French winegrowers begin record-early harvest as heat and drought bite
EuropeClimateModerate confidence — 74/100
Drought and heatwaves have pushed French winegrowers to start picking grapes weeks ahead of schedule, with this year seeing some of the earliest harvests on record – a sign of how climate change is reshaping the wine calendar across the country.
Issued on: 20/08/2026 - 06:41 3 min Reading time “It’s very intense,” says François, who is picking Muscadet grapes at the Huchet wine estate in the Loire-Atlantique department.
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Drought and heatwaves have pushed French winegrowers to start picking grapes weeks ahead of schedule, with this year seeing some of the earliest harvests on record – a sign of how climate change is reshaping the wine calendar across the country.
Issued on: 20/08/2026 - 06:41 3 min Reading time “It’s very intense,” says François, who is picking Muscadet grapes at the Huchet wine estate in the Loire-Atlantique department.