“38% of buds were destroyed”: Champagne winegrowers hit hard by frost

While the mercury has risen significantly in recent days in France, some people still scan the thermometer with concern after dark. In Champagne, winegrowers remember several recent episodes of frost. “We did counts throughout the appellation: 38% of the buds were destroyed by frost,” laments Maxime Toubart, president of the General Union of Winegrowers (SGV) of Champagne.

The nights of March 15 and 26, then April 2, caused significant damage, particularly in the Bar coast (Aube) and the Marne valley (west of the Marne and south of the Aisne). “It was as cold as -5°C in certain areas, with rain during the day,” he says. We’ve had some near-freezing nights again this week, and the Ice Saints won’t happen until mid-May. » A period traditionally associated with a high risk of frost, when young buds and tender shoots are most vulnerable.

Use of the interprofessional reserve

And the vine is particularly so. Global warming does not erase this phenomenon. Worse, milder winters even accelerate the vegetative cycle and expose the buds more to late frosts.

However, the consequences for the 2026 harvest remain uncertain. “38% gel does not mean 38% less yield,” explains Maxime Toubart. We are lucky to have grape varieties that produce counter-buds, such as Pinot Noir and Meunier, unlike Chardonnay. What is obvious is that the next few weeks will be complicated. »

Champagne, however, has a unique “insurance” system: the inter-professional reserve, which allows surplus wines to be stored in good years, to “draw” from them in the event of a bad harvest. “Some use heaters to fight against frost, but the reserve remains our best asset,” believes the president of the SGV. Unfortunately, some people no longer have much in reserve and they are often the ones who were most affected by the frost. » The road leading to the 2026 harvest promises to be strewn with pitfalls.