Muscadet suffers from the consequences of the 2008 frost

 

Muscadet: the rich juice of the 2009 vintage

Unfortunately, just as occurred after the 1991 frost, Muscadet producers are now suffering the economic consequences of the devastating early April frost of 2008 as Presse Océan reports today. Because of the small quantity made in 2008, Muscadet lost its place on the shelves of supermarkets etc. Having lost shelf space it can very difficult to get it back. The shame, of course, is that 2009 in Muscadet was a very good vintage. Here are a couple of extracts from the Presse Océan report: 

 'Le vignoble se désespère
La mévente persiste dans le muscadet. La profession s'impatiente et cherche des solutions.

La situation est critique. Mais pas désespérée. Certains veulent pourtant jeter l'éponge. Usés, le moral en berne et les poches vides. Le Vignoble nan-tais traverse une période difficile. Une de plus. Cette fois, la récolte n'est pas en cause.'

• 

'Résultat, les ventes de muscadet en grande et moyenne surface s'effondrent : -20 % en un an pour le sur lie, -37 % pour le Sèvre et Maine, -53 % pour le générique.'

Clearly it is at the cheaper end that sales have been most seriously affected.  

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Xynthia in Loir-et-Cher
Talking of bad weather power has now finally be restored to parts of Loir et Cher with two blogs – Living the Life in Saint-Aignan and WCS Another American in France – from the outlying part of the commune of Mareuil-sur-Cher now back on-line. Even so their power is temporary as it is being provided by a generator until the overhead lines can be fixed.