Drought, frost and hail have combined to ravage Europe’s wine grape harvest, which in key regions this year will be the smallest in half a century, vintners say.
“Two big producing nations, France and Italy, have not known a harvest so weak in 40 to 50 years,” said Thierry Coste, an expert with the European Union farmers’ union. “All the major producing nations have been hurt.”
French figures show that in Champagne the harvest could decline by up to 40 per cent, with Bourgogne Beaujolais expected to decline 30 per cent. Bordeaux would get away lightly with a drop of 10 per cent.
France’s grape harvest is expected to slump by almost 20 per cent compared with last year. Italy’s grape crop showed a 7 per cent drop — on top of a decline in 2011, said Coste.
The European wine harvest automatically has a global impact since it accounts for some 62 per cent of the worldwide wine production.
Will we also be fighting in the streets for wine?
http://thechronicleherald.ca/
Thanks to Alex Mayer for this link
9 Responses to Worst European grape harvest in 50 years
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What do we know about Europe’s beer production ?
Dutch wine growers will see production fall between 20% and 40% this year
Last year’s harvest was also poor.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/10/weather_hits_dutch_wine_grower.php
I did not know we had Dutch wine
http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/eustats.htm
Easy to use tables and charts on European beer production.
Australia is drowning in a glut of potential production – good news for the antipodes !
sigh…no no need to fight for wine..
Aus hs yet another glut year, same old waffle re too much, prices have to be low to sell and rip some vines out…again.
they spend millions and get subsidies via tax breaks to start new vineyards then a few years on the rip em out cos theyre not making mega bucks.
same crap happening with out Magnificent orange lemon production, we have lots, supermarket monopolies dont see OUR price drop but the growers lucky to get cents per kilo, so they plough them into the ground.
if you want insanity then farmings a good way to get there.
HI Robert ,
Well here in Portugal it is the complete opposite, we have the best harvest in 30 years, Last year was a total write-off , many places didnt even bother to harvest as it was so bad, but NOT this year.
keep up the good work.
Steve D Mckay
Hey! Don’t forget about California. We’re still making lots and lots of great wines.
—thank goodness for OZ wine! But although we, in England, now hae a booming wine industry where our wine is now getting a lot of awards, there won’t be any this year because we, too, have a very bad harvest.
After reading the comments under this article, I agree!!! Yeah, the wine is perfect here up in the Arctic. The new threat to Polar Bears are alcoholism after drinking to much human-made Wine.