According to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in France, the main factor for lower wine production this year would be the lack of a harsh winter, normally one of the significant criteria, which optimally renders the vine dormant.
For certain French regions, especially the Loire Valley and the Southwest, strong frost can be blamed for the substantial damage to the grapevines.
Because of the frost, the emergence of diseases have occurred in areas, such as in Languedoc-Roussillon and in the Southwestern regions, where some of the diseases stemmed from mildew and tearing of the vines, thus contributing to 2008’s less-than-average harvest.
The minister indicated that the total production in 2008 amounted to 47.1 million hectolitres, of which 23.7 hectolitres were designated for appellation wines, 13.5 hectolitres made table wines, 3.2 hectolitres produced all other wines, juices and malt wines, and 6.5 hectolitres went into the making of cognac.