A Bad Year for French Production

According to a statement from French Wine Authorities released earlier today, production of wine from the famed South of France is expected to be down by almost five percent this year from the 12 months prior. To add insult to injury, last years production rate was also considered lower than average, so they're nowhere near what is, hypothetically at least, their potential output range.

Crappy weather that included a ton of rain, an unexpected cold snap and an onslaught of hail earlier in the growing season left vineyards across the holy region of wine with less quality grapes than anyone would have hoped. Sources said that new government incentives to curb over-production of bad wine has also added to the dent in productivity, thanks to a large number of vintners uprooting their vines in exchange for a cool chunk of change from the boys in charge. Interesting development . . . I wonder if production will go down again next year, too?