Julien Miquel explains why certain wineries use “Chateau” in their name, how the French Revolution changed the wine landscape and popularised this formerly aristocratic term, and why the word appears in the US and other countries — but not in Italy or Spain.
Introduction
Hello and welcome to your new Bonner Private Wines video, where we learn about wine together weekly. I’m your host, Julien Miquel, Bordeaux-trained winemaker.
All my winemaking friends here in France — the French wine growers currently harvesting the grapes of vintage 2024 and turning them into delicious wine in their wineries — have been telling me how bad the weather has been this year for grape growing, and how poor the crop is likely to be.
Last week I saw this headline in an important wine industry publication: France to produce one of the smallest vintages in a century.
Even I was surprised. What is going on here? Is French wine in total decline? Is it a disaster? Are wine prices going to rise sharply around the world if the largest wine-producing country makes very little wine this year?
Let’s talk about it. While they whine, we wine.
Why France’s 2024 Vintage Is Smaller
As we speak, vintners are harvesting the grapes that will become vintage 2024 across Europe, as well as in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere.
France has had a particularly difficult year because it has been remarkably wet throughout the growing season.
How rain reduces grape production
Rain affects grape production in two major ways:
Flowering disruption: If it rains heavily during flowering, the pollen is washed away before fertilisation. Each unfertilised flower means one fewer grape berry.
Disease pressure: Humidity encourages fungal diseases such as mildew, which damages leaves and grapes.
Because of prolonged rainfall, nearly every French wine region has been affected, except vineyards along the Mediterranean coast, where sunny conditions have remained more typical.
Additional Weather Damage
On top of the rain, France also experienced:
Spring frosts that damaged young buds
Hailstorms, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change
Regional Impact
Expected crop reductions include:
Champagne: 16% lower than 2023
Burgundy and Beaujolais: around 25% lower
Loire Valley: significantly reduced
Alsace: reduced production
Cognac vineyards: especially affected
It is a difficult year, but is it really the lowest production in a century?
Is It Really the Smallest Vintage in a Century?
No — not exactly.
France is still expected to produce around 3.9 billion litres of wine in 2024, which equals roughly 5 billion bottles.
The recent five-year average is approximately 4.5 billion litres, so production is lower, but still substantial.
Recent smaller vintages already occurred in:
2021
2017
So while the headline is partly true, it does not reflect the full historical context.
Long-Term Decline in French Wine Production
Wine production in France has been steadily declining since the 1980s.
The main reason is simple: French people drink much less wine than previous generations.
Wine is no longer consumed daily at lunch or with every meal as commonly as before.
Why France Is More Vulnerable Than Italy and Spain
France is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which creates a cooler and wetter climate.
By contrast:
Italy and Spain generally benefit from more Mediterranean conditions
Their main challenge is often drought rather than excess rain
France’s cooler climate also contributes to the finesse of many French wines, because grapes ripen more slowly.
This slower ripening often leads to greater elegance and complexity — but it also makes France more vulnerable in difficult years.
Why This Matters for French Producers
What is becoming more concerning is the frequency of poor vintages:
2017
2021
2024
For growers and wine businesses, repeated difficult harvests create financial pressure.
Will Prices Rise?
Probably not because of vintage 2024 alone.
Global wine consumption has fallen significantly in recent years, meaning there is still plenty of wine available overall.
Wine prices may continue rising because of inflation, but not specifically because France harvested less in 2024.
What About Quality?
It is still too early to judge quality fully, since fermentation is not yet complete.
However:
It is unlikely to be the vintage of the century
There is no reason to assume it will be poor
Modern winemaking allows producers to achieve excellent results even in difficult years.
Closing
These may be challenging grapes, but winemakers can still produce delicious wine in 2024.
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Suggested related topics:
The ten most expensive Bordeaux wines
Rising alcohol levels in wine
Weather changes and their impact on wine
Drink tasty and safe. See you soon in the wonderful world of wine. Cheers!
