Wildfires across France and Spain have caused significant vineyard damage this summer, with growers in Provence and Sierra de Gredos facing losses from both flames and smoke exposure.

In Provence, fires in the Var burned thousands of hectares around Pontevès and Correns. Some growers lost substantial areas of vineyard, while others are awaiting laboratory results to establish whether surviving grapes have been affected by smoke. Vineyards exposed to fire retardant have in some cases been ruled unsuitable for winemaking, and some producers plan to vinify smoke-exposed parcels separately.

The damage is more severe in Spain’s Sierra de Gredos. DOP Cebreros estimates that around 200ha – roughly 40% of its registered vineyard area – has been affected by fire or smoke. Some old and historic Garnacha and Albillo Real vineyards have been badly damaged, with individual producers reporting heavy crop losses. Around three-quarters of the appellation’s registered Albillo Real plantings are understood to lie within the affected zone.

Smoke remains a major concern. Producers are experimenting with measures such as reducing skin contact, but the full effect may not become apparent until fermentation. No definitive appellation-wide smoke-taint results have yet been published.

Bordeaux, by contrast, appears to have escaped serious vineyard damage. Smoke drifted across parts of the region, including the Left Bank, but there have been no reports of widespread vineyards burning and no confirmed evidence so far of significant smoke taint in the 2026 crop.