2024-08-19 13:10:34
A few weeks before the harvest, anxiety is increasing in the Puydôme vineyards. 2024 could be a dark year for local wine growers. Between frost, snow and heavy spring precipitation which leads to the appearance of many fungi such as black rot and powdery mildew, the vines suffer a lot. “Look at these burning leaves, it’s a downy mildew. This year is catastrophic! », alerts Gilles Vidal, 64 years old, winegrower and president of AOC Côtes d’Auvergne, based in Saint-Georges-sur-Allier (Puy-de-Dôme), south of Clermont-Ferrand. Hovering over your precious grapes, you can only see damage.
“I have been here since 1988 and we have never seen such a situation. We cannot stop the growth of mold even with treatment,” he explained. “It appears on the top of the leaf with a small yellow spot and it ends up burning the leaf and the grape completely. It is related to humidity. We had a lot of rain this spring! All appellations are affected, approved by Gilles Vidal. In Boudes, 70% of the vines are affected. Châteaugay suffered a heavy frost in July which also destroyed 70% of the crops… Our morale is low. »
A third few bottles
Because the AOC Côtes d’Auvergne has an overall effect. “We are all affected. It will be a catastrophic year in terms of proportions,” confirmed Perer Desprat, boss of the Saint-Verny cellar, which brings together 51 regional producers and 130 ha of vines in the 360 that make up the AOP. “In a typical year, we release between 600,000 and 700,000 bottles. This year, I already know that we will easily have 200,000! »
Appeal, which usually provides around 45 hectoliters per hectare, can reach one of the lowest levels in recent years, between 25 and 30 hectoliters. Gilles Vidal said “For farms like mine, it’s not too important, because I have money, but for young people starting, it’s a big problem. In the Saint-Verny cellar, we want to see the bottle half full. “I predict the best quality in Gamay,” assures Pierre Desprat.
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