Hailstorm in Bordeaux wipes out approximately 4million bottles

Vineyards in Bordeaux were devastated by an enormous hailstorm last weekend.  Local authorities estimate around 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of Bordeaux vineyards were hit by the storm.  This incident follows a similar devastation last month in Burgundy.

Due to the high insurance prices many of the smaller producers were uninsured and have been left with

nothing.  Grapes were stripped from the vine, the wood damaged from the impact of the giant hailstones.  Some vignerons were left with no crop at all for this year’s harvest, which would normally be harvested next month.

The storm broke double-glazed windows, shifted roof tiles and left piles of hailstones a foot deep – “the size of pigeons’ eggs”, according to one French report.

Such freak weather incidents make us appreciate even more the hard toil that goes into each glass of wine that we drink.