The 2012 wine crop looks set to be one of the lowest on record, with France's agriculture minister stating the country was anticipating its smallest harvest since 1991. And while that looks set to add an extra £1 to your £5 bottle of wine at the supermarket, according to wine retailer Majestic, it's not necessarily bad news for investors at the top of the market.

It’s been a tough year for French winemakers, including this vineyard in Chablis, Burgundy

"Bad growing conditions do not make for bad wine," says Burgundy grower Mark Haisma in an email to customers, as reported on Jancis Robinson's website.

Haisma states that"cold, rain, major heat spikes, [and] high disease pressure in the vineyards" has seen 2012 turn out to be "a troubled vintage".

Adam Russell, a sales manager at UK wine broker Domaine Direct, agrees that prices will be pushed high for 2012 vintages, but remains unsure on the quality.

"The 2012 Burgundy vintage is disastrously low," he told Bloomberg.

"That's bound to put pressure on prices. Demand for the top-name wines is going to outstrip supply. As for their quality, it's too early to tell."

Should the wine prove sufficiently palatable, both Bordeaux and Burgundy are being touted as strong potential investment material, due to the particularly sharp drop in France's harvest figures.

Numbers from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine indicate that France's harvest will drop by 19% this year on 2011, compared with just 3.4% in Italy.

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