Heat waves in Europe complicate champagne grape harvests
- Champagne producers in France are harvesting earlier than ever after extreme heat and drought sped up grape ripening.
- This year's official Champagne harvest opened between Aug. 12 and 17, about a month earlier than was once typical.
- A late-March frost and four heat waves reduced expected yields, with industry leaders saying weather conditions will sharply cut production.
- Growers said the heat compressed the ripening period and raised sugar levels in the grapes, requiring careful timing to protect champagne quality.
- Earlier harvests are also creating logistical pressures for a region that traditionally picks grapes by hand.
Champagne producers in France are rushing to pick grapes after extreme heat and drought pushed the harvest to the earliest start ever recorded in the region. In Hautvillers, workers began before dawn as growers tried to protect the quality of the grapes used for the sparkling wine.
The official harvest opened between Aug. 12 and 17 depending on the area and grape variety, roughly a month earlier than was once normal. Producers said a late-March frost, followed by four heat waves, reduced the crop and accelerated ripening, with some grapes showing sun damage.
Industry leaders said the weather will clearly cut yields, although they argued that the loss is mainly in volume rather than quality. The Champagne industry has been investing for years in research and innovation to adapt to climate change, including more disease-resistant and later-ripening grape varieties.
The early harvest is also straining traditional picking methods in a region that still relies heavily on hand-picking. Growers must recruit and house large crews at a time when many workers are away for summer vacations, and some producers said the conditions are forcing them to rethink long-standing practices.
欧洲热浪使香槟葡萄采收变得更加困难
法国香槟产区的生产商正在加紧采收，因为极端高温和干旱把今年的采收时间提前到了该地区有记录以来最早。Hautvillers 的葡萄园里，工人天未亮就开始作业，种植者试图保住用于酿造这款起泡酒的葡萄品质。
今年官方采收季根据不同产区和葡萄品种在8月12日至17日之间开启，大约比过去常见的时间早了一个月。生产商说，3月底的霜冻之后又出现四轮热浪，既减少了产量，也加快了成熟过程，部分葡萄还出现了日灼痕迹。
行业人士表示，天气将明显压低产量，但损失主要体现在数量而不是品质。香槟行业多年来一直在通过研究和创新应对气候变化，包括培育更抗病、成熟更晚的葡萄品种。
更早的采收也给这个仍高度依赖手工采摘的产区带来了压力。种植者需要在许多工人仍在度假时组织和安置大批采摘队伍，一些生产商表示，这种变化正在迫使他们重新考虑一些长期沿用的做法。