France's wine harvest to shrink ~10% as heat forces earliest pick

A prolonged heatwave and drought have dried vineyards in France's key wine regions, including Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Growers expect the earliest harvest on record, with Champagne picking around 15 August and Bordeaux's first grapes for sparkling wines slated for the first week of August. Production forecasts indicate yields could be about 10 % lower than the previous year, although existing wine reserves may offset some shortfall. While winemakers say quality may not suffer, the high temperatures and lack of water could raise sugar levels, potentially altering flavor and alcohol content. Meteorologists see little rain before mid‑July, extending the dry spell that has already scorched vines across the country.