Winemakers in the Burgundy vineyards used candles and heaters on Thursday night to try and protect their vines from the severe spring freeze that has hit parts of northern France.
Temperatures in parts of Burgundy fell to -6C on Thursday night, prompting vineyard owners in Chablis, Pommard, Meursault and Montrachet to battle overnight to keep their vines from freezing.
Ice is pictured in the Chablis vineyard after water was sprayed on it in Chablis on March 27, 2026, as temperatures fell below zero degrees celsius during the night. The technique of sprinkling vine rows with low-flow water has proven effective, allowing the bud to be covered with a pocket of ice that protects it. Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP
If the vines freeze once the grapes have begun to grow, it can severely damage or kill the vine, leading to a massive loss in wine production for the vineyard.
The tried and tested method to avoid freezing involves lighting small lamps or ‘anti-frost candles’ in the vineyard to keep the vines warm, although the candles themselves cost around €10 each, creating a major extra expense for winemakers.
Winegrowers light anti-frost candles in their vineyard near Chablis. (Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP)
Warming temperatures are making these frost alerts more common. Milder winters means that the grapes begin to grow earlier, making them vulnerable to cold snaps and freezes later in the spring.
One of the special anti frost candles. Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP
Dining and Cooking