Meanwhile,
France: harvests start several weeks:
Published on 22/08/2025 – 8:00 UTC+2 •Updated 8:00
This year. For example, French winegrowers were forced to advance the harvest due to high temperatures Who made the grapes mature earlier than during the traditional harvest season, from September to October.
The harvests of Château Carbonnieux. For example, in the Bordeaux region, explain that recent temperatures around 40 ° C have caused an accelerated ripening of white grape clusters.
“Before, the harvest started on September 15, and we are today on August 19”indicates Éric Perrin, the owner of the estate. Moreover, “This phenomenon of global warming recalls much more the Mediterranean climates”.
Consequently, the white wines of the Carbonnieux castle france: harvests start several weeks bear a “Signature much more Mediterranean than Autland”he adds.
Climate change upsets French viticulture – France: harvests start several weeks
Eric Perrin Harvest since the 1980s. Similarly, and if he has experienced hot summers like those of 1989 and 2003, high temperatures have gradually increased since 2018 until today and have become the standard rather than the exception.
The impact of heat means that grapes have a higher sugar content. which, through the fermentation process, results in wines with higher alcohol content.
“Before, over ten years, we had two great vintages, around five means and approximately three which could be mediocre. Today, with warming, our wines are of much better quality”explains Éric Perrin.
However. this can be problematic for the grapes used in the production of white wine, because the strict rules of France for protected designation wines (AOC) fix authorized sugar contents.
It is to the family oenologist, Andrea Perrin, that it is the responsibility france: harvests start several weeks to meet these new requirements. The main problem lies in this excess sugar, which leads the harvest of this 45 hectare area at alcohol levels around 14 %.
In addition to the fact that they come up against the AOC rules. white wines with such a high alcohol level generally do not have the coast with consumers. Fortunately, “This does not represent a large area”explains the oenologist.
Éric Perrin therefore counts on later harvests in “The favorite terroirs of white wines”namely the clay soils that preserve water. acidity.
Grapes which. he hopes, will compensate for the high sugar levels of this first harvest to reach alcohol levels of around 12 % or perhaps 13 % in the final cuvée.
Video editor • Tamsin Paternoster
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