Today, we’re going to be discussing wine, at a time when winegrowers are filling their vats with the produce of the 2025 harvest. So, what about this vintage? Should we take an interest in it from an investment point of view? On the French news channel BFM’s wealth management section, Antoine Larigauderie recently interviewed iDealwine’s co-founder Angélique de Lencquesaing.

Hello Angélique, what’s the news from the vineyards following the harvest this year?

The first impressions are positive! No major weather-related disasters occurred, but the signs of global warming have left their mark on the vintage.

In Bordeaux, as in many other regions, 2025 is one of the earliest and warmest vintages in 30 years. Concentration and aromatic intensity put the wines on a par with those of the superb 2022 vintage. However, in 2025, the exuberance is offset by a slightly cooler end to the summer, with even a few welcome drops of rain before harvest.

The surprise, though, is in the vats. From what we hear from our winegrower friends, the yields are very low indeed. The berries were superb, but the yields tiny.

In Bordeaux – although care should be taken not to generalise – it would appear that Merlot, a more fragile grape variety, suffered from the heat and water stress seen over the summer. Overall, this variety was more subject to these conditions than Cabernet.

In a region where 8,000 hectares of vines have been grubbed up, the vintage entering the cellars in 2025 will be a small one. It is comparable to 2024 (Agreste reported an estimated 3.7M hl), but down 15% on the average for the last five years.

Is this the situation everywhere?

Overall, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the French wine harvest is expected to be slightly up on 2024. There’s a small improvement of 3% in volume terms compared with last year. But if we consider the five-year average, the 2025 harvest is still down 13%. The expected volume is slightly over 37 million hl (37.4M hl to be exact).

So, some regions still did better then than last year? Burgundy, for example, suffered greatly in 2024.

Yes, Burgundy, in certain areas such as the Côte de Nuits, could not have sunk much lower after the hail and disease that severely affected last year’s harvest, even compromising this year’s crop.

The very hot, dry summer had the effect of blocking ripening in some areas this year. The harvest took place in rainy conditions, which allowed the grapes to swell slightly. In many areas, winegrowers are reporting that the quality is there, but volumes are limited. Once again, this is due to grapes that were superb in quality and healthy, but low yielding.

Champagne and the Loire Valley should also see a slight increase in production, although the same phenomenon can be observed in many areas. At the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant estate, the harvest was superb, but the berries small and concentrated. This 2025 will certainly have to be earned!

What about in other regions, like Alsace, for example, or Languedoc?

Alsace also had a summer of contrasts, with drought and intense heat in July, followed by stormy weather in late August at harvest time. Harvest is earlier and earlier – for the crémant, grape picking started on 19 August – which is an effect of global warming, to which winegrowers are having to adapt. This harvest, between downpours, was an acrobatic one, and also marked by reduced volumes.

In Languedoc, temperatures reached record highs, similar to the extremes of 2022 and 2003. Fortunately, the rainy spring had built up water reserves. Fires devastated part of the region’s vineyards, so it was an arduous year, but generally speaking, the winegrowers can expect the wines from this vintage to be good.

Vintages ending in “5”, such as 2025, tend to be renowned for quality. Is that the case this year?

The producers we spoke to have no doubts about the quality of the wines to come. In this respect, 2025 should live up to its promise, with a little extra freshness that may come as a surprise, given the peak temperatures seen during the summer. This freshness will bring a welcome touch of elegance to the wines, making them enjoyable from their earliest years.

Is the 2025 vintage worth focusing on from an investment point of view?

It’s still too early to say, but the signs are rather good – the quality appears to be confirmed, and volumes are relatively limited. This ensures that the wines bought this vintage will be rare, so that they will not only improve over time, but will also increase in value within a few years.

Is the market favourable when it comes to grand crus? Are investors buying?

Market indicators are mixed. We are seeing a timid resumption of buying in Asia – and particularly in Hong Kong – to replenish stocks in the run-up to the end of the year.

On the other hand, the instability created in the US over the last few months over the introduction of taxes is weighing on exports. The decision to impose a 15% tax on wine imports has had serious consequences for many wine estates for which the United States is the main trading market.

In France, political instability is having an impact on all consumer sectors, particularly the on-trade industry. Wine lovers are rightly on the lookout for bargains, and France’s annual “Foire aux Vins” wine sales have done extremely well in this respect. This was certainly the case at iDealwine, with a 50% increase in the number of customers compared with last year!

In conclusion, it is time to show some economic support for French winegrowers, consuming their wines, in moderation of course, and enjoying them to the full.

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