2026 Harvest: A Champagne Harvest Marked by Warm Weather

Every year, the Champagne harvest is a particularly important moment in the life of the Champagne vineyards. It marks both the culmination of a year’s work in the vines and the beginning of a new stage: the one that will eventually give birth to future Champagnes. In the Champagne region, the harvest date is determined according to the ripeness of the grapes and the balance between their sugar content and acidity. Careful monitoring of grape maturity makes it possible to adapt the harvest schedule to each village and grape variety.

The Champagne harvest also has an essential characteristic: grapes are harvested exclusively by hand. The bunches must be picked whole and transported quickly to the press in order to preserve their quality as much as possible. Harvest time is therefore a true team effort, with every step carefully organised, from the vineyard to the pressing.

The 2026 Harvest at Champagne Gaspard-Crépaux

At Champagne Gaspard-Crépaux, the 2026 harvest was particularly eventful. Originally scheduled to begin between August 20 and 25, we ultimately started harvesting as early as August 17, as the grapes were reaching maturity much faster than expected.

This year, high temperatures had a noticeable impact on our vineyards in the Côte des Blancs. Our Chardonnay grapes, mainly from Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs plots, were less juicy but much more concentrated in sugar. These conditions required us to be highly adaptable in order to harvest our grapes at the right moment and preserve their full potential for our future Blanc de Blancs Champagnes.

A Great Team for a Successful Harvest

To cope with this unexpectedly early start, the whole team came together to ensure that the grapes could be harvested and pressed as quickly as possible.

But the Champagne harvest is not only an intense period of work. It is also a time for sharing, reconnecting and enjoying a great atmosphere. In the vineyards of Cramant and the Côte des Blancs, the days are filled with conversations, smiles, well-deserved breaks and the satisfaction of finally seeing the fruits of a year’s work being harvested.

A huge thank you to our entire team for their energy, efficiency and good humour throughout the 2026 harvest. We are already looking forward to seeing you again for the 2027 harvest and sharing once again this very special moment in the life of Champagne Gaspard-Crépaux!