Climate change and bad weather in France are bringing challenges to the Chablis wine country

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LIGNORELLES, France (AP) – Early on a late September morning in the heart of Chablis wine country, grape harvesters haul large and heavy buckets on their shoulders, drenched in sweat as they climb the Vau de Vey vineyard.

It’s the last day of harvest at the Domaine Roland Lavantureux winery, and workers are picking the last of the precious Chardonnay grapes that will eventually turn into the bright and high-quality Premier Cru that is bottled at the estate.

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But wine lovers around the world may struggle to get their hands on the 2024 “millesime” — wine from a single year’s harvest. It will be available in smaller quantities than usual.

Much of France’s wine country faces the wettest year on record in 2024 so far amid a changing climate, after years of challenges for vineyards and wine quality caused by drought and heat. At the Lavantureux estate, picking took just nine days – almost half the usual time – after a year of unexpectedly bad weather marked by frost, hail, record rain and the spread of a dangerous fungus that left Chablis growers on edge.

“I have been working here since 2010. This is my most difficult year,” said winemaker David Lavantureux, who is following in the footsteps of his father Roland, who is also a winemaker. “And all the ancients will tell you the same thing. The year was very difficult because the weather was unpredictable. Let’s not even survive another thing.”

The difficulties started in April with the snow. Then in May, a double hailstorm hit the region. Then came the incessant rain, until the harvest. According to the Burgundy wine association, about 1,000 hectares (about 2,500 hectares) of vines in the Chablis region were affected by the May storm. And the excess moisture allowed destructive carbon dioxide to flourish.

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Disease destroys the vineyard

Once established, this disease causes significant crop loss and can affect wine quality. Together with his brother Arnaud, David fought hard trying to control the anthrax with various drugs, which were washed away by the rain and were unsuccessful.

“In our areas, we’re looking at 60 to 65 percent losses,” said David Lavantureux. “It will be a year with a small harvest.”

The impact of the climate was not limited to the Lavantureux estate. Wet conditions across France have wreaked havoc on many wine-growing areas this year. Carbon dioxide, combined with patches of frost and hail, reduced overall production. The French Ministry of Agriculture estimates that it will reach 39.3 million hectoliters, below both levels of 2023 (-18.

“It’s been a very difficult year, physically and mentally,” said Arnaud. “We are free, the harvest is over. I’m tired.”

This year’s challenges will definitely have an impact on the wines produced in the family winery, leading to a 2024 vintage with unique characteristics.

Arnaud adds: “The balance is not the same at all. “There is more acidity. Maturity is very small. But the goal is to make wine so that, in the end, the balance is as perfect as possible.”

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Adapting to a changing climate

Located in the northern part of the Bourgogne region, Chablis vineyards have traditionally benefited from a favorable climate – cold winters, hot summers and annual rainfall between 650-700 millimeters (25-27 inches).

But climate change is changing those conditions, bringing unseasonably cool weather, more precipitation, and more frequent spring frosts that were rare in the past.

Frost damage is especially frustrating. The same thing happened to French vineyards in recent years, leading to huge financial losses. And scientists believe that the damaging frosts of 2021 are made more likely by climate change.

“There was a time when we thought that as global warming began, Chablis would be safe from frost,” said David Lavantureux. “And finally, over the last 15 years, it’s gotten even stronger.”

To adapt, winemakers have been using creative solutions. Pruning the vines later helps to delay bud break and reduce the vulnerability to late frosts, while keeping the larger leaves above the fruit protects the grapes from the hot summer sun.

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During the threat of frost, many farmers use expensive methods such as lighting candles in the vineyards. They also install electric wires to warm the vines, or sprinkle water in secret to create a thin layer of ice that ensures the flower’s temperature stays close to freezing but not too low.

Throughout the Burgundy region, hail protection devices have also been deployed in an attempt to reduce the force of the hail.

“It helps to reduce the risk, but it’s never 100% protection,” says David Lavantureux. “We’ve seen that again this year with multiple hailstorms, two of which were very strong.”

Looking ahead

Fortunately for the Lavantureux family, two excellent years in 2022 and 2023 should help offset financial losses caused by the reduced 2024 harvest as international demand for Chablis remains strong, particularly in the United States.

In June, the Burgundy wine association said Chablis wine exports to the US reached 3 million bottles, generating 368 million euros ($410 million), a 19% increase compared to last year.

Arnaud Lavantureux says: “Now it’s time to think about what’s next.”

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Marine Lesprit contributed to this report.

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