Burgundy: Chablis winemakers fight frost with candles – 20 minutes
The play of light is captivating. Tens of thousands of braziers between the vines of Chablis. But behind the spectacle, hides a very dark reality for Burgundian winegrowers. The purpose of these fires is to fight against the effects of frost on their vines. Some winegrowers stayed up for two nights in order to keep the fire going in their domain.
A week before, the temperatures were springtime and the buds therefore developed earlier than expected. But temperatures have since reached -5 ° C at night in Chablis and this cold could destroy the buds.
Other winegrowers are trying to find alternative solutions. By watering the vines, for example, they hope to create a film of ice that will protect the budding buds. But all these operations have significant costs and may not be sufficient to save productions.