A new digital tool is now available to the French wine industry, allowing professionals to track the evolution of grapevine trunk diseases, specifically esca and eutypiosis, across different wine regions and grape varieties. The application, updated with data from the 2024 vintage, compiles observations from vineyards in Charentes, Bordeaux/Bergerac, Val de Loire, Champagne, Alsace/Lorraine, Jura, and Savoie. It provides a detailed look at how these diseases are affecting vineyards year after year.
The monitoring of these diseases began in 2003 with the creation of the National Observatory for Grapevine Trunk Diseases by the French Food and Plant Protection Services. Although the official observatory ended in 2009, technical and scientific partners continued to collect annual data. With support from the Climesca project under the National Vineyard Decline Plan (PNDV), researchers have worked with the Plant Health Epidemiological Surveillance platform (ESV) to standardize and share this information with the entire wine sector.
In 2024, data was collected from 549 vineyard plots. The national average incidence of esca was recorded at 2.75%, down from 3.39% in 2023 and slightly below the long-term average of 3.12% since 2003. However, experts caution against interpreting this as a consistent downward trend. Chloé Delmas, research director at INRAE, explained that over the past decade, esca rates have often been above average. The disease tends to fluctuate depending on weather conditions, with higher rates in wet years such as 2017 and 2021 and lower rates during dry years like 2003, 2015, 2019, and 2022.
Eutypiosis shows a clearer decline. In 2024, its incidence dropped to a record low of 0.42%, compared to 0.79% in 2023. Delmas suggests that climate change may be making conditions less favorable for the fungus responsible for eutypiosis, which thrives in humid years. She also credits improved vineyard management practices—such as pruning techniques and removal of infected wood—for helping control the disease since its surge in the early 2000s.
The new application allows users to view and download disease incidence data as graphs by region and grape variety. This resource aims to help growers and researchers better understand disease patterns and adapt their strategies accordingly. The ongoing collection and sharing of this information reflect a broader effort within the French wine industry to address vine health challenges through collaboration and technology.
Dining and Cooking