Chateau Montus suffers 50% hail damage, Bordeaux flooding (France)

Chateau Montus, one of the leading chateaux in the Madiran appellation, was severely struck by hail on Sunday evening – while Bordeaux suffered rainfall two-and-a-half times the average. Hailstones of up to 1.5 centimeters in diameter pelted the communes of Castelnau-Rivière-Basse and Madiran, ‘destroying a large part of vines,’ local newspaper SudOuest reported. At least 50% of vines at the 85ha property were hit, owner and winemaker Alain Brumont said, with some plots losing up to 95% of their early-season shoots and buds, causing around €3m damage, reports Decanter.