Burgundy’s wine producers are facing a sharply reduced harvest in 2026 after the hottest growing season on record, although early assessments suggest the quality of the wines has not suffered. The extreme conditions brought forward picking to August 8 – the earliest start to a harvest ever recorded in the region.

The region experienced around 60 days with temperatures exceeding 30°C, including several severe heatwaves. Winter rainfall helped vines withstand the drought, but water shortages restricted berry development and reduced juice yields. Frost and hail also caused serious damage, with up to 90% of clusters affected in some plots.

The first grapes were harvested for Crémant de Bourgogne in the Mâconnais, with picking for still wines getting under way after August 15. Harvesting continued into September at some estates. Despite the extreme conditions, grapes arrived at wineries in excellent health, with little disease pressure, although berries were generally small and sugar levels unusually high.

Early assessments from the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) are particularly positive for the reds, which show concentrated fruit, ripe tannins and good acidity. Whites are described as rounded and supple, with ripe fruit flavours balanced by freshness.

Crémant de Bourgogne base wines also show considerable richness and structure, although producers may need to draw on reserve wines from 2024 and 2025 to maintain freshness and balance. With malolactic fermentations still under way, the BIVB cautions that these are preliminary impressions, but says the first tastings suggest a promising vintage despite the reduced crop.