3,2,1, go!
Each year, the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin Champagne (CIVC) publishes an article indicating the official dates for the start of the harvest. It applies to each of the 319 communes of the appellation , taking into account the grape varieties for all communes.
There are no fewer than 33,105 hectares for the Champagne appellation , spread across the departments of Marne, Aube, Aisne, Seine et Marne and Haute-Marne.
In order to set the dates, winegrowers and Houses in each commune take samples from the grapes in August to monitor their alcohol content.
Please note that grapes cannot be harvested before the established date, unless there is an exemption, but they can still be started a little after the date.
This year, the harvest began later, from September 4 to 20, while last year's harvest began on August 18.
2023 Harvest: August the Party Pooper
The situation before veraison (ripening) seems under control.
Powdery mildew, a very threatening fungus in several sectors, is generally well controlled.
The number and especially the size of the bunches announce a generous harvest which can count on healthy and active foliage to bring it to maturity without difficulty...
The picture nevertheless darkens rapidly at the end of July with the arrival of heavy rainfall . This rainy and cool atmosphere which settles until mid-August disrupts the dynamics of ripening and above all weakens the grape clusters.
A few outbreaks of Botrytis, also called grey rot, appear and quickly cause fears of general deterioration.
Fortunately, conditions are gradually drying out!
At the same time, temperatures rise and restart maturation .
Despite this, concerns about the maturity and health of the grapes remain. The exceptional load limits the increase in degrees and the heat wave that hits Champagne at the beginning of September fuels fears of a complicated harvest.
The first cuts of the pruning shears are made in a scorching atmosphere, impacting the condition of the grapes.
- The Chardonnay, which has clearly withstood this series of humidity and heat well, is harvested healthy and ripe.
- The situation is more contrasted for Pinot Noir and Meunier, more impacted by this end of the campaign. Their heterogeneous maturity requires rigorous sorting everywhere.
This harvest is once again unique: the years follow one another but are not alike...
Mixed harvests breaking all records
The grape cluster weight record was broken this year. In fact, they weighed an average of 220g compared to 175g in 2005, the year of the last record!
Such weight allows:
- That all winegrowers achieve the maximum yield imposed by the CIVC,
- Being able to keep only the most beautiful grapes .
Indeed, knowing that they could easily achieve maximum yield, the winegrowers were able to take the time to select the most promising bunches from their entire vineyard. Such sorting allows them to choose only the best of these 2023 harvests.
The grapes harvested in 2023 are expected to have a strong aromatic expression. Physical characteristics such as color, skin and seed texture, as well as the aromas of the grape are more developed than its sugar potential, indicating that the sugar level has not yet reached its maximum, thus promising unique wines to taste.
To enjoy the full harvest, it will be necessary to let it reveal all the richness of its aromas between now and 2026 .
Remember that patience is not the absence of action, but the wisdom to know when the time has come to let what you have sown flourish.
While waiting to enjoy the champagnes of 2023, we invite you to visit our cellars to taste delicious, refreshing and complex champagnes like the Charles VII vintages!
