The 2018 Champagne harvest is scheduled to begin in August due to record-breaking weather, Harpers reports.
Rainfall of 345mm between November 2017 and January 2018, plus June flowering and consistently good temperatures in July have sparked the early harvest, according to Comite Champagne. It will be just the fifth vintage in the last 15 years to start in August.
Comite Champagne has also revealed that the available yield for 2018 has been set at 10,800 kg per hectare – the same as last year. In a statement, the body said that: “This volume satisfies the needs of the Champagne producers while maintaining a globally balanced stock level.”
It added: “This harvest is expected to be generous in volume and, to date, of good quality. It should provide the means to restock levels of reserve wines, widely used in the last two years.”
