The Champagne region in France is having its earliest grape harvest ever. Here’s why
Champagne producers are racing to pick their grapes as the region’s earliest harvest on record gets underway, after extreme heat and drought accelerated ripening, leaving growers a narrow window to preserve the quality of the region’s world-famous sparkling wine. On the hillsides of Hautvillers, teams of grape pickers start work at 6:30 a.m. among rows of vines that were recognized as a UNESCO…
Champagne producers in France have inaugurated what is being hailed as the earliest grape harvest in the region's history, thanks to a combination of extreme heat and prolonged drought. The phenomenon has left growers with a restricted timeframe to ensure the quality of the esteemed sparkling wine. In the vineyards of Hautvillers, teams of grape pickers are starting their work at 6:30 a.m., surrounded by rows of vines recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015.
Alexandre Gobillard, production director at the Gobillard & Fils Champagne house, described the early harvest as historic, noting that his father used to tell him to take a vacation on August 15, but now it's August 18 and the harvest has begun. Gobillard & Fils produces around 1.5 million bottles annually, growing 40 hectares of vines.
The region's official harvest season commenced between August 12 and 17, roughly a month earlier than the norm. A late-March frost followed by four unprecedented heat waves have been instrumental in accelerating ripening. While heat has drawn sugar into the grapes, leading to an earlier harvest, it also raises concerns about a potential drop in production volumes.
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