France expects wine harvest of 37.4 million hectoliters

France expects a wine harvest of 37.4 million hectoliters this year. This represents a slight increase of three percent compared to the previous year. However, the amount is 13 percent below the average of the past five years. In 2024, heavy rainfall, drought, and late frosts reduced the harvest to 36.35 million hectoliters.

With its estimate for 2025 from early September, the French Ministry of Agriculture has revised its forecast from early August downwards. At that time, the estimate was over 40 million hectoliters. However, heat, drought, and wildfires have since reduced the quantity of grapes. Since the 2024 harvest, French winemakers in the south and southwest of the country have also cleared more than 20,000 hectares of vineyard area.

Bordeaux expects a similarly large wine harvest as last year. The amount is therefore about 15 percent below the five-year average. The hot, dry weather in August of this year particularly affected the wine-growing regions in the northeast and south of France. Alsace expects a harvest decline of eleven percent compared to the previous year, while Languedoc-Roussillon expects five percent.

In contrast, Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire, and Jura anticipate a higher wine harvest than in 2024. The increase in Burgundy is expected to be 45 percent, and 26 percent at the Loire.

(cs)