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| Burgundy's prestigous vineyards in crisis after devastating hailstorms | Burgundy's prestigous vineyards in crisis after devastating hailstorms |
| (2 months later) | |
| Violent hailstorms have lacerated vineyards in a prestigious part of the Burgundy wine region, causing what local winemakers have described as "catastrophic" damage to this year's crop. | Violent hailstorms have lacerated vineyards in a prestigious part of the Burgundy wine region, causing what local winemakers have described as "catastrophic" damage to this year's crop. |
| A strip of vineyards in the Beaune region were lashed by strong hailstorms and winds in a violent downpour on Tuesday afternoon, causing major damage in an area that covers four or five key wine-growing villages including Pommard and Volnay, prized for well-known and expensive crus. The worst-hit risk losing 90% of their crops. | A strip of vineyards in the Beaune region were lashed by strong hailstorms and winds in a violent downpour on Tuesday afternoon, causing major damage in an area that covers four or five key wine-growing villages including Pommard and Volnay, prized for well-known and expensive crus. The worst-hit risk losing 90% of their crops. |
| "It's awful to see these vines ripped by hail and several years of wine growers' work destroyed by the weather in one afternoon," said Xavier de Volontat, head of France's independent winemakers after the storms. | "It's awful to see these vines ripped by hail and several years of wine growers' work destroyed by the weather in one afternoon," said Xavier de Volontat, head of France's independent winemakers after the storms. |
| The local trade body, the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, said all the Côte de Beaune appellation area, which stretches over around 20km, was affected. | The local trade body, the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, said all the Côte de Beaune appellation area, which stretches over around 20km, was affected. |
| Burgundy, alongside Bordeaux, is one of France's two classic, best-known wine-producing regions. It is a big export area, currently prized by the Asian market, and produces some of the more expensive wines in France. The same area had already been hit by hail last year, causing high losses. This spring had also seen poor weather for local wine-growers, including flooding. | Burgundy, alongside Bordeaux, is one of France's two classic, best-known wine-producing regions. It is a big export area, currently prized by the Asian market, and produces some of the more expensive wines in France. The same area had already been hit by hail last year, causing high losses. This spring had also seen poor weather for local wine-growers, including flooding. |
| Jasper Morris, Burgundy director at wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, said: "Four or five villages have all suffered. Some of them produce some pretty prestigious wines that may sell at £50 a bottle retail. It will affect this year's crop." He warned that around 75-90% of this year's fruit in the worst hit of those village areas could have been lost. | Jasper Morris, Burgundy director at wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, said: "Four or five villages have all suffered. Some of them produce some pretty prestigious wines that may sell at £50 a bottle retail. It will affect this year's crop." He warned that around 75-90% of this year's fruit in the worst hit of those village areas could have been lost. |
| "Locally, this is a disaster. In the industry as a whole it's bad news, but it's not catastrophic. Overall there will be huge parts of Burgundy that haven't been touched. But in villages such as Pommard or Beaune it's very serious. The real problem is that this is the second year in a row." | "Locally, this is a disaster. In the industry as a whole it's bad news, but it's not catastrophic. Overall there will be huge parts of Burgundy that haven't been touched. But in villages such as Pommard or Beaune it's very serious. The real problem is that this is the second year in a row." |
| Blair Pethel, a small producer in the Côte de Beaune region, who was formerly a political journalist in Washington, has now been a wine grape grower in Burgundy for 10 years. Several of his vineyards, both white wine and red, have been hit. He told the Guardian: "I've lost more than 50% of my total crop for this year. Emotionally, we've got to carry on. We've put so much work into it. But the mood in the village is not good at all. A lot of people are very concerned. It's two years in a row that major hailstorms have hit the area. The economic conditions in France were already not that good. This doesn't help." | Blair Pethel, a small producer in the Côte de Beaune region, who was formerly a political journalist in Washington, has now been a wine grape grower in Burgundy for 10 years. Several of his vineyards, both white wine and red, have been hit. He told the Guardian: "I've lost more than 50% of my total crop for this year. Emotionally, we've got to carry on. We've put so much work into it. But the mood in the village is not good at all. A lot of people are very concerned. It's two years in a row that major hailstorms have hit the area. The economic conditions in France were already not that good. This doesn't help." |
| Jean-René Nudant, a winemaker with vineyards in several parts of Burgundy, including Volnay, where losses were high, said: "There were hailstones as big as the tip of a thumb." | Jean-René Nudant, a winemaker with vineyards in several parts of Burgundy, including Volnay, where losses were high, said: "There were hailstones as big as the tip of a thumb." |
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