In Champagne, the grape harvest began as early as mid-August, unprecedented for some growers, after heat and drought sped up ripening and forced them to change their methods.

Champagne producers are racing to pick grapes as the region experiences its earliest harvest on record.

Drought and heatwaves have pushed French winegrowers to start picking grapes weeks ahead of schedule, with this year seeing some of the earliest harvests on record – a sign of how…