Producers in Champagne are reporting poor weather, including spring frosts and rain and a lack of sunshine during flowering, have impacted this year’s harvest. Giles Fallowfield investigates. The Champagne harvest has continued apace with sunny weather expected in most of the vineyards until at least early this week (Monday 23 Sept). A maximum permitted yield for the 2024 was set in mid-July at a general level of 10,000kgs/ha, which was down from 11,400kgs/ha in 2023. But with picking underway in nearly all parts of the appellation, it is clear that some areas won’t reach anywhere near that level. Speaking to Charles Philipponnat earlier this month at the London launch of Clos Des Goisses 2015, he said their estate mostly close to Mareuil “won’t have a very good harvest, in terms of volume, with yields mainly around the 7,000kgs/ha level” But Philipponnat added that even this level compares favourably with sister company in the BCC group, Alexandre Bonnet in the Côte des Bar region, and Champagne’s largest single cru Les Riceys, where he said “yields may be as low as 2,000kgs/ha”. The vineyards have suffered from spring frosts, hail, diseases —particularly mildew — while the poor weather at flowering elongated that process which has resulted in uneven ripeness levels. The growing season thus year has been dogged by high rainfall and lack of sunshine. Maxime Toubart, president of the main growers’ union the SGV, said “2024 was exceptionally wet, which complicated the work in the vineyard”, when announcing the proposed harvest yield levels in
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Fine Wine
