Wine production in France could fall to a 30-year low — Reuters
Wine production in France in 2026 could drop to one of the lowest levels in the past three decades. This is due to the summer drought and waves of extreme heat, which hit vineyards in the Champagne region particularly hard.
According to a forecast by the French Ministry of Agriculture, the country could produce 33.9 million hectoliters of wine this year. This is 6% less than in 2025 and 17% below the average for 2021–2025. This volume corresponds to approximately 4.5 billion standard bottles.
This marks the third consecutive poor harvest in France following the low yields of 2024 and 2025. Weather conditions in the spring gave winemakers hope for a better season, but drought and several heat waves in the summer damaged the vineyards and reduced yields.
Champagne will be hit the hardest—production there is forecast to be 49% lower than last year and 47% below the average for the past five years.
In Burgundy and Beaujolais, the harvest may shrink by about a third. In the Loire Valley, a 12% decline is expected, and in Charente, a 6% decline.
At the same time, some regions are projected to see a partial recovery following a weak 2025. In particular, production in Languedoc-Roussillon may rise by 5%, though it will still remain below average. In Bordeaux, a 10% increase is expected thanks to rains in late August, which partially mitigated the effects of the drought.
Due to extreme heat, winemakers also began harvesting grapes unusually early this year. In Champagne, the official start of the harvest took place on August 12—the earliest date in the region’s history.
At the same time, France is reducing its vineyard acreage. Over the past year, it has decreased by 2.5% due to a surplus of wine and a prolonged decline in consumption.
The situation is exacerbated by declining demand in both domestic and foreign markets. This has particularly affected champagne sales—due to inflation, consumers have started cutting back on expensive beverages.
France remains the world’s largest wine exporter by value, although it trails Italy in terms of production volume. Amid record-breaking heat and drought, the French government has also announced an emergency aid package for farmers totaling more than 1 billion euros.
Source: Reuters
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