Wine grapes were harmed by extreme weather

The third wave of relief is needed as vineyards are also recovering from a particularly harsh season—on top of the pandemic. “From the spring frosts, floods to heatwaves, the extreme weather conditions have been particularly challenging for the wine, fruit, and vegetable sectors this year,” said Janusz Wojciechowski, the EU’s agriculture commissioner. Climate conditions have caused vine diseases across Europe. In April alone, frost caused damage at 80% of French vineyards.

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That’s troubling for wine drinkers now and in the years to come. Over 70% of wine exports by value come from the European Union according to data from the International Trade Centre. While grapes harvested this year won’t make it into wine bottles for anywhere from six months to two years, demand will have to be met by using stored inventories of wine from more productive seasons.

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