Harvest 2023: what can we expect this year?
After a 2022 vintage considered exceptional in many regions of France, production volumes for the 2023 vintage are expected to be slightly down (-2%), but in line with the average of the last 5 years (+1%). We take stock.
A pivotal time of year for French winegrowers, the harvest began in August and will end in November for sweet wines.According to Agreste estimates from September 1ᵉʳ 2023, wine production should total 45 million hectoliters, a figure that would be in line with the average for the last five years (2018-2023). This figure varies from region to region. Several vineyards were affected by pest attacks or drought, while others were spared.
The Bordeaux region was one of the first vineyards to be affected by mildew, and production is likely to be down on the 2022 vintage. In the Languedoc region, lack of water and hot weather had a severe impact on volumes. At Château des Fontenelles in the Corbières appellation, temperatures soared to 50 degrees in the sun: "These are extreme temperatures, and the vines planted against the wind and exposed at the end of the day have been drained of their substance. There's no juice in the grapes. However, the juices are of high quality", warns Thierry Tastu, winemaker. Further south, on September 12, 2023, winegrowers in the Roussillon region were hit hard by a hailstorm. Over 200 ha in the Aspres region were affected. Speaking to France Bleu, the president of the Pyrénées-Orientales winegrowers said: "We're blithely heading for the worst harvest in the Pyrénées-Orientales, after three years in which we were already recording records in terms of poor harvests."
Northern vineyards hold up better
Further north, northern vineyards are faring much better. In Champagne, despite the appearance of botrytis, which affected up to 11% of the vineyard, the weight of the bunches reached a record level. For Michel Parisot, cellar master at Maison Devaux: "The 2023 vintage is out of the ordinary and full of surprises (...) The exceptional size of the bunches has taken the whole Champagne region by surprise. The volume should be on a par with the 2022 vintage.
In Beaujolais, the vintage augurs well despite the heat and water stress: "Although some plots suffered from the heat in August and September, the wines remain fruity and the heat was beneficial from a quality point of view."says Philippe Bardet, President of Inter Beaujolais. After two years of poor harvests, the winegrowers of the Loire Valley will also have to welcome a production higher than 2022 and recent years. Verdict at the end of November.
