French champagne producers begin earliest harvest on record Aug. 12

August 17, 2026 at 05:28 PM2 min

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Champagne producers began the earliest grape harvest on record on August 12, 2026, in France's Champagne region. The early start follows record heat and drought across Europe that accelerated ripening and raised grape sugar content. A spring frost had already wiped out about 30% of the champagne grape crop.

Key Facts

The CIVC, the champagne industry's governing body, set the official 2026 harvest start at August 12, more than a week earlier than last year's August 20.
A spring frost wiped out about 30% of the champagne grape crop.
Wine producers in Spain and other European countries have also begun grape harvests much earlier than usual this year due to scorching temperatures.
Denis Velut, 67, recalled that harvests when he was a child took place after school resumed, in late September and mostly October.
Benoit Velut, owner of Champagne Jean Velut in Montgueux, produces about 28,000 bottles annually.

The Early Harvest

The Champagne Committee (CIVC) set the official start date to August 12, 2026, the earliest since records began in the early 20th century. On August 14, workers at Champagne Jean Velut in Montgueux picked chardonnay for the second consecutive day. Benoit Velut, 39, who owns Champagne Jean Velut, said there is 'no August vacation for winemakers' while about two dozen seasonal workers moved along the vine rows. His father Denis Velut, 67, said harvests in his childhood took place after school resumed, in late September and mostly October. Denis Velut recalled that in the late 1990s he would not have believed harvesting before August 15 was possible.

Heat and Frost

Record heat and drought across swathes of Europe this summer accelerated ripening and produced grapes with higher sugar content. Higher sugar content makes it harder to preserve champagne's flavour and acidity. A spring frost already wiped out about 30% of the champagne grape crop. Wine producers in Spain and other European countries have also begun grape harvests much earlier than usual this year due to scorching temperatures. Some producers in other European countries fear heavy losses from the impact of heat and drought.