French winegrowers are voicing strong concerns over tighter restrictions on copper-based products, vital for controlling vineyard diseases. Organic producers warn the new rules could force them to abandon sustainable practices amid rising climate-related risks.

Producers say the move by France’s health agency, Anses, which will block 17 copper-containing products from 2027, threatens the tools they rely on to fight downy mildew. While the sector has already halved its copper use over the last 20 years, growers argue that wetter seasons demand more, not less, treatment. Organic representatives warn the restrictions could push some to abandon organic farming entirely.

Groups, including FNAB and France Vin Bio, are calling for regulatory support and plan legal action alongside manufacturers. Anses maintains copper is essential but toxic in excess, highlighting the challenge of balancing environmental safety with practical vineyard needs. The debate could reshape organic wine production across France.

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France’s shift towards organic viticulture has slowed dramatically, with vineyard area entering organic conversion falling 43% in 2024. Growers cite rising costs and challenging weather as key factors, even as consumer demand for organic wine continues to increase.

France remains one of the world’s leading wine producers, with around 750,000 hectares of vineyards and exports worth more than €11 billion annually. Organic wine has expanded rapidly over the past decade, and today about 21% of the country’s vineyard area - roughly 160,000 hectares - is certified organic. However, new conversions have slowed sharply.

In 2024, the area of vineyards beginning organic conversion fell 43% compared with 2023, following a 34% drop the previous year. Overall, land in the conversion process declined by 4%.

Producers point to two main pressures. A run of difficult seasons, including spring frosts between 2021 and 2024, has increased the risks of organic farming. At the same time, organic production typically requires more labour and higher costs.

Despite the slowdown in new conversions, consumer demand for organic wine in France increased by around 7% in 2024.

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Crémant de Bourgogne enjoyed a landmark year in 2025, with exports accounting for more than half of production for the first time. Strong global demand pushed sales up 9%, highlighting the growing appeal of Burgundy’s sparkling wines.

Crémant de Bourgogne producers reported one of their most significant years on record in 2025. The region produced 231,000 hectolitres of sparkling wine, close to the record set in 2023, as vineyard area expanded to nearly 4,000 hectares.

Sparkling wine now represents around 15% of all wine made in Burgundy, up from 13% two years ago, making it the region’s third-largest appellation by volume.

International demand drove much of the growth. Exports rose 14% compared with 2024, meaning 51% of production was sold abroad. The United States, Canada and Scandinavia remain key markets, while the UK rebounded strongly with sales rising 27% in volume.

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Following the Supreme Court’s striking down of Trump’s previous tariff regime, the US president has announced a 15% global tariff. UK wine and spirits exporters may face higher duties, adding fresh uncertainty to trade across the Atlantic.

The new 15% levy, announced on 21 February 2026, could increase the average US tariff on UK exports by 2.1% – the largest rise for any nation.

Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB, told Harpers that while the US remains a promising market, the move could make doing business more expensive, with costs ultimately passed to consumers. “Despite the potential tariff, demand for high-quality English wines continues to grow,” Bates said. “We’re seeing export sales rise 35% year-on-year, and nearly 10% of UK wines now reach international markets. While we await full details, this development highlights both opportunity and challenge for domestic producers eager to expand across the Atlantic.”

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French rosé sales make up 30% of UK retail rosé sales, but are dominated by one brand, La Vielle Ferme, when translated - the old farm - affectionately known as The Chicken Wine due to the two chickens on the label! Their rosé from the Rhone Valley accounts for 35% of all France’s rose sales in UK supermarkets and wine merchants, this is over 7 times larger than the number two French rosé by Kylie Minogue.

La Vielle Ferme sales amounted to a whopping 13.9 million bottles in 2025, while Kylie Minogue sold 1.8m bottles. Both these delicate coloured rosé wines are Vin de France and not produced in the famous Provence region. The third most popular wine sold in the UK retail market is Whispering Angel with 1.4m bottles. It is also the first wine that actually comes from Provence, but the only brand in the top 5 UK rose retail market.

The top 10 is below:

1. La Vieille Ferme rosé: 13.9m bottles
2. Kylie Minogue rosé: 1.8m bottles
3. Whispering Angel rosé: 1.4m bottles
4. La P’tite Pierre rosé: 1.13m bottles
5. Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose rosé: 1.1m bottles
6. Miraval Studio rosé: 578,000 bottles
7. Coeur de Cardeline rosé: 452,100 bottles
8. Mirabeau rosé: 355,000 bottles
9. Mirabeau Pure: 342,000 bottles
10. Minuty M rosé: 314,000 bottles

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With the trend to lighter styles of red wines, a new style of wine is gaining traction, Blouge wine. It is a blend of red and white grapes that promise lighter red almost rose wines, very on trend at the moment, and helps to create balanced wines in the face of climate change.

The style started in Alsace in the 2010’s by co-fermenting red and white wines together as has been done in Northern Rhone and Chianti for centuries. Adding white grapes to red, softens tannins in the red wines, while adding fresh acidity and aromatic lift, creating lighter styles more suitable for casual dinning and drinking.

The lighter pale wines avoid EU rules that ban rosé wine production by blending red and white grapes. But adding red and white grapes together before fermentation finishes is allowed under EU rules. The wines are not considered a rosé but a new style called blouge made by mixing of the French word blanc and rouge. Blending finished white and red wines are still banned in general in the EU, but co fermenting is ok, as long as it is not for rosé production. But because they are not recognised as a style most have to use the most basic Vin d France.

The trend may have started in Alsace but are being made all over France, the USA and Australia. Almost anywhere winemakers want to experiment.

According to Sarah Campbell of IWSR, a market research company, blouge wines are generally lower in alcohol than red wines and more versatile to food pairing compared to rosé. Blouge wines are often targeted at new younger wine drinkers.

Sales are small but showing impressive growth, for example, Boogie Woogie wines made by Aubert & Mathieu from Languedoc, sold 20,000 bottles in 2025, up 40% on 2024 sales according to Anthony Aubert, who claimed “it is an interesting start for a new segment”.

Blouge may also help with climate change. As the climate warms, picking grapes when the tannins are ripe can result in wines with very high alcohols and low acidity. By adding earlier harvested white grapes it lowers the alcohol and boosts the freshness.

Examples:
France, Bordeaux Jacques Lurton and Vignobles André Lurton, ‘J’. (Cab Franc, Sauv Blanc)

Australia, Adelaide Hills, Gentlefolk, Rainbow Juice, (Sangiovese, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc)

USA, California Las Jaras Superbloom (Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Carignan Grenache Noir)

France, Languedoc, Aubert & Mathieu, Boogie Woogie, (Grenache Noir and Grenache Gris)

France, Alsace, Claude Straube, Bobo Blouge No2 (Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir)

France, Lucas Madonia, The Blouge, (Riesling, Sylvaner, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot)

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