Mark Landler and Giulia ImbertJul 29, 2026 – 12.00pmBordeaux | Draped in vines and flanked by half-timbered towers, the castle at Château Smith Haut Lafitte dates to 1365. It is the kind of legacy that gives its proprietors a sense of permanence.But in the past week, a rampaging forest fire west of Bordeaux – one of the worst since World War II, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate – has burned to within 15 kilometres of the chateau’s meticulously tended vineyards.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
As fires menace Bordeaux, winemakers cop yet another blow
The industry in the French region was already staggering under the weight of drought, changing drinking habits and US tariffs before the latest disaster.
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