. Despite these adversities, many remain resilient, adapting their practices and holding onto hope for the remainder of the season. The true impact of this turbulent year will become clearer as the harvest approaches, but the dedication and perseverance of these winegrowers ensure that their passion for their craft endures, even in the face of nature's unpredictability.