Frost across parts of France has damaged budding and flowering grapevines to such a degree that harvests in some areas will be cut by as much as 90 per cent, according to French news reports. The damage has extended to fruit farmers, which means crops such as apricots have little chance of surviving. Regions hit include Chablis, Burgundy and Bordeaux.
There were particular concerns about vineyards in Bordeaux and Burgundy, although winemakers cautioned that the full picture was still unclear, according to publisher Decanter. Winemakers including actress Cameron Diaz and fellow Avaline wine brand co-founder Katherine Power produce Rosé Wine with producer, Mas de Cadenet, located in Chemin, Provence, but crops there may have escaped damage due to their location.
What will this mean for French wine stock and should French wine lovers start buying up their favourites? In previous years when harvests were damaged by inhospitable weather such as in 2017 across France, Spain and Italy wine prices rose between 10 per cent and 30 per cent, even for the higher volume lower-priced wines. It would be wise to stock up slowly on your favourite French wines before this year’s small yielding crops impact future prices.