The Comité Champagne (CIVC) in Epernay has set the available harvest quantity for 2023 at 11,400 kg per hectare. This is a 5% decrease from the 12,000 kg per hectare harvest quantity in 2022.
The health status of the vines is currently good and very homogeneous in all sub-regions. Frost damage affected only 1.5% of the vineyard area, and hail damage affected only 0.3%. Downy and powdery mildew are also under control.
The only concern is the lack of water supply to the vineyards. However, the grapes are well developed and the harvest is expected to take place in the first ten days of September.
Decreasing Yields
The yields in Champagne have decreased by 26% in the last twelve years due to climate challenges, vine diseases, and the aging of vines. In order to strengthen the resilience of the Champagne region, it was decided to increase the harvest reserve. The reserve consists of wines from previous years and is used to offset crop failures. The upper limit for this reserve has been increased from 8,000 to 10,000 kg per hectare.
Maxime Toubart, President of the Winegrowers and Co-President of the CIVC, reports that, "In 2022, Champagne introduced the delayed withdrawal from the reserve. The reserve consists of wines from previous years and is used to offset crop failures. This year, the upper limit for this reserve has been increased from 8,000 to 10,000 kg per hectare. The French Appellation Authority INAO (Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité) agreed to consider the increase on an expedited basis.” This allows Champagne producers to include the promising 2023 harvest in the reserve.