Last weekend we braced ourselves for a blast of super-hot weather, swept up from Africa. Whilst many parts of Europe were experiencing record temperatures for the month of June, Galicia escaped almost completely unscathed with temperatures only reaching the mid-20’s C. In some parts of the South of France however, the thermometer hit an incredible 45.9°C (114.6°F), not only posing a threat to human life, but also quite devastating for farmers, including the local grape/wine producers.

When tasting wine we sometimes refer to it having a ‘cooked’ or overripe flavour, which can often originate from exposure to excessive sunshine. It is irreversible – once the fruit is burnt, it’s burnt, and if these grapes are used in making a wine, they can and will produce a marked flavour (which is usually quite unpleasant). For example, cooked or burnt Syrah grapes will produce a smoky, black, rubbery taste.

So whilst grapes require heat and sunshine to reach the correct maturity, these periods of excessive temperature will only serve to damage the vineyards.