Low Crop Yields May Result In Future Burgundy Shortage

A hailstorm in late 2013 ravaged the Burgundy winemaking region of France’s Cote d’Or. This comes after diminished harvest yields in 2011 and 2012, which means the world market could be seeing a serious shortage of the valued wine in the next 12 to 18 months.

Hailstorm destroys crops
In late July of 2013, a hailstorm rained down pellets the size of golf balls on the Cote de Beaune section of France’s Burgundy region. Villages such as Pommard and Volnay found themselves in the direct path of the monster storm that all but destroyed a 6.2-mile tract of the region. The hail had devastating effects on the grape crops, with estimates ranging from 20 to 90 percent yield decreases across the different estates.

Delayed effects
Burgundy wines require aging in oak barrels for 12 to 18 months before they can be bottled. Unfortunately, stocks of older vintages are not as widely available as they once were, thanks to similar inclement weather in 2012 and 2011. The result is likely to be higher prices for available Burgundy vintages as producers struggle to recover their losses.