Harvest review 2025

The Champagne harvest came early this year. Marked by sunny weather, it stands in stark contrast to 2024. Here’s a look back at the 2025 growing season, which delivered grapes of exceptional quality.

This year, harvesting began on August 27^th for Taittinger, with the last pruning shears at work on September 6^th in the Épernay area—September 5^th in the Côte des Bar, and September 4 in Rilly-la-Montagne.

The ripeness of the grapes is assessed based on the balance between fruit development, sugar content and aromatic expression. After a sunny year, beautiful aromatics were therefore expected: around 11° for Chardonnays, between 10.5 and 11° for Pinot Noirs and between 10 and 10.5° for Meuniers.

All the indicators were there: harmonious acidity evolution, dominated by tartaric acid (malic acid having been broken down by the high temperatures in August), a good sugar/acidity ratio, perfectly healthy bunches and generally favourable weather conditions – no excessive heat, little rain, cool nights and dry winds.

All our wine presses opened on 27^th of August and closed 10 days later; the harvest was quick. For many winegrowers, it was the first harvest to take place exclusively in August! Yet another indicator of global warming.

Whether in the Côte des Bar or on our Marne terroirs, whether white or red grape varieties, the quality of the harvest was perfect. There was a wonderful sense of calm in the press Houses, with excitement, high expectations and hopes for the quality of the wines.

The quality of the grapes and the maturity of the plots identified on our terroirs in Verzenay, Ambonnay, Loches-sur-Ource and Hautvillers/Rilly-la-Montagne enabled us to produce red wines with great potential for making our rosés.

As far as the workforce is concerned, the feedback has been positive. This applies to our local teams (Reims, Troyes) but as well to our teams housed at the former 112 air base, our first experimental team receiving French income support, our service teams and all our fixed-term contract employees, many of whom return year after year. And, of course, all our in-house teams spread across the vineyards, the press and the winery, dedicated to showcasing the work of an entire year.

For reasons other than last year, the only downside will be the yields observed. Despite the beautiful structure of the bunches, the expected weight was not there… around 120-130g on average. The impact of poor floral initiation conditions in 2024, the impact of cool night-time temperatures on the earliest blooms, the effect of hail on the 3^rd May in the Pierry-Chouilly area… we will therefore rejoice above all about the quality of the harvest and the musts!