Relief for Bordeaux vignerons

Vignerons in Bordeaux are relieved that the region's vineyards appear to have avoided smoke taint damage despite recent wildfires (above) in the region. 

A conference organised by the Union of Oenologists of France at the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ISVV) heard the news was positive. 

"We winegrowers, we are absolutely not worried," said Dominique Guignard, the president of the AOC Graves appellation. 

"In the vineyard there is no there is no concern, we have a vintage that promises to be exceptional,” he was reported as saying by the Vitisphere industry website. 

There were fires in July and August in the South Gironde including Landiras, which borders Graves and Sauternes. 

Guignard said smoke odours were rapidly dissipated by strong winds. 

“Today, from an analytical point of view, we are very confident about the harvest to come,” said  Vincent Renouf, general manager of Excell laboratories, based in Floirac, who said almost 400 analyses had proven negative to smoke taint. 

"To date, and there is no reason for this to change, we have very reassuring data on the potential organoleptic effects of fires on Bordeaux wines," he said.