2015 French wine harvest to beat previous year

(MENAFN- AFP) A late burst of rain will likely push France's wine harvest this year above that of 2014, the latest agriculture ministry forecasts showed Wednesday, with some regions already talking of an exceptional vintage.

While it had previously seen the harvest declining, the agriculture ministry statistics service now expects France's wine harvest to come in at 47.6 million hectolitres, up from 47.1 million last year.

The revision was due to rainfall in late August and early September, which led to increased yields in western regions of the country including the Loire Valley and Bordeaux.

Winemakers in Bordeaux said last month they expected 2015 to be a "magnificent" vintage.

The weather was not so favourable in Burgundy and Beaujolais, however, with a heatwave leading to a 16-percent drop in the harvest.