Bumper harvest promises fine champagne

Grape vines in the Champagne region are sagging this year with an abundance of fruit. But this will not mean increased supply – or cheaper bottles of bubbly for consumers.

It may, however, mean a very good vintage.

In Champagne – where the wine was served to kings for centuries to celebrate coronations – large harvests tend to produce great wines, said Daniel Lorson, spokesman for the Committee of Champagne Wines.

This harvest has the potential to be the Champagne region’s largest since it first started recording yields about 100 years ago, said Lorson.

“We are hoping this will be a very good vintage,” he said. “All the signs are in place, but it is still too early to tell. We are still at the stage of hopes and expectations. That said, we are very optimistic.”

From Bordeaux to Burgundy and beyond, France’s wine regions are welcoming a return to normal after last year’s harsh frosts and devastating heatwave. The result of that bad weather was often smaller, more sugary grapes which presented problems for some vintners.

The harvest started this week in Champagne country, 90 miles north-east of Paris. Even though vines are heavy with fruit, not all will be harvested.

The amount of grapes gathered is strictly regulated by the INAO, an organisation that sets yearly limits for each wine region. The measures are designed to ensure quality.