(Decanter) - Bordeaux vineyards have been hit by what many fear is the worst frost in a quarter of a century, with farming unions warning that some producers now face crisis and that the 2017 vintage could be affected. With extra reporting by Chris Mercer.

Bordeaux, and especially the Right Bank, has become the latest victim of severe frosts across Western Europe in the past fortnight.

Temperatures of -3 ° C swept the vineyards of Bordeaux overnight on 26 and 27 April, causing considerable damage to vines already well into the growing season thanks to an early spring.

Farming union FDSEA said the frost made for a ‘devastating’ spring for its members, although it cautioned that full assessments were still underway.

Early estimates suggested that thousands of hectares of vines and agricultural crops in general in the area had been damaged, said the union.

While some of the larger estates may have been able to afford advanced frost protection, such as helicopters, sprinklers and heaters, Bordeaux has around 6,000 winemakers and many are small-scale producers.