Wildfires have already decimated 42,000 hectares in Bordeaux's Gironde region. Even though vineyards are still safe from the blaze, winegrowers fear the grapes might take on a 'smoke taint' if fumes from the fires get to the vines.
Grapes are still in their veraison period; from a small green marble, they are starting to grow into bigger burgundy or golden coloured fruit. It's a decisive phase of the grape's maturation when smoke can impact the wine's aroma.
Some wines naturally have ash scents from other sources, but if this flavour impedes the fruity aromas, winegrowers can decide to downgrade their harvest or sell it in bulk to distillers for the alcohol.
"If we’d been closer to the grape harvest, which is due to start in three weeks, it could have been far more serious," says to French Figaro newspaper Séverine Bonnie from château Malartic-Lagravière, just 20 kilometres away from the flames.
At that moment of the harvest, smoke can seriously impregnate the grapes, although not all vineyards exposed to the smoke are necessarily affected. Strong winds, time of exposure to smoke and weather conditions can change how the grapes taste.
