France's 2017 harvest is so bad that Champagne houses will have to dig in to reserves
The extent of the overall damage to the French wine industry from the 2017 vintage is laid to bare this week with the news that even in Champagne they are going to have dig deep in to their reserves to make up for the short fall.
Although France producers have reported a loss of grapes due to a mixture of frost, hail, flooding and most recently extreme temperatures. It has resulted in most regions reporting this year's harvest is going to be well done on average, with some fearing it could be the worse in 60 years.
The national picture will see an expected harvest of 37.2 million hectolitres, 18% less than 2016 and 17% below the average over the past five years.
Champagne growers and houses predict there could be nearly a quarter less production this year following spring frosts and summer hail. It lost around 23% of buds across the region in the spring frosts.
The Champagne Bureau said this week: “Frequent rainstorms since the start of harvesting [on September 4], just when the grapes were fully ripe, have led to a careful sorting of the grapes.
“Because of the frost and hail in August and the careful selection process, the maximum authorised yield set for this year (10,300 kg/ha) may not be achieved in every part of the region, with winegrowers and houses drawing on the Champagne reserve to supplement this year’s production.”
“However, as always in Champagne, the quality will not be known until after the first tastings of the base wines in early spring.”