Harvest 2026: uncharted territory!

Just under a month ago, on July 28th, we wrote: "It's clear today that if the coming month unfolds like the previous one, that is to say, practically without a drop of rain, then we wonder what the Burgundy winegrowers will harvest (...)." Today we have the answer: not much, and this for the 5th time in 7 years, after 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, and now 2026.

Despite repeated heatwaves since mid-May, the vines had shown remarkable resilience, avoiding any real setbacks thanks to the winter and early spring rains. However, it seems the latest heatwave, during the week of August 15th, delivered the final blow. Temperatures soared, and the yields plummeted. Some even estimate that in these extreme conditions, certain vines already struggling (young vines, "light" soils, etc.) lost 20 to 30% of their harvest in just three or four days as temperatures soared. The harvest will therefore be meager, and while the grape pickers have had and still have many bunches to harvest, the grapes that emerged were indeed "beautiful," but the size of pine cones and as light as feathers.

HAS Chablis where only about twenty millimeters (mm) of rain have fallen since July 1st (barely more than in Seville, Andalusia in a normal year…), Didier Picq is forecasting 25 to 30 hl/ha in frost-free areas, and 10 in frost-affected areas. Benoît Droin for his part speaks of an average of 20 hl/ha on his domaine , with degrees greater than 14. Pierre Boillot ( domaine Lucien Boillot) cultivates vines on the slopes of Beaune and Nuits. In certain areas of the coast of Beaune , on Volnay And Pommard In nearly 50 years of farming, he has never produced so little as in 2026, with less than 10 hl/ha. He expects a little better in côte de Nuits , about twenty hectoliters per hectare. "It rained a bit more in Gevrey-Chambertin and the soils are richer, more clay-rich. We're still making more wine in côte de Nuits "In côte de Nuits where, incidentally, many winegrowers have just started harvesting.

HAS Beaune David Croix only started last Saturday with a few early sectors in Corton grand cru And Volnay premier cru THE Santenots He preferred to wait and has no regrets. "It's always the same debate. Should we harvest according to the degree of ripeness or according to the taste of the grapes, which is true in rouge as in blanc “Before August 15th, the grapes weren’t ripe at my place, and then picking grapes at 40°C, like at the beginning of last week, or at 20°C, like it has been for the last few days, is not the same thing. The skins are more relaxed, the grapes less stressed. I mainly wanted to harvest in good conditions, perhaps with a little rain on the grapes in the morning.” David Croix’s wish was granted, as a few millimeters of rain fell yesterday, and more substantial rain is forecast for Thursday. A few kilometers further north, at Ladoix -Serrigny, François-Xavier Maratray ( domaine Maratray-Dubreuil) only started on August 22nd. "The grapes have an alcohol content between 14 and 15 degrees, with yields of 15 to 25 hl/ha. It's superb, but we would almost need to be able to harvest everything in 24 hours."

Saône-et-Loire is coming out on top.

It is perhaps in certain sectors of the Saône-et-Loire region that winegrowers might fare the best. Mercurey , in Côte Chalonnaise , L' appellation was lucky to have had almost 50 mm of rain since June 15th, it's not much (but much better than at Givry And Montagny …) and the winegrowers speak of around thirty hectoliters per hectare in pinot noir a little more in chardonnay and always with excellent technical (13.5 to 14.5°) and phenolic (skins, seeds, aromas) ripeness. A Rully , appellation which touches Mercurey It even rained 70 mm in July. Vincent Dureuil ( Domaine Dureuil-Janthial is never one of those winemakers in a hurry. He only really started harvesting with a large team yesterday, August 24th, and will finish in the middle of next week. The "rain effect" seems to have been in full force, since he estimates his average yield should be around 35 hl/ha. blanc as in rouge , all with very good ripeness, without excess for 2026.

Further south, in the Mâconnais region, Vivien Saumaize ( domaine Saumaize -Michelin) and Frédéric Burrier ( Château de Beauregard) recorded good degrees (13.5 to 14.5), less excessive than on the coast of Beaune and unexpected yields of 30 to 50 hl/ha, all with satisfactory balance. "With the recent heatwave, I was afraid the grapes would have overripened due to dehydration, but that's not the case. The vines remained active. The grapes have juice and beautiful aromas," comments Vivien. Saumaize .

As always in this type of year, the official start of the harvest has given rise to a joyful frenzy in all wine regions and appellations, sometimes even within the same village There's nearly a month's difference between those who, anticipating the latest heatwave, started as early as August 8th and finished on the 15th—probably a record in Burgundy's history—and those who only started in recent days or haven't even started yet. Who will ultimately be "right" or "wrong"? In this vintage, which is taking Burgundy into uncharted territory due to the extreme weather, the earliness of the year, the high alcohol levels, and the small harvest, it's difficult, if not impossible, to say. The soils, but also the rainfall that fell here and not elsewhere—clearly a determining factor in 2026—the age and genetics of the vines, the grape variety, the yield, the cultivation practices, and climatic events like hail in the Mâconnais, to Marsannay , in the Beaujolais These are all factors that have played a role in the progression of maturity from one plot to another.

Exceptional wines?

Let's proceed with caution, but we can't quite see how this year couldn't produce exceptional wines, in a style that will undoubtedly be rich, voluptuous, "sunny," with great density (though care must be taken not to overdo the extractions). rouge ), of dry extract in blanc and balances which, thanks to good levels of tartaric acid, should obviously be correct for such a hot year.

We are therefore making a fairly safe bet that there will be few wines in 2026, but very great wines. While the vintage may leave winemakers and oenologists scratching their heads—vinifying grapes at 15% alcohol and above is indeed a high-risk discipline—it could also pose economic problems. In three consecutive vintages, 2024, 2025, and 2026, Burgundy will only produce about one and a half harvests, all within a context of market tension and declining consumption. Add to that a palpable sense of frustration among many winemakers. "We don't fight all year in the vineyards to produce 80 hl/ha, but neither do we struggle to bring in 10 or 20 hl. It's economically unsustainable and psychologically exhausting for us and our employees." 2026 will leave its mark…

Christophe TUPINIER

Publishing Director