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In Champagne, the grape harvest can begin this year as early as never before in the last 200 years. This is reported by the industry magazine The Drinks Business. The official start of harvesting is scheduled for August 15; in the particularly warm vineyards of the municipality of Montgueux, even August 10 is possible.
The prerequisite for the mentioned dates is that the weather remains sunny and the temperatures stay high. If this occurs, the start of harvesting in 2026 would be even earlier than in the previous record year 2020, when the harvest started on August 17. Before that, 2003 was the year with the earliest start of harvesting on August 18, followed by 2011 (August 19) as well as 2025, 2018, and 2007 (each August 20).
The vines in Champagne had already budded in March this year because the spring was particularly mild. However, several frost nights in April destroyed an average of 40 percent of the buds. This was followed by the hottest June in the region since weather records began. If July becomes cooler, the start of the grape harvest could be postponed until August 28.
(cs – Image: 123RF)
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Champagne fears a one-third harvest loss due to frost