were affected and there was also widespread damage in Margaux - their loss of crop could amount to anything from 20-60 per cent, depending on the intensity and size of the hailstones and the area of the storm itself (within 5m of a hailstorm's edge, there is no trace of damage - it literally cuts a swathe through a vineyard).

The only known preventative measure against hail is to fire rockets into the storm clouds to try and disperse them - and this is just what these famous Bordeaux appellations did. It may have mitigated the damage slightly but, as with using helicopters to combat frost, it is a very expensive solution with absolutely no guarantee of success.

But it just goes to show how much money is at stake here. Chateau Latour's harvest is worth £40-50 million in an average year, so the odd rocket is probably covered by the petty cash!