With harvest drawing to a close across France, our winemakers are trading their pruning shears for long days in the cellar. After another hot summer, 2026 brings smaller national volumes, striking regional differences, and encouraging first impressions of quality.

France’s wine production is estimated at 34.9 million hectoliters, according to Agreste’s October assessment: 2% below 2025 and 14% below the 2021-2025 average. Vineyard surface declined by 1.9%, while summer heat and drought limited yields. Better-than-expected results in Languedoc-Roussillon lifted the national forecast by 1 million hectoliters compared with September. Regional differences remain striking. Languedoc-Roussillon is up 20% compared with 2025 and 2% above its five-year average. Bordeaux is up 10%, though still 11% below average, while the Southwest is up 12%. Further north, Champagne’s harvest is approximately halved, Burgundy and Beaujolais are down 22% -and 30% below average - while the Loire Valley is down 7%.

Early picking has become a recurring subject in our harvest newsletters, and 2026 offers another reminder that the calendar alone tells only part of the story. Heat can accelerate ripening, but its effects vary with water availability, grape variety, and location. Our growers’ reports illustrate this well: Xavier Vignon began picking Muscat in late July, while La Cabotte recorded its earliest harvest since the family’s arrival in 1981, starting August 12th. At Mas des Bressades and Mas Carlot, however, the first Viognier and Syrah were not ready until late August and early September, much as in recent years. In the Ventoux, Same River Twice harvested its last Grenache Noir on September 30.

At Mas des Bressades and Mas Carlot, a very rainy winter and early spring replenished groundwater, allowing the vines to grow in favorable conditions and leaving both vines and grapes in excellent health. Summer brought three months of sustained heat, with daily highs frequently between 33 and 39°C (91-102°F), though temperatures rarely exceeded 40°C. Sea breezes cooled most late afternoons, offering some relief. “We thought we would have an early harvest,” the team explains, “but the first varieties, Viognier and Syrah, came in at the very end of August and the beginning of September, as in recent years.” The surprise came later: varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon accelerated sharply, compressing the harvest schedule in a way the team had never experienced before.

Volumes were encouraging, falling toward the upper end of the estates’ recent range, although those recent vintages have all been relatively small. At the time of their report, the first whites were showing balance and aromatic expression, while the reds were concentrated and fruitforward. Their enthusiasm comes with a winemaker’s sensible caution: “As you can imagine, we are only at the beginning of fermentation…” Promising fruit is the starting point; the cellar still has its say!

At La Cabotte, the shift between seasons was abrupt. A mild, wet winter gave way to dry conditions just as the vines awakened in mid-March. Apart from notable rainfall in early May, the summer offered little relief, with only a few millimeters of rain in July and August. After more than 20 years of biodynamic practices, the family continues to be struck by the vineyard’s response: “Our soils and vines show, year after year, a capacity for resilience that continues to surprise us.”

Picking began on August 12, the earliest start since their arrival in 1981, and 12 days ahead of 2025, itself an early vintage. Viognier and Roussanne opened the harvest, followed by Grenache and Syrah, with Mourvèdre closing the season 35 days later. Despite the lack of rain, the grapes were unexpectedly juicy. The first musts showed balance, clear fruit expression, and well-preserved acidity, with slightly higher potential alcohol than in 2025. Early fermentations have confirmed those encouraging impressions - a welcome outcome after such a demanding growing season.

For Xavier Vignon, heat and water stress reduced volumes and created uneven ripeness. Yields are expected to finish 10-20% below spring estimates - a comparison with the season’s initial potential, rather than with last year’s harvest. “Parcel-by-parcel monitoring was particularly important this year,” the team reports. Differences between sites made picking dates decisive for preserving acidity, freshness, and the aromatic profile they were seeking. The first musts show encouraging concentration, with fruit profiles ranging from fresh red berries to ripe, crushed black fruit. In the cellar, the focus is now on controlling extraction to preserve the fruit and avoid overly firm tannins or excessive structure.

James Dunstan from Same River Twice offers another perspective on the summer heat. Warm days were persistent, but temperatures at their location never reached 40°C, and the difference between day and night remained significant: early mornings of 18-20°C (64-68°F) offered a welcome contrast to afternoons reaching 35-36°C (95-97°F). Winter and spring rainfall had built up soil water reserves, while useful rain in late July and August helped carry the vines through summer. Ripening slowed gently without becoming blocked. The result was thicker skins and a higher proportion of skin to juice.

Harvest for Same River Twice began on August 17, with Muscat destined for the Amber, and finished with the last Grenache Noir on September 30 - around a week to 10 days earlier than recent norms. “Cool nights, a particular feature of the Ventoux, kept the freshness,” James writes. His first impressions are of balanced musts and pure fruit aromas, with 2026 looking promising for the style of wines he seeks to make.

It is still too early to give 2026 one definitive style. Our growers describe aromatic whites, concentrated reds, and encouraging freshness, while emphasizing how much the final balance depends on the vineyard, the picking date, and the work that follows. At Mas des Bressades and Mas Carlot, water reserves and sea breezes helped the vines through prolonged heat. At La Cabotte, careful management of soil moisture and protective foliage accompanied an exceptionally early harvest. Xavier Vignon emphasizes parcel selection and measured extraction, while Same River Twice points to the value of the Ventoux’s cool nights. These are the details behind the numbers - and the reason we value hearing directly from the people making the wines. The first impressions give us plenty to look forward to. Now, the personality of 2026 will continue to take shape in the cellar!