Centre-Loire 2025: a vintage defined by striking contrasts
Following a challenging year for the Centre-Loire region, growers across the region have reported a vintage marked by sharp contrasts – heat and hail. The result is a harvest that many describe as unexpectedly harmonious and full of promise.
A relatively normal winter, with notably high January rainfall, left soils well hydrated heading into spring. Warm temperatures triggered budbreak on 7 April, around ten days ahead of the recent average. Spring remained dry, lowering mildew pressure and easing vineyard work, though the lack of rain in May and June created water stress for shallow-rooted vines.
Flowering in mid-June proceeded in favourable conditions but was marked by higher-than-usual coulure, particularly in Sauvignon Blanc. Then, on 23 July, a severe hailstorm struck roughly 350 hectares across Sancerre, Menetou-Salon and Coteaux du Giennois.
August brought heat that accelerated ripening and produced small, thick-skinned berries – meaning lower yields but excellent concentration, especially for reds. A timely rainfall on 20 August refreshed the vines without diluting the fruit, helping preserve acidity.
Early, efficient harvest
The harvest began early: Pinot Gris in Reuilly was picked on 23 August, followed by Sauvignon Blanc on 28 August and then the reds. A brief early-September rainfall did little to interrupt progress and hail-affected parcels were completed by mid-September. Growers report fruit that was both clean and concentrated.
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A contrasting but promising vintage
“Vintage 2025 will be remembered for its contrasts,” says François Dal of SICAVAC, the technical arm of Centre-Loire Wines. “Despite episodes of heat and hail, this is a harvest of remarkable promise, with wines that combine purity, freshness, and elegance.”
Early tastings reflect this balance. Sauvignon Blanc shows clean citrus, white-flower aromatics and vibrant orchard-fruit notes, while Pinot Noir displays lifted red-berry tones and fine, silken tannins. Cooler periods helped maintain linear, refreshing acidity, while warmer spells contributed ripe fruit cores and a gentle roundness.
Following a challenging year
The previous vintage had set a very different tone. The 2024 season was among the most difficult in recent memory: late frosts, hail and nearly double the usual rainfall created ideal conditions for downy mildew.
Yields plummeted in appellations such as Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé. Cool, wet weather delayed ripening, pushing harvest into late September and early October, with growers forced to pick in multiple passes as grapes matured unevenly.
Against that backdrop, the relative consistency and composure of the 2025 vintage marks a welcome and notable shift for the region.
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