The 2024 wine harvest started on 30 July in France, and it was Languedoc who was first out of the block. The rest of the country will continue to bring in the grapes until October. According to the French Minister for Agriculture, viticultural production is expected to be down by 18% this year caused by “particularly unfavourable” weather conditions. Here’s the lowdown.
Harvests down by 18%
Earlier this year, the statistics department of the French ministry for agricultural predicted that France’s grape harvest would produce 40 to 43 million hectolitres of wine, but this was revised to 37.5 million hectolitres at the start of October. When comparing France’s 2024 vintage to last year’s production, it’s down 18% and when widening the analysis, it’s down 11% on the 2019-2023 average.
The starting date of this year’s harvest isn’t braking records either – not that that’s a bad thing! The earliest start date for the harvest in France was recorded two years ago when it commenced on 25 July.
Let’s take a look at what story is unfolding in each region:
Champagne: -33%, caused by spring frosts and mildew (and down 14% on the five year average).
Jura: -75%, caused by frost and mildew. A heavy pill to swallow after the bumper harvest last year.
Charente: -35%, rain interrupted flowering, and this decrease is in spite of an increase of land in production.
The Loire Valley: -30% caused by mildew and fruit failing to grow (Muscadet has experienced a 50% decrease in production).
Burgundy and Beaujolais: -35%, both regions were hit by mildew (particularly the Pinot Noir in Burgundy) and hail (mainly Beaujolais).
Bordeaux: -14%, caused by frost, diseases and pulling up 8,000 hectares of vines (due to the drop in consumption).
South West: -3%, millerandage (bunches of grapes with different sizes), fruit failing to grow, mildew, frost and hail still reduced the yield which is 13% less than the five-year average.
The Rhone Valley and Provence: -12% caused by grapes of different sizes and late frost.
Languedoc-Roussillon: -4% because the region suffered from drought and mildew.
Corsica: -13%, The drop in production was limited by harvest-saving rain throughout August (+9% on the five-year average).
Savoie: -5% due to spring frosts and mildew.
Alsace: -13% as the vines were affected by mildew. Flowering was also interrupted by rain.
iDealwine picks up its secateurs
This year, some iDealwine team members travelled to Domaine des Rois Mages in Burgundy to help with the harvests there.
The estate has also seen devastating losses, with some plots producing 70% less than their usual output.
Two different stories unfolded for the black grapes with many vines producing bunches of different sizes but the acidity and sugar in the grapes are well balanced. The production of white grapes is reduced by 30% in comparison to last year but on the whole, the harvest is healthy with a good balance between the acidity and alcohol.
Félix Debavelaere, the winemaker, thinks that it’ll be “a good vintage like 2014 with lots of tautness and energy”.
And here’s a glimpse! With the sun shining and everything!
The 2024 vintage will therefore be smaller than last year’s. To limit risks and avoid any disappointment when it’s released onto the market, wine lovers are advised to stock up on wines from previous years produced by their favourite winemakers that are currently available. And you’re in the right place, if you’d like to follow this advice.
