A late heatwave in the south of the Languedoc has led to a significant reduction in yields, though producers are keen to stress the quality of the 2023 harvest. Vineyards in the north of the region are reporting average or even good harvests, according to The Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc (CIVL). However, the late heatwave in the south caused berries which were already small to dry out, leading to regional production down 15% compared to the five-year average. Indeed, Guillaume Barraud, director of Gérard Bertrand estates, witnessed a “noticeable difference between the southern part and the northwest part of the region”, with the south of France experiencing extremely dry conditions “once again”. Barraud told the drinks business: “At the beginning of summer, the bud break was exceptionally abundant, surpassing the average of the last five years. We counted around ten buds per vine at the start of summer. Consequently, in the south, a very dry early summer led to a natural selection of buds, lightening the vine stocks. In the north, we even carried out thinning ourselves.” Coastal areas within 20km of the shores had to cope with significant drought from the month of July, Barraud explained, compared to a “more substantial water supply” in the northwest regions. Further west, downy mildew also caused yield losses. Vignobles Bonfils, which controls 17 vineyards dotted around the Languedoc-Roussillon, experienced a harvest “on par with the average for the region as a whole”, according to general director Laurent Bonfils. “The explanation
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
