This is an estimate that the French wine sector feared. Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture, through its statistical service Agreste, announced that as of November 1, 2024 production was estimated at around 37 million hectoliters, a drop of 23% compared to the year. 2023.
A volume close to the historically low levels of 2017 and 2021, years also marked by climatic hazards. Worse still, this represents a decline of 17% compared to the average of the last five years.
Harmful climatic conditions
The projections were further revised downwards, since in September the statistics and forecasting services of the ministry predicted a decline of 18% over one year. The cause was “unfavorable weather conditions which affected all wine-growing regions, from flowering to harvest”, according to Agreste. The year 2024 “was characterized by precipitation from spring until the harvest and health problems which reduced volumes”.
In many vineyards, flowering took place in cool and humid conditions, leading to coulure (fall of flowers and young berries) as well as millerandage (formation of berries that are too small), recalls the ministry. Added to this are losses due to frost in spring, mildew and hail in summer.
A fall of 68% in the Jura, but only 5% in Savoie
As an example,n the Jura, frost and mildew reduce the harvest by 68% compared to the high harvest of 2023. Champagne (-46%), lThe entire Burgundy-Beaujolais region (-38%), the Charentes (-37%) and the Loire Valley (-29%), whose Muscadet appellation gave low yields, are also very affected by these weather conditions.
On the other hand, in Alsace, production would decline by only 13%, and by 5% in Savoie.
In Bordeaux, between the reduction in vineyard areas, episodes of coulure, millerandage, mildew and hail, the harvest is expected to drop by 12% after an already declining year in 2023.
This publication comes as representatives of farmers, including wine growers, are preparing to launch a new protest movement to defend their income.
