Rhone vineyards are still experiencing a record water shortage

ineyards across the Rhone valley are thirsty and recent storms have done little to reverse the trend. Cumulative rainfall since mid-October 2021 is barely 250 mm, according to the Institut Rhodanien, compared with between 400 and 600 mm over the last twenty years. At the end of June, the water deficit – or the difference between water received and water transpired – is on a par with reported levels at the end of July in 2019 and 2020, both very dry years.

Between 19 and 25 June, rainfall brought 10 to 50 mm of water, depending on the area, compensating for 5 to 10 days of evapotranspiration, depending on the soil. “The water helped revitalise the vines slightly, but inconsistently, depending on the amount of rainfall”, sums up Carole Puech, a researcher at the Institut Rhodanien. “Water stress is less obvious just after the rain but will quickly return to moderate to strong stress levels”. In sentinel blocks monitored by the Institute, most of the apexes are showing “marked growth slowdown” and the proportion of blocked apexes is “clearly increasing”. Defoliation is starting to be observed.

Localised hail storms have caused varying degrees of damage. The eastern part of Gard, in the Laudun appellation area, was quite badly affected, with over 30% of berries damaged in some blocks. Tavel, Lirac and Vinsobres were less affected. A few more northerly locations suffered damage, including the Die area, the higher vineyards in St Peray and in northern Côte Rôtie, but to a limited extent.