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Heavy hailstorms devastated numerous French wine regions at Whitsun. In Bordeaux, Bergerac, Gascony, the Loire Valley, Savoy and Roussillon, hailstones caused severe damage. The storms were particularly severe in the south-west of the country, in Armagnac and the Côtes de Gascogne.
Patrick Farbos, chairman of the Armagnac marketing office, reports significant losses to vines, but also maize and sunflowers: "It was apocalyptic, with hailstones the size of marbles and no rain." Some wineries feared a complete loss. This has dashed hopes of being able to replenish wine stocks this year after the small 2021 harvest due to the weather. The damage to crops will also affect yields in coming years.
While some regions have been hit by heavy rains, farmers and winegrowers in other parts of France - especially from Provence to Alsace - have been waiting for months for sufficient rainfall.
(al / source: vitisphere; photo: wikimedia)
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