In France, Vineyards Being Cleared Due to Climate Change and Declining Demand for Red Wine
In the French region of Bordeaux, winemakers are planning to eliminate thousands of hectares of vineyards due to decreasing demand and challenges caused by climate changes. This information has been reported by Politico.
Bordeaux is renowned as a key wine-producing region of France, where its produce holds great value. However, due to a noticeable drop in the consumption of red wine, reduced orders from China, and increased production costs due to climate changes, local producers are beginning to reduce the size of their vineyards.
The prolonged trend of declining red wine consumption in France has persisted for decades. While high-quality varieties still enjoy demand, interest in more accessible mass-market red wines has waned. This has led to price decreases. A significant number of producers have opted to reduce the size of their vineyards and receive compensation.
France has launched a special support program for winemakers who intend to repurpose their land for other crops and transform unsold grapes into other products. Compensation of around 6,000 euros will be provided for each hectare of vineyards uprooted.
In the Gironde department, over 1,000 preliminary applications have already been submitted. Approximately one-third of winemakers plan to completely eliminate their vineyard plantings, while others will increase the production of higher-quality wines to sell at a higher price.
The situation where low demand forces producers to lower prices to such an extent that high-quality wine might sell for 2 euros per bottle is causing frustration among winemakers. They believe this devalues their work and damages Bordeaux's reputation as an elite wine-producing region.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that in the second half of 2022, prices for red wines from Bordeaux fell by 21% compared to average prices over the past five years. Meanwhile, prices for white wine increased slightly.
The coronavirus pandemic led to reduced demand for wine from China, which had previously been a major export market. While sales resumed in 2020, they have not yet returned to previous levels.
In 2021, French winemakers declared a "historically low" production volume due to a combination of unfavorable circumstances.
It's worth noting that Finland is seeking recognition from the EU as a wine-producing country.
In terms of wine production volumes within the European Union in 2021, Spain, Italy, and France took the lead.