In Champagne, the yield for this year’s harvest, 2023, has now officially been set. It is negotiated every year. The Comité Champagne recently announced that the growers can pick 11,400 kg per hectare (73 hl/ha) at harvest time, which this year will be the first half of September. It is a reduction compared to last year in an effort to keep prices higher on a weak market.
The quality currently looks very promising. Only small areas have been affected by frost and hail, and fungal diseases have been controlled.
The fact is, however, that the growers will be allowed to harvest much more. They can make champagne directly from the 11,400 kilos. But in addition, they can also top up their so-called “individual reserve” (still wine that is saved and used in future years with bad weather). This reserve has recently been increased from 8,000 kg per hectare to 10,000 kg per hectare. This year they can top up their reserve with a maximum of 4,100 kg per hectare.
Thus, the maximum harvest yield for Champagne is 15,500 kg per hectare (99 hl/ha) in 2023. You can never go over this limit.
It is estimated that Champagne will sell 314 million bottles in 2023, down from the record year of 2022 when it sold 326 million.
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