In Champagne, they are expecting a vintage to remember
The harvest took place an average of 14 days earlier than usual; although yields were low, the quality of the grapes was so exceptional that it was reminiscent of historic vintages such as 1921, 1947 and 1959
Key points
Bad weather? Not really. There’s a lot of talk in the agricultural sector about climate change, which is affecting – often negatively – many sectors, from commodities to high-quality produce. But there are also exceptions – namely, those products which, thanks to production expertise and appropriate measures in the field and during processing, manage to deliver top-quality produce even in difficult and challenging years such as 2026, to the extent that some people are reminded – indeed – the legendary vintages of the last century.
Grapes in excellent condition with promising balance
This is what they are expecting in Champagne where, despite the earliest harvest on record, they have just painted a very encouraging picture of the 2026 vintage. “Despite the exceptional weather conditions and modest yields,” commented the Comité Champagne, “the grapes are in excellent health and show a very promising balance. All the elements are in place to produce wines of the very highest quality.”
Spring frosts and summer heatwaves
The 2026 wine-growing season will remain atypical in Champagne, characterised by severe spring frosts, a very early flowering period and five heatwaves over the course of the summer.
The earliest grape harvest ever
The wine industry maintained the traditional official start of the grape harvest on 12 August, although in reality, in several areas, the first harvesting operations had already begun on 6 August. From 17 August onwards, the harvest then spread across the entire region, an average of almost 14 days earlier than in 2025. In fact, the 2026 harvest for the famous French sparkling wines was the earliest on record.
“The average yield,” the Comité adds, “is expected to be moderate, mainly due to smaller bunches as a result of the drought. Beyond the volumes, the most significant aspect emerging from this harvest is the quality of the raw material: the grapes have reached maturity in an exceptional state of health.
