Protective nets on the vines as a defense against hail are the latest hot topic of conversation in Burgundy. The discussion follows on from the failure of expensive anti-hail cannons to protect some of the region’s prized vineyards, which were hit by hail for the third consecutive year last month.

The most important thing to ascertain is whether nets are indeed allowed. The response of the Burgundy marketing board (BIVB) in Beaune has a certain labyrinthine ring to it, yet is unequivocal: "As their use is not specified in the AOC texts, it is forbidden - in France, for viticulture, if it is not expressly permitted, it is forbidden."

That said, the BIVB are keen to point out that certain studies are underway in Burgundy to ensure that if nets are used, vines can still be tended, the soil plowed and that treatments can be made, without causing issues for any neighboring rows of vines without nets.

Also in question is whether the quality and maturity of grapes is affected. Domaine Rossignol-Trapet in Gevrey-Chambertin is one estate with an experimental plot. The design of its nets encases the bottom half of the vine, leaving the canopy open and without getting in the way of movement between the rows.

This year nets have often sprung-up in several vineyards – there were some in Corton-Charlemagne only a week ago. However, these are rarely as fixed installations for that requires considerate neighbors who won’t inform the "AOC fraud squad." The now you see them, now you don’t approach is gaining more ground, with growers simply netting the vines on a weather-warning basis. The nets only remain for a few days as the vines can’t be summer pruned or treatments made while they are installed.

Hail nets are widely used in the vineyards of Argentina that suffers on average 100 days of potentially-damaging storms per year and in France they are already used to protect fruit trees. Following the increased frequency of hail storms in French wine regions over the past three years, the wine sector has asked FranceAgriMer, the French government agricultural office, to look into nets as a possible solution.

The problem will be obtaining agreement from the INAO (the French appellation body). A representative from the wine section of FranceAgriMer said: "the nets are suspected of changing the terroir, such as the effect of sunshine and wind on the vines, but this has not yet been tested".

The CAVB (Burgundy Winemakers Syndicate) continues to push the INAO for the results of these trials, but assuming the results are positive, we can already guess that the next question to be asked will be: “Who is going to pay?”