Harvesting has begun across France unusually early, linked to warming temperatures and early summer heatwaves. Vineyards in Alsace have already started picking grapes for crémants, and Champagne growers are set to begin imminently after several vineyards received special exemptions to start early under AOC rules. Vineyards in Burgundy have also started harvesting, with pickups in August now common and 2003 recording a mid‑August harvest. Agricultural authorities report that over the last 30 years harvests have started almost two weeks earlier on average and can be up to 20 days earlier in extreme years. Historical records from the Hospices de Beaune show average harvests shifted earlier after 1987.
Over the last 30 years, the harvest has started almost two weeks earlier, and in a year like this one, it can be up to 20 days earlier," said Bernard Farges, president of the Comite national des interprofessions des vins.
"It's really early," said Bertrand Doyard of the Champagne growers association, l'Association viticole champenoise a Vindey. "Before, we were more in mid-September, or even early October."
We now harvest in August almost every other year. It's becoming the norm - the record is from 2003, around August 15th." said Laurent Delaunay, president of the Burgundy wine board Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne.
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