Languedoc wine producers are stepping up measures to tackle smoke taint from wildfires, as increasingly frequent heatwaves and prolonged droughts intensify fire risk.
With temperatures exceeding 40°C and soil surface temperatures reaching as high as 60°C in some parcels, producers across Languedoc’s appellations are adapting vineyard and cellar practices to protect grape quality and manage increasingly challenging ripening conditions.
A key response has been the Viti-Incendie programme, developed in Languedoc to help producers assess and manage smoke-taint risk following wildfires.
Coordinated by the InterSud technical centre and supported by the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc’s (CIVL) R&D department, the initiative combines satellite mapping of fire-affected areas with laboratory testing and micro-fermentation.
The approach is designed to identify contamination that may not be immediately perceptible on grapes but can emerge during or after fermentation.
Satellite maps are updated several times a day using NASA and Copernicus data, while laboratory findings are translated into a 0-4 smoke-taint risk scale and anonymously added to a collaborative risk map.
The resulting local-level data is intended to help producers make decisions on when to harvest, how grapes should be allocated and which vinification approach to use.
The focus on smoke taint comes as producers simultaneously adapt to the wider effects of extreme heat, including berry scorching, rapid sugar accumulation and the resulting risk of high alcohol and falling acidity.
At Mas des Chimères in Octon, within Terrasses du Larzac, trials of dépalissage – lowering or un-trellising foliage to increase shade across vineyard rows – reduced maximum canopy temperatures by up to 3°C and retained 40% more soil moisture than control plots.
Other growers are modifying canopy systems to keep fruit protected from direct sunlight. Benoît Pontenier of Domaine de Saint-Jean-de-Bébian is replacing aggressive shoot trimming with branch weaving over the top wire, helping to preserve malic acid and prevent spikes in potential alcohol.
At Domaine Clavel in Pic Saint-Loup, Antoine Clavel is converting trellised Cordon de Royat vines to gobelet or fan-trained forms, creating a broader leaf canopy to shelter fruit.
Grape varieties and cellar practices are also being adjusted as producers contend with changing maturity patterns.
At Domaine Les Serrals in Faugères, winemaker Chloé Barthet is favouring Carignan over Grenache, citing the variety’s ability to retain structure, tension and freshness under extreme heat, while Cinsault is being celebrated for its drought resilience, lower potential alcohol and ability to bring lightness to red blends.
In the cellar, Victor Beau of Domaine Inebriati in AOP Pic Saint-Loup is opting for short infusions over heavy pump-overs to avoid harsh tannin extraction and excessive alcohol in hot vintages. Whole-bunch fermentation and co-fermentation of red grapes with white varieties such as Bourboulenc or Grenache Blanc are also being used to temper sugar levels and maintain pH balance.
“Adaptation has long been part of viticulture in Languedoc, but the pace of change today requires us to go further and faster,” said Olivier Legrand, managing director of the CIVL.
He said Viti-Incendie demonstrated the value of collaboration between growers, winemakers, researchers and technical experts by providing producers with practical tools to assess and respond to wildfire risk.
The CIVL is also drawing on traditional Mediterranean grape varieties and vineyard practices alongside research and innovation, Legrand added, with the aim of maintaining freshness, balance and regional character as growing conditions become more challenging.
