BOUNCING HAIL FROM BURGUNDY

FEW THINGS can destroy a crop quicker than a heavy hail storm, as winemakers in Burgundy have discovered the hard way.  The region’s wine council, the BIVB, is currently overseeing trials of nets in vineyards as a way of defending vines from hailstorms.  A handful of vineyards are working on the project with the BIVB, after anti-hail cannons failed to prevent recent heavy storm damage in Pommard, Volnay, Mersault, and Beaune for the third consecutive year. Up to 5OOO hectares of vines across Burgundy were affected by deluges of hail in late June.  Only 3O% of producers in the region have insurance that could cover the damage and many winemakers have asked the government for financial support. Nets are already employed effectively in some other wine regions, notably in hail-prone Mendoza in Argentina.  However, there are concerns that tightly-meshed nets could block out a crucial amount of sunshine in Burgundy.  They would have to be approved by France’s national appellation body, INAO, before coming into general use.  However, it may be too late to ease concerns about wine supplies from some of the worst-hit areas.  “We have lost the equivalent of two harvests over the last three years,” said Thiebault Huber, of Domaine Huber-Verdereau and president of the Volnay Wine Council.  Mathiaud added that areas of Burgundy not badly affected by hail were still heading for a good-sized harvest in 2O14.