The figure has to be approved by the Minister of Agriculture at the end of December but everything indicates that France’s vineyards will increase with 8,057 hectares next year. This represents 1 % of the country’s total vineyard area which is the maximum growth per year under the new rules in the EU that came into force recently. The European Commission wanted to bring the figure to 2 %, but France and the other major wine countries lobbied for 1 % and they had their way.
The wine producers that have asked permission to plant new vineyards must commit themselves to produce, until 2030, the same type of wine that the permission was granted for. For instance, if you apply for permission to plant grapes in order to make a wine without geographical origin (ie a “vin de france”) in the Bordeaux appellation region, you cannot change your mind and start making appellation wine instead, at least not in the next 15 years. Read more vitisphere.com
