Severe weather warnings in Northern Rhône

Yesterday and today Météo France have issued severe weather warnings for the départements Ain, Rhône, Drôme, Isère and Ardèche. There is talk of one month's normal precipitation in 24 hours and television screened pictures of impressive floods at Tournon, just opposite the Hermitage hill. The area concerned covers the whole of the North Rhône appellations, much of Beaujolais and some of the more northerly communes of the Southern Rhône. I guess that there will also be considerable precipitation outside this immediate area as far north as Mâcon and south as Orange/Avignon (Châteauneuf-du-Pape).

This cannot be good news so close to vintage time.

The storms continued into the weekend in this area and residents are seeking "natural disaster" aid from the government. We may have to forget Côte Rôtie, Cornas, Hermitage, etc. this year.

The storms continued into the weekend in this area and residents are seeking "natural disaster" aid from the government. We may have to forget Côte Rôtie, Cornas, Hermitage, etc. this year.

Looking like a tough vintage indeed. Perhaps less temptation for wines to buy. But, there will probably always be wines to buy..

The storms continued into the weekend in this area and residents are seeking "natural disaster" aid from the government. We may have to forget Côte Rôtie, Cornas, Hermitage, etc. this year.

Aaagh well Tim, back to the Loire!

Bob, even though the Loire was not affected by these storms, I'm not expecting great things there this year. They suffered bad late frosts in the Muscadet and Saumur areas the day I was passing through the latter on return from Cahors. Consequently budding was late and the North Western European summer has been pretty miserable; better there than here but still mediocre. The forecasts for the next ten days are quite poor.

But I guess that, as usual, the best growers will manage to make something worth drinking, particularly if there is an Indian summer at end September and in October like last year.

What is one to believe?

After showing pictures of a supermarket devastated by a mud slide and so on in the Northern Rhône valley this morning, France 2's report ended by showing a picture of a healthy bunch of grapes and saying "the grapes have not suffered too much and the harvest will commence soon in a normal way."

It is true that the best vineyard are planted on steep terraces where a lot of water will run off, but I find it hard to believe that there will not be dilution everywhere and rot and hail damage in some places.

France 2's report ended by showing a picture of a healthy bunch of grapes and saying "the grapes have not suffered too much and the harvest will commence soon in a normal way."

I don't think much of media reports like this on harvest condition, they often seem to shoot for the lowest common denominator, although you may have more experience with them than I do.