Close to a thousand hectares of Bordeaux vineyards were hit by hailstorms on Sunday night, with the northernmost part of the Médoc, close to the Gironde estuary hardest hit.

The damaged Bordeaux vineyards were mainly in the villages of Prignac, Blaignan, Ordonnac and Saint-Yzans. Blaignac was the worst affected with damage to around 680 hectares (1680 acres). Village officials are now requesting assistance from the French government.

Although it was the vineyards that bore the brunt of the storm, emergency services were also called to assist with three flooded winery cellars.

The hail, with stones the size of pinballs, wrecked some vineyards entirely, others only partially. The wood on newly planted vines was damaged so badly that they will be unable to produce a crop even next year.

The storms hit mostly small, family-owned estates that dominate this part of the Médoc, and few of them are insured against storm damage.

Vineyards in Cognac were also badly affected by hail and by gale-force winds.

Parts of Cognac were hit badly in early August last year and an even greater area of Bordeaux was damaged by hailstorms, completely destroying nearly 7000ha (17,300 acres) of the eastern Gironde, mostly in the Entre-deux-Mers district. At that time it was estimated that fewer than 20 percent of growers affected had hail cover.

In March this year demonstrations by growers protested the level of government aid, which amounted to five million euros (US$6.75m), but was estimated at less than 3 percent of the losses incurred.

In May, an auction of top wines from prestigious Bordeaux estates, organized by wine consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, was staged to help their hail-stricken neighbors but raised a disappointing $57,755, less than half the amount hoped for.