France’s vine nurseries had their annual congress recently and announced that in 2022 they grafted and sold a total of 235 million vines, which is 15 million more than in 2021. (A quick calculation: say around 6,000 plants per hectare. Then the number of plants corresponds to what is needed for around 40,000 ha.)
The ten most requested grape varieties accounted for 68% of sales. These are the grapes, in order of purchase:
- Ugni blanc
- Chardonnay
- Merlot
- Cabernet sauvignon
- Syrah
- Grenache
- Pinot noir
- Sauvignon blanc
- Cabernet franc
- Cinsault
That ugni blanc is in the top position is not surprising. Today, this grape is used almost exclusively in Cognac, and Cognac is right now the leading “wine region” for new plantings. A little more surprising, but a pleasant surprise, is that cinsault is on the list. Cinsault is grown throughout the south of France and produces elegant, light wines, often with relatively low alcohol content.
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