The Charente Scene

What a turn up for the books, snow in the Champagnes! Indeed not only snow but the Charente is currently going through the worse spell of cold and icy weather for twenty seven years.

Temperatures around Cognac have been averaging between -3 to -13 degrees making roads all but impassable – worse, there appears to be no obvious future let up in this unusually cold period.

It has been reported that the snow is the first to fall in the region for ten years. The region is known for its moderate but not extreme climate and the weather has come as something of a shock to many. One viticulturist however claimed that the cold spell will kill of many of the bugs and diseases making for better growing conditions in the summer. Let’s hope he is right, with the continually increasing demand on young cognac, we will need all we can get!