Champagne on course for earliest harvest start date ever

Champagne could be harvesting at its earliest date ever in 2026, with picking potentially starting on 10 August in some locations like the renowned Montgueux vineyard. Following spring frosts and recent heatwaves, major houses including Louis Roederer have confirmed an official start date of 15 August, which would beat the previous record from 2020 when harvesting began on 17 August. Despite the dry, hot conditions, growers report healthy grapes with no water stress thanks to the region's distinctive chalk soils.