Champagne for a warmer world: How two family businesses defy climate and crisis
Champagne lives on its reputation as a luxury product. It is produced in many places in family businesses that have to cope with heatwaves, staff shortages and changing consumer habits. Two farms near Épernay show how the business is changing.
The champagne industry is facing challenges due to heatwaves, labor shortages, and changing consumer habits. In the Marne-Tal region, two family-run champagne farms, Henry-Bourdelat and Ridoux-Cousin, are adapting to these changes. The 2026 harvest was affected by five heatwaves and a historical drought, resulting in a 49% lower yield than the previous year and higher sugar content in the grapes.
As a result, the French authorities have temporarily raised the permissible alcohol limit for champagne to 15%. The industry is also facing declining domestic sales, with a 40% decrease in champagne sales in France since 2010.
Written by urgent.news from NZZ Wirtschaft's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
