September 4, 2026 — The 2026 harvest was marked by exceptional earliness and excellent maturity balance, and will long be remembered.
For the first time in its history, Champagne Barons de Rothschild carried out its entire harvest in August, beginning on August 13th in the southern Montagne de Reims, starting in Ambonnay and Trépail. The chardonnay grapes from the Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs were picked between August 17th and 20th, followed by the Pinot Noir from the Montagne and Petite Montagne areas. The harvest concluded on August 27th.
Across the House’s vineyards, the yield stood at 6,000 kg/ha, a figure that was impacted by frost and the season’s challenging conditions. While volumes remained limited in certain plots, grapes from several specific vineyard sites (“lieux-dits”) were successfully vinified. Le Grand Clos, having escaped the frost, emerged as the standout of this vintage, producing fruit of exceptional quality.
“After three spring frost episodes that destroyed 38% of the vineyard area, the most destructive since 2003, followed by a summer marked by a total lack of rainfall and five heatwaves, the grapes arrived in remarkably healthy condition, boasting excellent maturity balance. For the first time in the history of the Champagne appellation, the harvest both began and ended in August! Our agility, our use of small vinification vessels, and our ability to mobilize everywhere simultaneously allowed us, I believe, to come out on top during this extraordinary vintage. Of course, this remains to be confirmed in the near future,” says Guillaume Lété, Cellar Master at Champagne Barons de Rothschild.
