Cold weather, disease and capacity cuts led to wine production in France's Bordeaux region last year being the lowest in three and a half decades, a local industry organisation said on Friday.

Bordeaux – France's largest wine region – is often described as the most famous wine-producing region, with iconic premium wines from the Medoc, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, as well as higher volumes of cheaper production.

In total, Bordeaux winemakers produced 3.3 million hectolitres of wine last year, 14% less than in 2023 (3.8 million hectolitres).

Unfortunate weather conditions, in particular episodes of frost, have had a negative impact on yields, while high rainfall in spring has favoured the spread of diseases, in particular powdery mildew.

Another important factor has been the government's subsidised reduction in vineyard area to control overproduction: in 2024, only 95 000 hectares of grapes were grown in Bordeaux, compared with 103 000 hectares the previous year.

But winemakers also see advantages. They argue that the scarcity of production will lead to higher prices and that demand will absorb the stocks accumulated during the years of overproduction.

„This will happen in the coming months or years“, said Christophe Chateau, spokesman for the CIVB wine sector association, noting that wine sales have already outstripped production in the past year.

„If you sell more than you produce, not only do you meet demand, but you can also draw on stocks, so prices go up arithmetically,– he explained.

On the other hand, Bordeaux winemakers are worried about possible new tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump. The United States is the Bordeaux region's largest export market – last year, 340 million euros ($355 million) worth of wine was shipped to the US.

„We're not sure yet what this will mean for sales, – said Mr Chateau. – If Trump imposes a 25% tariff on French wines, sales in the US will fall and the trade gap will continue.“

On Thursday, Mr Trump announced a plan for "reciprocal tariffs" that could affect allies and rivals alike, further escalating trade tensions that have been growing since he took office.