{
  "id": 6925872,
  "title": "Record heatwaves in France set to make champagne stronger",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/record-heatwaves-in-france-set-to-make-champagne-stronger-6925872",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T13:00:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC World",
    "slug": "bbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgydvrlep1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "French champagne producers have been given the green light to increase alcohol content in bottles due to record-breaking heatwaves. The Comite Champagne association announced that winemakers can temporarily produce champagne with an alcohol content of up to 15%, surpassing the usual 13% cap. This is because the extreme heat and drought led to grapes with exceptionally high sugar levels. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol during fermentation. The early harvest, the earliest ever recorded in Champagne, coincided with the region's warmest summer on record. The Comite Champagne spokeswoman said the decision only affects a small number of wines, as the temporary limit is only for the current year. The harsh weather conditions, including severe frosts, record-breaking flowering, and multiple heatwaves, have made the 2026 growing season particularly unusual. Wine columnist Jane Anson noted that higher-strength champagne is unlikely to be an attractive selling point, as consumers generally prefer lower-alcohol beverages. Maxime Toubart, co-chair of the Comite Champagne, believes this unusual harvest could become the norm within the next 10 to 15 years due to the predicted increase in hotter weather caused by climate change.",
  "summary": "Winemakers can produce bubbly up to 15% ABV following an unusual harvest that produced sweeter grapes.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Science",
        "title": "Record heatwaves in France set to make champagne stronger",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/record-heatwaves-in-france-set-to-make-champagne-stronger",
        "published": "2026-09-12T13:00:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}