Drought, Climate Change, and a "Promising" Vintage, Does That Even Add Up?
When I read the report that France's wine harvest is threatened by drought, even though the 2026 vintage is actually considered promising, I couldn't help but smile a little. That exact tension, big expectations on one side, weather extremes on the other, has been accompanying Champagne almost every year now. I'm no farmer, and certainly no winemaker, but as someone who spends a lot of his free time obsessing over champagne, I find this topic incredibly fascinating. Because whatever happens in the vineyards, I end up tasting it in the glass.
Why Drought Is Even a Topic in Champagne
When you think of drought, you probably think of the south of France or Spain, not the cool, rain-heavy Champagne region. But that's exactly what's changing. From what I've read about the region: Champagne used to be almost a borderline case for winegrowing, too cool, too unpredictable, but blessed with that unique chalk soil combination that gives freshness and minerality. Climate change has noticeably softened that "coolness" in recent years. Warmer springs, earlier flowering, earlier harvests, and yes, longer dry spells in summer as well.
The chalk soils that Champagne is famous for actually store water quite well and release it slowly to the vines. For centuries, that was a blessing. But under extreme, prolonged drought, even that system reaches its limits. I suspect that's the real heart of the problem: not every dry spell is equally dangerous, but once it drags on for weeks, even the best soil structure eventually isn't enough anymore.
A "Promising" Vintage Anyway?
That sounds contradictory at first, but it isn't really. From what I've tasted of older vintages, I've often noticed that the years with the most stressful, driest conditions sometimes produce wonderfully concentrated, intense grapes. Water stress can lead to smaller berries, which in turn means a higher skin to pulp ratio, and that translates into more density of aroma and flavor. 2018 and 2022 are, for me personally, good examples: both years had dry stretches, and both gave us champagnes that I found very ripe, sun kissed, and complex.
The risk, though, is that it can become too much. Too little