Hailstorms ripped through swathes of Champagne vineyards last week and threatened potentially 10% of this year's crop, reports Decanter.com. Provisional figures provided by the Champagne trade body (CIVC) originally estimated that 1,800 hectares of vines were damaged. The figure has now risen to around 2,400 hectares.

Early indications show nearly 8% of Champagne vineyard area was damaged, in some cases severely, with losses amounting to potentially 7.2 million kilos of grapes.

"So far, we are not worried about the 2006 harvest," Daniel Lanson of the CIVC told the news agency AFP. "But we are worried that this could continue. It's the start of summer and it's a risky time."

For the complete story, go to http://www.decanter.com