Edition of August 14, 2026

Left bank or right bank? What Bordeaux wine drinkers need to know

The Gironde Estuary divides Bordeaux’s vineyards into the Left Bank and Right Bank. The Left Bank, west of the estuary, includes Bordeaux and the Medoc, where Cabernet Sauvignon dominates wines grown on well-drained gravel soils.

Source: The Argus Médoc Vineyard and Cellar

2026 Harvest: the Bordeaux vineyard is experiencing unprecedented earliness

The 2026 Bordeaux harvest has begun nearly 15 days early, with the CIVB calling the precocity unprecedented.

Source: Bouger à Bordeaux The VintageVineyard and Cellar

France heatwaves bring early Bordeaux wine harvest in 2026

Heatwaves have accelerated the 2026 grape harvest in Bordeaux, prompting earlier picking than usual. French winemakers are also evaluating potential wildfire smoke effects on grape and wine quality.

Source: connexionfrance.com The Vintage

Wildfires darken the clouds over France's Bordeaux wine industry

Wildfires outside Bordeaux are underscoring climate challenges in France’s largest wine region, where producers are facing severe drought, rising temperatures and falling wine consumption, according to TradingView.

Source: TradingView The Vintage

Wildfires: Bordeaux on fire

Wildfires are affecting Bordeaux, according to Falstaff.

Source: falstaff.com The VintageCritics and Scores

Burgundy Surpasses Bordeaux in Fine Wine Trade

Burgundy overtook Bordeaux as the most traded wine region on Liv-ex for the first time since July 2022, according to wein.plus. A few Blue Chip wines, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Ramonet, Leflaive and d’Auvenay, accounted for about one-third of Burgundy’s July trade.

Source: wein.plus The Fine Wine Market