- French wine production is forecast to reach 37.4 million hectolitres this year, a 3 per cent increase from last year's rain-hit season but 13 per cent below the five-year average.
- The reduced output compared to the average is primarily due to an August heatwave and drought, which affected grape juice content and accelerated ripening.
- A significant reduction in vineyard area, with over 20,000 hectares uprooted, also contributed to the decline in volumes.
- Regions like Charentes, Burgundy, Beaujolais, and Languedoc-Roussillon were particularly impacted, with Beaujolais expecting its lowest yield since 2012.
- France has subsidised the removal of vines to counter oversupply amid falling wine consumption, a policy criticised by some producers.
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