France, climate change and the grape harvest: fewer grapes and difficulties in finding grape pickers

In mid-August, many seasonal workers are still on holiday: Joël Boueilh, a winegrower from the Gers and president of the Vignerons Coopérateurs de France, told *Le Monde* that he has 25 per cent fewer workers than his usual team.

The problem with yields is even more serious. The prolonged drought and water stress are resulting in smaller grapes with less juice; in the most vulnerable plots, some grapes are sun-scorched or are being removed to protect the vine. In Champagne, a harvest of just 6–7 thousand kilos of grapes per hectare is forecast, compared with the appellation’s maximum limit of around 9 thousand, resulting in a significant financial loss. In Alsace, where the soil retains less water, yields are feared to be halved; at Château de Fontenille, in the Bordeaux region, a loss of 25–30 per cent compared with the average of recent years is estimated…