Fierce hailstorms in France over the weekend have bought fear to the hearts of French winegrowers.
This summer is the third in a row where hail has battered Burgundy’s vines.
Winds of 60mph accompanied by hailstones the size of golf balls hit on Saturday afternoon.
Winegrowers fear that between 40% and as much as 80% of the harvest could be lost.
Similar fierce weather in 2013 destroyed 60% of Burgundy’s harvest. That followed on from storm damage in 2012 which brought a price hike of 30% on that year’s vintage.
This year growers were hoping for a good harvest, but hopes were dashed in the 7 minutes outburst.
The storm did not discriminate and some of the country’s most prestigious vineyards, such as Domaine Chauvenet in Pommard, Volnay, Meursault and Beaune, home to a total of 2,000 winegrowers.
Some growers activated anti-hail vortex generators, but it is not yet known if these were effective.
The damage is still being assessed by insurers, but some 70% of producers are not insured.
