Burgundy Faces Third Small Harvest in Five Years as Some Vineyards Report 80 Percent Drop in 2025 Yields

Burgundy’s 2025 vintage is drawing attention for its exceptional quality, but the story is more complicated when it comes to quantity. Winemakers across the region are reporting another year of unpredictable weather, which has become a regular challenge. Romain Taupenot of Domaine Taupenot-Merme described the situation as a constant struggle, saying that climate-related difficulties are now part of daily life for Burgundy producers. Géraldine Godot of Domaine de l’Arlot noted that deciding when to harvest has become increasingly complex, with more variables to consider each year.

The 2025 growing season was marked by uneven conditions. Frédéric Barnier of Louis Jadot expressed disappointment about the low yields but remained optimistic about the quality of the wines. In Chablis and the Yonne, Françoise Roure, head of the local BIVB, described harvest volumes as “heterogeneous.” Across Burgundy, from Chablis to the Mâconnais, winemakers are pleased with the quality of their grapes. Anthony Bautista of Domaine Tupinier-Bautista called the vintage “magnificent.”

In Chablis, Paul Espitalié of Simonnet-Febvre said the season was “rather mild,” with no spring frost or summer hail. However, a heat wave during flowering in June led to coulure and millerandage—problems that reduce berry development and create uneven clusters. Hydric stress did not appear until an August heat wave, which accelerated ripening and damaged some grapes, especially Pinot Noir. Rain arrived too late to improve yields. Harvesting began around August 25 for crémants and August 28 for Chablis. Samuel Billaud reported a narrow window for picking due to rapid fruit degradation.

Early September brought ten days of significant rain, complicating harvests for both hand-pickers and machine operators. Didier Séguier of Domaine William Fèvre reported yields between 35 and 50 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha), with lower numbers in areas hit by last year’s hail. In Irancy, Espitalié saw yields as low as 20-35 hl/ha. Some producers fared better; Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel of Domaine Louis Michel said his yields were good. Billaud described the wines as concentrated and balanced, while Espitalié praised both reds and whites for their freshness and fruit character.

In the Côte d’Or, an uneventful winter gave way to early warmth and timely rain, setting up one of the earliest vintages on record. Céline Fontaine of Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard recalled a ten-day heat wave in August that caused grapes to gain three degrees of alcohol in just a week due to evaporation—a rare occurrence. Acidity levels also concentrated during this period. Fontaine began harvesting on August 19, earlier than usual, but noted that young vines suffered from heat stress.

Barnier at Louis Jadot reported average yields of 30 hl/ha for reds and 35 hl/ha for whites in his organic vineyards but said they lost up to 20 percent in overall weight because rain came too late. Guillaume Lavollée of Domaine Génot-Boulanger observed that well-drained limestone soils suffered more from summer heat than deeper clay soils, which retained moisture better and produced higher yields after late rains.

Etienne Chaix at Domaine Joseph Voillot said Volnay Premier Cru yields were only slightly higher than last year’s small crop. Boris Champy noted differences between subregions: small yields in the Côte but better results in the Haute-Côtes. Benoît Stehly at Domaine Georges Lignier pointed out that a severe thunderstorm in late July helped avoid serious drought stress in some areas but not others.

Harvest timing varied widely depending on location and weather patterns. Fontaine explained that millerandage limited potential yields in Chassagne-Montrachet, while colleagues who harvested after rains did not see significant volume increases. The Côte de Beaune had a larger crop in 2024 compared to the Côte de Nuits, which made more wine in 2025.

Edouard Confuron found it easier to vinify reds this year thanks to larger volumes and warmer fermentation temperatures. He used more whole clusters and was pleased with floral aromatics and freshness in his wines. William Waterkeyn at Domaine Jessiaume noted that color concentration was not as intense as in 2020 and alcohol levels were moderate at around 12.5 percent.

Winemakers struggled to compare 2025 directly with previous vintages. Jacques Devauges at Domaine des Lambrays said recent years have produced better textures than older vintages, with fine tannins, aromatic complexity, balanced pH levels, and gentle mid-palates.

In the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais, Vincent Dureuil described a “2-in-1” harvest split by rainy periods. Anthony Bautista said it was the first time his domaine finished all harvesting in August rather than stretching into September as in previous hot years like 2018 and 2020. Philippe Pascal at Domaine du Cellier aux Moines was satisfied with grape quality before September rains but disappointed by low quantities.

The Mâconnais faced even greater challenges. Christophe Cordier called it a “trying” season; Clément Robinet described it as “very difficult,” while Olivier Giroux labeled his harvest “catastrophic,” with volumes down by at least 80 percent in some vineyards due to hailstorms and disease pressure during a wet spring.

Antoine Vincent at Château Fuissé reported rapid vine growth after a mild winter followed by frequent spring rains that encouraged downy mildew outbreaks. A major hailstorm on June 1 further reduced yields for some producers like Fabio Montrasi at Château des Rontets, who averaged just 15 hl/ha despite avoiding mildew problems.

Despite these setbacks, many winemakers are optimistic about wine quality from this vintage. Acidities remain balanced relative to alcohol levels and concentration is high where yields were low. Montrasi said his wines are still developing but show promise for aging.

The small harvest is already affecting availability and pricing across Burgundy. Global demand remains strong; sales rose by over five percent in volume and nearly three percent in value from January through July compared to last year—a trend driven partly by concerns over potential new U.S. tariffs.

This marks the third notably small harvest within five years for Burgundy producers, following historically low crops in 2021 and 2024. While some areas like Chablis managed to replenish stocks, most producers expect shortages ahead—especially for white wines—if current trends continue.

Etienne de Montille warned that Burgundy could run out of wine within two years if small harvests persist, raising concerns about future prices and market stability. For now, Burgundy’s reputation for quality remains intact—but scarcity may soon become its defining feature for collectors and consumers alike.