Wine production in France is expected to reach 44.0 million hectolitres this year, compared with an initial range of 42.6-45.6 million projected last month, the farm ministry said on Wednesday.

The revised forecast was 16% above last year's output, which was affected by frost, and also 3% higher than the average of the past five years.

Summer drought and heatwaves were expected to curb volumes in some regions and had also led to an early start to grape harvesting, the ministry said in a report.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz, editing by Sybille de La Hamaide)