Historic lows expected for French wine harvest after record summer heatwaves
Summary
France expects a very low wine harvest in 2026 due to record summer heatwaves and less land used for vineyards. The total harvest is estimated to be 14% below the average of recent years and slightly lower than last year's already low yield.Key Facts
- France’s 2026 wine harvest is forecasted to be about 35 million hectolitres.
- This amount is 14% less than the average harvest from 2021 to 2025 and 2% less than the 2025 harvest.
- Last year’s production was the lowest since 1957.
- The area used for growing grapes shrank by 1.9% in the past year.
- Some southern regions like Bordeaux saw production increase by 10% despite smaller vineyard areas.
- The Champagne region had to harvest earlier due to heat, with production falling by half compared to last year and the recent average.
- Burgundy and Beaujolais regions expect about 30% less production than the five-year average.
- Vineyard managers adjusted by leaving more leaves on grapevines and benefited from some May rainfall, helping vines in southern areas stay healthier.
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