Champagne Harvest Begins

Haarvesting in France's Champagne region started Aug. 20 and will begin in the vast majority of villages within the next week, Comité Champagne said. The start dates vary by each village and grape varietal, ensuring that every plot is picked at the optimal ripeness.

Champagne growers and houses decided to set an available yield of 12,000 kilos per hectare for the 2022 harvest. This is the highest level in 15 years, thanks to minimal losses from spring frosts and hailstorms and the excellent health of the Champagne vineyard as a whole. As is the case each year, all the grapes are handpicked — part of the appellation’s strict regulations and one of the key steps to producing the unique, high-quality sparkling wine that only comes from Champagne, France.

“Following the remarkable rebound of Champagne shipments in 2021, including record shipments to the United States, Champagne is expecting an excellent yield in 2022,” said Jennifer Hall, director of the Champagne Bureau, USA. “We look forward to the results of this year’s harvest.”

Champagne shipped more than 34 million bottles to the U.S. in 2021, a 63.9% increase year-over-year. In 2022, the Comité Champagne expects another strong year for global shipments. Champagne shipments in the first half of 2022 were close to 130 million bottles globally, an increase of 13.8% compared to the same period in 2021.