Promising signs for wine harvest

A WARM spring and a wet start to summer looks to have made this year a promising one for French wine, according to early reports from producers.

This year's harvest will begin several weeks earlier than usual, with sauvignon and chardonnay due to be picked in mid-August and other grape varieties from the end of the month.

Pôle Emploi has advertised 10,000 vacancies for grape-pickers that it is looking to fill urgently.

Yields are expected to be higher than last year, at an estimated 4.8 billion litres, and the quota for champagne has been increased by 20% in response to growing demand from overseas.

Producers say they are generally expecting a good vintage - better than last year, but not as good as 2009 which was considered exceptional.

However, a lot depends on the weather over the coming days. New figures released today by Météo France confirm July was the coldest on record in 30 years.

Photo: David Blaikie/Flickr