Champagne prepares for upcoming harvest

By James Bayley

Published: 22 July, 2024

Champagne winegrowers and houses gathered at the Comité Champagne headquarters in Epernay to determine the conditions for this year's harvest.

The yield for 2024 is set at 10,000 kg/ha, lower than the previous year’s 11,400 kg/ha, reflecting market conditions. Champagne aims to regulate its economy to maintain the sector’s balance and prosperity.

Shipments from Champagne in the first half of 2024 totalled 106.7 million bottles, down 15.2% from the same period in 2023. This returns shipments to levels similar to 2019. David Chatillon, president of UMC (representing the Grandes Marques Champagne houses), attributed the decline to a sluggish global economy, inflation and overstocking by distributors in 2021 and 2022. However, he expressed confidence in the value of the Champagne appellation.

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This year has been exceptionally rainy, leading to a wet vineyard and strong but controlled mildew pressure. Spring frosts and hail moderately impacted harvest potential by about 10%. The vines are slightly delayed by five to six days compared to the ten-year average, with the harvest expected around 10 to 12 September. Maxime Toubart, president of the SGV (representing Champagne's winegrowers), noted the weather conditions leading up to the harvest will be crucial.

Global shipments of Champagne have fluctuated in recent years, plunging 18% during the first Covid lockdowns in early 2020, then surging by 33% over the next two years to reach 325 million bottles by the end of 2022. Supply struggled to keep pace, causing fears of a shortage. Shipments dropped to just under 299 million bottles in 2023, down 8.2% from the previous year but slightly above pre-pandemic levels.

Exports now make up over 57% of total output, up from 45% a decade ago. The UK remains Champagne’s second largest export market after the US, with 25.5 million bottles consumed in 2023, a year-on-year decrease of 7.7%, though the value of sales increased slightly due to rising prices.

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