France's 2025 wine output forecast at historic lows for second year

PARIS (Reuters) -France's farm ministry on Friday raised its projection for this year's wine output to 36.2 million hectolitres, which makes it unchanged from last year's historically low output, as a summer heatwave and drought reduced harvest volumes.

The projected harvest is 16% below the five-year average, marking the second consecutive year of significantly reduced yields.

"The harvest is over and the impact of the August heatwave on grape volumes is clear," the ministry said in a report.

Extreme heat and persistent drought in August accelerated grape ripening and dried out fruit, leading to earlier harvests and smaller yields across the country, it said.

France is the world's second-largest wine producer after Italy and the first exporter by value. Its wine output has been hit by adverse weather in the last two years while surplus management policies have prompted winemakers to uproot a portion of their vineyards.

Champagne production is expected to rise 14% year-on-year to 2.1 million hectolitres, though it remains 10% below the five-year average. The ministry cited good grape quality but lower volumes for certain grape varieties.

A hectolitre is the equivalent of 100 litres, or 133 standard wine bottles.

In Bordeaux, output is likely to remain slightly below last year, but 17% below average, constrained by the uprooting of 8,000 hectares of vineyards and the lingering effects of the heatwave. 

Charentes, a key Cognac-producing area, also faces a small decline in output, but dry and hot weather hurt yields, with the harvest seen 23% below the five-year average.

Output in Languedoc-Roussillon - the largest producing region - fell severely due to drought, fires, and the uprooting of 10,000 hectares since last year, the ministry said. Output is expected to drop 8% from 2024, now down 18% on average.

(Reporting by Sybille de La HamaideEditing by David Goodman and Sharon Singleton)