Vines in Vouvray have a lucky escape

Rue de la Vallée Chartier

(This news item first appeared on the RSJ website: www.rsj.uk.com)

Mid-afternoon on Saturday 31st May 2008 Vouvray was hit by a violent storm. An incredible 120 mm plus of rain fell in 30 to 40 minutes. Houses and cellars were flooded with some buildings partially washed away. Several of the small, steep roads that run down from the plateau where the vineyards are planted were washed away by the torrents of water. The Rue de la Vallée Chartier was one of the worst affected with a four-foot deep trench gouged out by the water. Elsewhere a small van was flattened by falling trees brought down by water cascading down the hillside (see photo below). The van’s owner, who was just about to get in, had a very lucky escape.

Water cascaded down the slope burying a blue van.

Crushed blue van.

Although the damage in the town was spectacular, the vines were little affected. “Fortunately the rain came straight down and there was no wind,” Catherine Champalou explained, “so shoots weren’t broken. There was a little bit of hail damage. Water flooded into our cellars but we were able to get it pumped out quickly. Amazingly the water was hot!”

Mud and water also got into the cellars at Domaine Huet. “We have 5000-6000 bottles that may be affected,” said Noël Pinguet, “we’ll have to see – they may be OK. The main worry is the need to treat the vines against mildew. Because of the rain we won’t be able to get tractors into the vineyard for at least a week, so we may well have to use a helicopter to spray the vines. Being biodynamic this is a problem for us as there aren’t any suitable biodynamic sprays but the most important thing is to save the vintage.”

Overall fortunately damage to cellars and bottles stocked there appears not to be too serious.

The storm was very local. “There was very little rain in our vineyards at Rochecorbon,” said Catherine Champalou. Across the river in Montlouis there was also little rain on Saturday afternoon – everything was dumped on Vouvray!