A Survey Finds 73% of Southern Rhône Growers Have Adopted Climate Measures

Most winegrowers who answered a recent survey in France’s southern Rhône Valley said they are already changing how they farm in response to climate pressure, with 72 of 98 respondents, or 73%, reporting that they had put in place at least one adaptation measure. The results, published by Institut Rhodanien after a questionnaire open from July 2025 to February 2026, offer a snapshot of how one of France’s major wine regions is adjusting to hotter conditions, drought risk and more frequent weather extremes.

The survey found that 27% of respondents said they had not adopted any climate-related measure. Among the 72 growers who said they had acted, the most common steps involved changing vineyard timing and plant material. Late pruning was cited by 70%, adaptation of grape variety or rootstock by 64%, and harvesting at night or early in the morning by 63%. Another 54% said they had moved harvest earlier.

Ground and water management also featured heavily in the responses. Permanent cover crops were used by 63% of growers who said they had adopted measures, while 50% reported green manure and 50% said they irrigated at least one parcel. Half also reported using a drooping canopy management system, known in French viticulture as port retombant. A further 32% said they were applying larger amounts of organic matter to the soil.

The figures point to a broad shift in vineyard calendars and techniques in a region where producers are trying to protect grapes from heat, water stress and storms while preserving yields and wine style. Night or early morning harvesting can help avoid bringing overly warm fruit into the winery. Late pruning can delay vine development. Changes in grape varieties and rootstocks can improve tolerance to drought or heat. Irrigation, where available and permitted, can reduce stress in the most exposed plots.

Some of the other responses showed narrower but still notable use of secondary tools. Hail protection was reported by 21% of growers using adaptation measures, mostly through anti-hail cannons, according to Institut Rhodanien. Mulching was used by 15%. Agroforestry and goblet-trained vines were each cited by 20%, while 24% reported the use of biostimulants or anti-transpirants. Clay sprays such as kaolin or talc, which can act as a protective screen on the vine, were used by 10%. Regenerative hydrology, or “keyline” systems designed to retain more rainwater on a plot, was reported by 7%, the same share that cited biofuels and robotics. Biochar use was reported by 1%.

The survey also showed that climate adaptation is not limited to field practices and is affecting farm-level financial and investment decisions. Among the 72 growers who said they had taken action, 39% reported using insurance and another 39% said they were diversifying production. Solar panels were cited by 28%. A smaller group, 14%, said they had relocated parcels or productive activity, while 11% reported eco-design measures for buildings.

Institut Rhodanien said protective nets for hail, frost or shade were largely absent from regional practices. The institute also highlighted several other ideas mentioned in open responses, including grazing, full grass cover, changes in tillage to improve soil water retention, raising the supporting wire to move leaves and bunches farther from heat radiating from the ground, and lower planting density. Some growers also pointed to “forgotten” grapes and other regional varieties as possible tools for adaptation and diversification.

The survey carries important limits. It was voluntary and covered 98 responses, so it does not necessarily represent all producers in the southern Rhône Valley. The published results do not include the size of the investments made, cost per hectare, effects on yields, or economic returns from the measures adopted. That means the data show how widely practices are being used among respondents, but not how much they cost or which strategies are delivering the best financial results.

Even with those limits, the survey gives a detailed view of how adaptation is moving from discussion to routine decision-making in vineyards. The answers show producers changing pruning dates, harvest schedules, grape material, irrigation practices and risk management tools at the same time. Institut Rhodanien said parallel work is under way on cellar practices at cooperative and private wineries in the region, and partners are carrying out face-to-face interviews and field experiments through 2027 to study how several adaptation tools can be combined in vineyard and winemaking operations.