The 2024 vintage is not off to a smooth start. But even if the winegrowers are having a hard time, the vines are holding up well. Two weeks after the hailstorm in Chablis that made headlines (May 1), it’s time for an initial assessment, as objectively as possible.
Before the hail, Bourgogne’s winegrowers had to contend with the now recurrent April frost episode (second half of the month). Although the sleepless nights were quite stressful, there was a certain sigh of relief afterwards: the damage caused was very localized, despite the vines’ early development status (2 to 7 unfolded leaves).
The hardest hit areas are located in the Chatillonnais (mainly dedicated to Crémant de Bourgogne), where temperatures dropped to -5°C. Frost damage ranging from 80 to 100% on parcels of vines occurred in the eastern part of the region, from the Seine to the Ource valley. The Maranges, in southern Côte de Beaune, also suffered.
Elsewhere in the Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconnais and Nothern Bourgogne, damage was very limited.
Chablis, on the other hand, suffered considerable damage to part of its vineyards after a double hailstorm on May 1st.
Approximately 1,000 hectares of vines were affected, mainly in the villages of Fontenay-près-Chablis, Villy and La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne, but also in Chablis, Maligny, Beine and Lignorelles. Some Climats in Chablis Grand Cru and Chablis Premier Cru also suffered. Overall, it is estimated that 400 ha of vines were affected by more than 80%.
Fortunately, after two very good harvests in 2022 and 2023, the VCI (Individual Reserve Volume), especially for the Petit Chablis and Chablis appellations, will help mitigate the impact of these weather-related hazards.
There’s still a long way to go until the harvest, and the winegrowers already know that they’ll need to be constantly vigilant regarding the weather in 2024.
