Sad news to report I’m afraid.
The weather in the Loire has been unseasonally hot and dry these past few weeks and as temperatures rose, storms were predicted with the risk of hail. Always a nightmare for growers as there is little they can do to protect vines from random, localised hailstorms.
On Saturday 4th June in the afternoon, suddenly the wind got up, huge gusts of up to 65km to 75km an hour set in and the rain pelted down. With the rain came hailstones the size of peas or golf balls (depending upon where you were).
In Noizay we had 30mm of rain in 15 minutes. Trees came down and shoots were ripped off in the garden. There was some light hail but nothing too serious.
However, just down the road in Vernou sur Brenne, further west in the appellation of Bourgueil, in Huismes in the Chinon appellation and in St Germain sur Vienne, the weather was merciless. Massive hailstones fell and stripped the vines of their foliage.
Our friend Sebastien du Petit Thouars was badly affected. Not only were his vineyards damaged but his car had the back windscreen smashed in and their beautiful 16th century chateau had 9 windows damaged.
Lamé Delisle Boucard in Bourgueil was ravaged and we await news from Vernou.
It’s difficult to establish the level of damage quite yet. Many vines were in full flower and those delicate flowers were blasted to oblivion.
Our thoughts are with the growers at this time. This is terrible timing after an incredibly difficult 2021.
More news as and when it comes in.
