Champagne growers race against time as heatwaves force earliest harvest ever

Champagne producers are in a race against time as the famed wine region’s earliest harvest on record begins. Extreme heat and drought have accelerated ripening, leaving growers a narrow window to preserve the quality of the famous drop. Across the hillsides of Hautvillers, whose vineyards were recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2015, picking crews start work at 6.30am.

For Alexandre Gobillard, production director at Gobillard & Fils, beginning the harvest in mid-August was once nearly unthinkable. We’ve never seen anything like it." Aged 50, Mr Gobillard is the fourth generation of his family to work the vineyards. Gobillard & Fils manages 40 hectares (around 100 acres) of vines, producing about 1.5 million bottles a year.

Champagne’s official harvest opened between 12-17 August this year, depending on the area and grape variety. That is roughly a month earlier than what was once common in the region. A late-March frost hit vines after mild temperatures triggered early budburst, reducing the potential crop.

It was followed by four heat waves, which never happened before, Mr Gobillard said. Sun-scorched grapes turned partially brown, something Mr Gobillard said he had rarely seen. He explained that losing roughly 10 per cent of the grapes would mean a loss in volume rather than affect the quality of the wine.

Earlier harvests have become increasingly common in Champagne and other French wine regions as temperatures rise. In neighboring Italy, extreme heat has also prompted sparkling-wine producers to harvest sooner and pick grapes at night. David Chatillon, president of the Union of Champagne Houses, acknowledged weather conditions this year will lead to a clear decrease in yields.

Mr Gobillard has seen the shift unfold across generations of his family. In June, temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Champagne. That’s why it happened so much faster.” As his daughter operated the wine press, Mr Gobillard watched the year's first juice flow with a mix of excitement and anxiety.