Bordeaux harvest 20% down on 2012

Storms and coulure have reduced the size of the Bordeaux harvest by around one million hectolitres the region’s trade body has reported, making it the smallest crop since 1991.

The Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux (CIVB) announced at the end of last week that this year’s harvest was projected to be the smallest since 1991.

A series of devastating hailstorms, which have laid waste to vineyards across France this summer, have reduced the potential crop by 20% on last year – already a small harvest of 5.25m hectolitres.

Bernard Farges, president of the CIVB, told AFP reporters: “In terms of volume, the 2013 harvest is going to be the worst since 1991.

“These are two different problems. The impact of coulure has affected all vineyards. The hail was concentrated in one area and some growers won’t have anything to harvest at all.”

The hail apparently affected the white grapes in regions such as Graves and Pessac-Léognan most of all, bringing the harvest down by an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 hectolitres but the coulure has been particularly devastating, destroying the equivalent of 800,000 hectolitres.