Again back at you with the best of wines news of France. By the way for the non Romans LXXI is no 72, The wines of France are just super simply awesome and a great tradition. Often imitated, some time equaled ,but never surpass! Therefore, let me tell you about wines news of France, part LXXII !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Intense heat in the Occitanie region and the South has prompted some winemakers to begin harvesting as early as July an unprecedented move for certain estates. The Ministry of Agriculture has postponed its official early-August estimates, as the impact of the heatwave and water stress makes it difficult to predict grape volumes and ripeness. Vineyards in Bordeaux and other regions are experiencing a historic drop in demand, forcing many producers to reduce their cultivated acreage. French consumers are increasingly favoring white and rosé wines over traditional red wine, while also cutting back on overall wine purchases in favor of other beverages such as beer. The INAO (National Institute of Origin and Quality) is accelerating efforts to help adapt appellation specifications to meet modern climate challenges.
Due to climate change, the grape harvest is beginning earlier and earlier in many French vineyards. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the *ban des vendanges* (official harvest authorization) remains the symbol of the harvest’s official start, blending technical decisions, regulatory frameworks, and popular tradition. Since the 1980s, the trend has been clear: the harvest begins, on average, several weeks earlier. Regions such as Champagne, Alsace, Saint-Émilion, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape now harvest about 24 days earlier than they did in the 1970s, according to government figures. The *ban des vendanges* refers to the official authorization to begin picking grapes. The precise term is lever le ban or lifting the ban, meaning the prohibition against harvesting is removed.
Saumur is coolness beneath the tuffeau. In these galleries, carved out over centuries, wine rests sheltered from temperature fluctuations, and visitors, too, find an unexpected refuge from the heat. It is perhaps here that one best grasps the essence of the Saumur region defined by an unbroken dialogue between white stone, vineyards, and the river. The area boasts a spectacular underground heritage: over 1,200 km of troglodyte galleries, hewn from the tuffeau or soft limestone over the ages for living, shelter, work, wine storage, and mushroom cultivation. The cool, humid environment is ideal for aging local wines, as well as for visitors seeking shade on the hottest days. At Château de Targé in Parnay, Paul Pisani-Ferry representing the family’s thirteenth generation welcomes visitors to the estate’s former stone quarry, carved into the hillside beneath the vines. Today, the space serves as a wine cellar while retaining traces of its past, such as an old “breakneck” wine press. In this naturally climate-controlled cellar, the tasting experience is designed to be accessible and unpretentious. Exploring the underground world of Saumur further, the Robert & Marcel winery in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg offers a different way to tell the story of the vineyards. The house has created an immersive experience within its troglodyte cellars, featuring a tour that blends underground scenery, soundscapes, the history of the Saumur wine region, and wine tasting. It serves as a crowd-pleasing conclusion to this subterranean journey before one returns to the light by the river. Both houses visited and are wonderful to visit and even more to drink,,,,
The 2026 vintage promises to be “unaffected by the consequences of the fires” despite the mega-fire that ravaged 42,000 hectares in western Gironde according to the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB), which anticipates “no impact” on the grapes or their flavor. “It is worth noting that the 2022 fires, which occurred during the same period, had no impact on the taste of the wines,” added the organization, which represents 126 prestigious Bordeaux estates. The UGCB believes the 2026 vintage holds “great promise for quality” and is shaping up to be an “early” vintage, with the harvest expected to begin historically early following a series of heatwaves.
Grands Chais de France has just launched “Secrets de Cave,” a platform bringing together three complementary areas: booking wine tourism experiences, bottle personalization, and online sales. We operate in numerous French regions including Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Diois, Jura, Languedoc, the Loire Valley, and Provence relying on the people involved at each estate. We are committed to this local approach, which is reflected in our 15 retail outlets spread across France. We also have an online store that allows us to extend the customer experience. The 15 shops located at the estates ensure our regional presence and deep local roots. The official Grands Chais de France group on its estates : https://www.groupegcf.com/index.php?page=119
From a legendary trilogy to La Reynarde: the new chapter for E. Guigal. La Mouline, La Landonne, and La Turque, the legendary trilogy is now joined by a newcomer: La Reynarde! Nicknamed the “La-La-Las” by collectors, each of the original three wines reflects a specific terroir within the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune areas. A fourth cuvée, La Reynarde born from a plot situated between these two slopes now joins this exclusive circle with its inaugural 2022 vintage release in February 2026, offering a style that sits midway between La Turque and La Landonne. The renown of these wines is no accident; they embody the perfect union of exceptional terroir and uncompromising standards. The name Côte-Rôtie itself evokes the region’s sun-drenched exposure; the vineyards feature terraces so steep that they can only be tended by hand. On these dizzying slopes which can reach inclines of up to sixty degrees harvesting is as much an act of mountaineering as it is viticulture! The Syrah reigns supreme across all three cuvées, though their blends vary depending on the inclusion of Viognier, a white grape variety permitted in small quantities within the appellation. All three wines are aged for approximately forty months in new oak barrels an exceptionally long maturation period. The Official Maison E Guigal on the treasures : https://www.guigal.com/en/collection/the-treasures/
One old one coming back and I am glad as was/is one of my favorite Bordeaux, The number “two” might well be Lascombes’ lucky number: it was ranked a Second Growth in 1855, is the second-largest estate in the Margaux appellation, and is now experiencing a new lease on life ,a “second wind” as a château with immense potential. It was during the 2022 harvest that the Lawrence family a prominent figure in the California wine world at the helm of Heitz Cellar, Stony Hill, and Burgess acquired this “sleeping beauty” with the aim of restoring its former glory. Margaux is “a name that inspires dreams the world over, and in America in particular.” The Lawrences have entrusted this revival to oenologist Axel Heinz, who has been appointed General Manager of Château Lascombes. A native of Munich and a graduate of Bordeaux’s National Diploma of Oenology (DNO), he pursued his career in Italy, where he built the reputations of the two “Super Tuscans,” Ornellaia and Masseto, mastering Cabernet and Merlot to perfection. His mission is to revitalize the estate’s flagship wine ,the *Grand Vin* by focusing on the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, which finds its finest expression in the heart of Château Lascombes’ historic, 1855-classified terroir. Château Lascombes welcomes visitors to its recently renovated 18C chartreuse manor; the team shares its winemaking culture and the estate’s rich history through a range of immersive wine tourism experiences. The official Château Lascombes :https://chateau-lascombes.com/en
The vineyards were once famous since the Middle Ages, and now at least the tradition is kept all over cultivated on the banks of the Seine river or in the heart of a city, You have the vineyard in the Clos de Morillons in the 15éme and the more famous Clos de Montmartre in the 18éme arrondissement, The wine from Montmartre is put in auction to raise money for the needed,. Most is in white grapes around Suresnes, Rueil Malmaison in the Hauts de Seine dept 92,Also, in Sucy en Brie or Joinville le Pont in the Val de Marne dept 94. Not to missed the festival at Nogent sur Marne.
There you go folks, another wine episode of my belle France! The wines news from France that is, superbe, sublime, wonderful, gorgeous, enjoy without moderation but accompanying a meal, family table just perfect. See you in the vineyards of my belle France, Again, hope you enjoy the post on wines news of France, part LXXII !!! as I,
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 