A record in april,restoring the year balance

Over the past 12 months, the Cognac sector’s annual turnover has reached 3.2 billion euros with 213.1million bottles of Cognac shipped, which represents 7.0% over the past 12months, despite the COVID.

After a strong decline in shipments at the beginning of the health crisis in march, april and may 2020, the start of recovery began on the key markets during summer 2020 and shipment figures have been constantly rising since this time. Excellent results were recorded in China, particularly during Chinese New Year, and the US market confirmed very strong growth, with shipments further increasing by 20.7%, i.e. 116.8million bottles, over the last 12months. The sector is confident that it will continue to expand in 2021.

More fear than pain

Aftert the frost episod of last april and beginning may, as everywhere in Europe, the figures of the damages occured by the weather conditions are lower than anticipated. 15 % of the cognac vineyars has been impacted, depending from the area and localization. It is less than some other vineyards in France, Italy, Spain… Crossing fingers now to avoid hail storms ! Nature always remains the boss.

L’article Some figures of cognac est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

This past week, and still this one, vines have more or less deeply suffered of night frost, as in many others european vineyards.

I have a friendly thought to Burgundy, and Rhone valley winegrowers most impacted than here.

You certainly have seen the dramatically pictures of thousand and thousand of braziers, big candles, lighting the night in the vines.

It is just difficult to measure the exact impact today. We must wait several days, and hope that night temperature will increase. The paradox is that during the day, the temperatures are quite thoses of this spring season…

UGVC, the professionnal organization of the cognac winegrowers, is currently collecting detailed informations from its membership, in order to give within one week, a first idea of the damages.

We cross fingers and support our winegrowers.

L’article Frost in cognac vineyards est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

7′ in a season

A day who remains in the memory, May 27th 2017 : a short-term hail storm suddenly crossing the area, without any alert before, and 7′ later, 10 % of the vineyards have been injured for more of 80 %. I was in vineyards with a friend of mine who was planting new vines. It was really hot for the season, the sky was blue without any cloud. Suddenly an huge grey line appears coming from south-west very quickly and quite few minutes later, hailstone like golf balls felt on our heads. It was terrific of noise and fury.

Even if they know that nothing can be taken for granted , even in they are insured against a number of climate risks, the winegrowers deeply feel theses moments, and emotion takes a lot of time to disappear.  Many of them speak of their vines as a human being, or one of their children. « she has a cold »after a strong night-frost , « she smiles » when the  buds and leaves recover new energy, the alert far away…

« Hail and frost are in any case traumatic period » tells Nicolas.  » The work of a whole year is wiped before our eyes in a single instant without any possibility to protect or prevent ».

Then comes the time of findings and doubts :  what the vine will do ? how it feels ? and what’s about the next year ? which consequences ? And as an evidence, no harvest for this year : an happy moment which will not happen, and an other period difficult to live.

« We are enthusiasts, we do love our vineyards »  

By hearing Nicolas, it’s just like an obvious fact.  When the vine has been affected by hail, we must wait 4/5 days, without do anything even if it’s difficult, and  try to understand how « she » will react . Like a person, « she » is injured, she « curls up », thereafter,  small attempts of re-start appear, as if the vine  would say   » Shall I go or shall I stay ? » 

Damage visible one year later

As all his colleagues, Nicolas admits the discreet temper of the winegrowers.  » We don’t have the right words to speak of theses moments, but more than the financial consequence of hail, the more difficult to live for us, is to walk in the rows and see our injured vineyards. It’s often very emotional and even if we are tough guys, some of us can have tears on the eyes ». 

Spotters army

180 silver iodide diffusers  are  spread throughtout the cognac vineyards. 4 volunteers  are in charge on one diffuser. As soon as the alert is activited, the main referent, receives it on his smartphone, acknowledges the messsage and starts the diffuser. If he doesn’t answer, the alert switchs to the second person, and so on… To be efficient, the alert must be issued 6 hours before the arrival of the hail and all the  diffusers must be started at the same time. The diffuser located in an area is efficient for an area located about 10 kms farther.

A very simple system to set up : the ignition of the nozzle in the metallic pipe fired up to the sky particles of silver iodide which are be sucked in the clouds. The reaction allows to  decrease the size of the hailstones and so reduce consequently the damages.

Great thanks to Nicolas for his contribution  and disponibility on this specific subject.

L’article Hail, frost, the vine and the winegrower est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.