PARIS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- From Languedoc in southern France to Burgundy in the center and Champagne in the northeast, France's wine-producing regions have entered an unusually early grape harvest season this summer, as prolonged heat and drought continue to take a toll on the sector. Harvesting has started one to two weeks earlier than last year.
Wine industry insiders said the combination of a mild winter and warmer-than-usual spring advanced the grape-growing cycle, while repeated heatwaves since late May further accelerated ripening. Higher temperatures speed up sugar accumulation in grapes while reducing acidity, prompting growers to harvest earlier to limit alcohol levels and maintain a balance in taste.
Jean-Marie Fabre, president of Independent Winegrowers of France, told French daily Le Monde that drought was already affecting grape size. "When the vine lacks water, it draws it from the grapes, which reduces the size of the berries," he said.
According to France's weather service Meteo-France, July 2026 recorded as France's hottest month on record, surpassing previous temperature benchmarks since records began in 1900. Soil drought began to set in across the country in June, when rainfall was only half the average expected level. In July, the rainfall deficit widened further, with rainfall nearly 70 percent below the average expected level.
Jerome Bauer, president of the National Confederation of producers of Appellations of Controlled Origin wines and spirits, said the annual wine production is not expected to exceed 40 million hectoliters this year. Wine production has remained below this threshold for the past two years, with 2025 production estimated at 34.4 million hectoliters, down from 36.2 million hectoliters in 2024, according to data from the agricultural statistics service of the French Agriculture Ministry.
According to French consulting firm Altares, corporate failures in the sector rose 32 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 and 16 percent in the second quarter. A total of 164 operations had been affected since the beginning of the year, out of around 43,000 in France's wine sector.
The pressure on vineyards is part of a broader impact of extreme weather on French agriculture and the economy. At a crisis meeting devoted to drought on Aug. 12, French Minister for Ecological Transition Monique Barbut said this summer's heatwaves could cost the French economy between 10 billion and 15 billion euros (11.6 billion to 17.5 billion U.S. dollars).
To help farmers cope with losses, major French retailers Carrefour and Cooperative U announced on Aug. 14 that they would ease purchasing requirements for fruit and vegetables, accelerate payments to farmers and raise purchase prices for producers.
