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Harvest at Stake, French Winemakers Set Candles and Straw Ablaze to Save Vines From Frost
News 18French winemakers have lit candles and burned bales of straw to try to protect their vineyards from sharp spring frosts, with the forecast of more cold nights this week raising fears of serious damage and lost production. “It will also be cold overnight from today to tomorrow so there is a lot of worry,” said Christophe Chateau, from the Bordeaux wine producers group CIVB. “With two nights in a row there is twice as much risk of the vineyard being damaged.” Winemakers also put out smouldering straw bales to provide a smokescreen to prevent the early sun from burning frozen shoots; sprayed water over the vines with the aim that the ice that forms protects them from freezing; and installed heaters and wind towers that mix the cold air near the ground with warmer air above. Spring cold snaps have been happening earlier in the year, in April rather than early May some 20-25 years ago, meaning the fall in temperatures can be greater, Pinson said.
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