Champagne Frost Destroys 40% of Buds

The Champagne region has suffered one of its worst spring frost episodes in more than two decades, with 40% of its buds destroyed after recent cold snaps, the industry group that represents growers and houses said Tuesday.

The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne, known as the CIVC, said the damage was the second most severe since 2003, when frost destroyed 45% of the buds in the vineyard. The group said the latest frosts hit at a time that is normally vulnerable for vines, but this year the plants had advanced by about three weeks, which made them more exposed.

Because bud break came earlier than usual, the frost caused more damage than it might have under a normal seasonal schedule, the CIVC said. The group added that it was still too early to estimate what the losses would mean for the harvest, since the vine’s cycle is not finished and weather conditions in the coming months will still affect the crop before picking.

The industry also noted that the amount of grapes harvested does not directly determine wine quality, which depends on conditions throughout the growth of the fruit. Still, a smaller crop could tighten supply in a market where Champagne shipments have already been under pressure.

In January, the CIVC said Champagne shipments fell for a third straight year in 2025 to 266 million bottles. That was the lowest level since 2001, excluding 2020, when pandemic-related disruptions pushed shipments down to 244 million bottles.

Spring frost is a recurring threat in French wine regions, but growers in Champagne have been especially alert this year because of the early development of the vines and repeated cold spells across parts of northeastern France. The full impact on production will depend on how much of the damaged growth can recover and on whether later weather helps or hurts the remaining crop.