Between deconsumption and distancing, groggy wine-producing France

As paradoxical as it may seem, in these times of climatic upheaval, it is only the climate that has spared the vines this year. If episodes of frost, hail, drought and heatwave have, as usual, caused yield losses here and there, with the contribution of mildew in the South-West, national production should be close to 47 million hectoliters, i.e. a level 2% higher than that of 2022 and 6% higher than the 2018-2022 average. But is it really good news when, with the first blows of pruning shears and shakers, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that it would increase the distillation campaign to 200 million euros, compared to 80 million euros initially planned. In total, 4.4 million hectoliters will have been distilled, the equivalent of 10% of production. A little more than the angels' share. Volumetric erosion The cause: overproduction affecting certain categories of wine, particularly entry-level reds. But not only. At the opposite end of the spectrum, sales of champagne in mass ...