Burgundy vineyards are preparing for a grape harvest as early as August 12

Winegrowers across parts of France are preparing for an unusually early grape harvest this summer, with some vineyards in Burgundy expected to begin picking in mid-August.

In Burgundy’s Mâconnais, harvest “could even start on August 12,” according to Ici Bourgogne, the regional broadcaster within Radio France. The report cited Thiébault Huber, a winegrower and head of the Confederation of Appellations and Winegrowers of Burgundy, who said the timing is moving forward across the region.

“If I’m talking about the Côte de Beaune, [harvest will be] between August 20 and 25, and the further south you go, the earlier it will be,” Huber said. He added that for Crémant production, picking could begin “as early as August 15 or even August 12.”

The shift means many growers may have to shorten the traditional summer break to prepare crews and winery operations earlier than usual. It also reflects a broader pattern of advancing harvest dates that producers in several French regions have linked in recent years to warmer growing conditions.

An earlier start can also ease one of the sector’s recurring labor problems by opening access to student workers before the school year begins. Sébastien Thomas, a viticulture business adviser, said August harvests are easier for recruitment than those that fall in September.

“It’s ideal when the harvest is early, in August,” Thomas said. “As soon as harvest is in September, it’s more complicated, as they’ve gone back to school.”

Huber said Burgundy growers are trying to capitalize on that window through Vita Bourgogne, a program aimed at attracting workers, including students, to vineyard jobs. He said outreach takes place throughout the year at universities.

“They’ll be on vacation, but starting August 20, come and spend a week, ten days, harvesting grapes to top up your savings for the start of the academic year,” Huber said. He added that grape picking does not require special qualifications, only energy and a willingness to help.

The prospect of an early harvest was already emerging last week in western France, where Muscadet producers were also reported to be preparing for mid-August picking. In Burgundy, the latest estimates suggest that trend is now extending across several appellations, from sparkling wine bases for Crémant to still wines farther north.