When you visit Champagne nowadays, the question of the acidity in the wines often comes up. It is generally accepted that a good quality sparkling wine should have a high acidity. But with warmer summers, the acidity in the grapes decreases while the sugar content increases. The grapes are riper when harvested. This is mostly a good thing in a region like Champagne.
Although we were told on our visit on the wine tour there in September that some producers will chaptalise this year (adding sugar during fermentation to raise the alcohol content), the practice is much more unusual now than it was in the past. Today, it is easier to reach the alcohol content you want (12-12.5%) naturally.
Much research is being done in Champagne on how to deal with a warmer climate and more unpredictable weather. In the past, Champagne regularly received around 60 mm of rain each month. Now, the rain often comes in the form of downpours and storms with extreme amounts of water, like in 2024.
However, there can also be years of drought when as much as 10-15% of the grapes completely shrivel from the intense solar radiation (échaudage in French). A new way of managing the canopy may be needed.
Read more: tema-agriculture-terroirs
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Champagne with BKWine. (PS: We’ve written a prize-winning book on Champagne.)
