Paul Bonin arrived at his vineyard in Gevingey to perform the first cut on his vines, only to be taken aback by the sight of his grapes completely gone.
The 48-year-old winemaker first thought that birds had feasted on his grapes overnight, but soon realized he had been a victim of theft.
‘Friends showed me clusters of grapes that lay on the ground, cleanly snipped with pruning shears,’ Bonin shared with France 3.
Prior to the theft, Bonin had managed to harvest just 10kg of grapes, while the thieves had stolen a staggering 800kg, leaving nothing behind.
‘That means another year without any earnings,’ he exclaimed. ‘I managed to produce only 200 liters of juice. It’s a significant setback.’
Bonin isn’t the only winemaker facing the threat of theft in Jura, a region nestled between Burgundy and the Swiss border in eastern France.
Last year, Catherine Hannoun, from Domaine de la Loue winery in Port-Lesney, shared with Decanter that thieves took away about 2,500 kg of grapes from her vineyard.
She was among three winemakers who fell victim, as reported by French news channel TF1. Another affected winemaker, Laura Bourdy from Domaine Bourdy in Arlay, mentioned that the swift and seemingly skilled manner in which the thieves harvested the grapes indicated they were well-organized and experienced.
The local authorities looked into the thefts, yet they were unable to apprehend those responsible.
Louis Cauzo, the mayor of Gevingey, expressed his outrage over the theft at Bonin’s vineyard, which spans approximately 0.85 hectares.
‘I am truly appalled. He is a young winemaker who has recently established himself and has poured a significant amount into his work. This was his first genuine small harvest. This year is especially tragic, as there are no grapes to harvest,’ he stated.
This year has already proven to be tough for grape growers in the area, with heavy rain, hailstorms, and mildew causing significant damage to vineyards throughout Jura.
Historically, the region produces an average of 80,000 hectolitres annually. However, this year it is projected to decline to approximately 35,000 hectolitres, a downturn attributed to the climate crisis.
During the harvest period, law enforcement increases their vigilance in Jura and other wine-producing areas, as thieves target both the grapes and farming equipment. Unfortunately, they were unable to avert the recent theft.
In response, Bonin is considering the implementation of GPS micro-trackers on grape clusters to help apprehend the criminals.
‘I discovered a company that offers GPS micro-trackers the size of confetti,’ Bonin explained. ‘By embedding them into a handful of bunches in the vineyard, we can monitor the grapes’ movements and identify who ends up with them. It’s time to shift the pressure onto the thieves.’