French wine production is expected to fall below 3.4 billion liters this year, marking a nearly 70-year low.
The French agriculture ministry estimated that wine production will fall below 3.4 billion liters this year, a 6 percent drop from last year. This represents the smallest harvest since 1957. The decline is primarily attributed to extreme weather conditions, including a severe drought and repeated heatwaves that caused sunscald, scorching, and grape shriveling. While the country's overall production is down, regional results vary significantly. The Champagne region is expected to see output cut in half compared to last year. In contrast, the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south is forecast to rebound by 5 percent from last year's weak harvest, though it remains 8 percent below the five-year average. To address the economic impact, the administration announced more than €1 billion in emergency farm aid last week. Agricultural groups have noted that the support package may still fall short of the total needs of the farmers.
Sources
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Champagne production halves as scorching summer dents French wine grape harvest
politico.eu
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French winemakers forecast 30-year low harvest after severe drought and heat | France
The Guardian