Champagne producers are set to draw on reserve wines after spring frosts and intense summer heatwaves sharply reduced this year’s grape harvest in France.

Wine production in the Champagne region is expected to fall by around half compared with last year, according to France’s agriculture ministry, following a season of extreme weather that hit vineyards across the country.

However, producers will be able to soften the impact of the smaller crop by using wines held back from stronger previous harvests, helping maintain production and consistency across non-vintage Champagne.

Most Champagne is produced by blending wines from multiple years, allowing houses to use their reserves when individual harvests are weaker.

Reuters reported that some producers could still choose to protect their reserve stocks and bottle less wine rather than fully compensate for this year’s shortfall.

The reduced harvest follows spring frost and a succession of summer heatwaves, which accelerated grape ripening and pushed picking in parts of Champagne to some of the earliest dates on record.

The harvest developed so quickly that some growers had to cut short their summer holidays, while grape pickers were called back earlier than expected, according to Comité Champagne co-president Maxime Toubart.

Despite the lower yields, producers have described the quality of the 2026 crop as “exceptional”, with ripe grapes and little mildew reported across vineyards.

Hot conditions have, however, resulted in higher alcohol levels in the grapes, creating additional challenges for winemakers during production.

The smaller crop comes at a delicate time for the Champagne industry, which has already reduced production targets in recent years as weaker consumer demand, economic uncertainty and falling global alcohol consumption weigh on sales.

Producers are also continuing to monitor the impact of US tariff policy on exports.

For grocery and drinks retailers, the ability of Champagne houses to draw on reserves should help limit any immediate disruption to availability, although producers choosing to conserve stocks or bottle lower volumes could tighten supply further down the line.

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