# Champagne got stronger because summer got hotter

> Five heatwaves pushed sugar levels so high that France had to rewrite the rules on how strong champagne can be.
- Title: Champagne got stronger because summer got hotter · BBC News
- Summary: Five heatwaves pushed sugar levels so high that France had to rewrite the rules on how strong champagne can be. When a region has to change its own rulebook…
- Keywords: champagne, climate change, heatwaves, france, wine, news, world, got, stronger, because, summer, hotter
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgydvrlep1o
- Published: 2026-09-12T12:50:43.492+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: champagne, climate change, heatwaves, france, wine, news, world
## France raises the cap
Producers can now bottle champagne at up to 15% alcohol, above the usual 13% limit. It is the first time the ceiling has moved, and it applies to this year only.
## Hot grapes, sweet grapes
Extreme heat and drought left the 2026 grapes loaded with sugar. Yeast turns that sugar into alcohol during fermentation, so the wine ends up stronger.
## A very small spillover
The Comite Champagne says only a handful of wines crept past the limit, landing near 13.1% or 13.2% after the second fermentation that makes the bubbles.

> a very small number of wines from this harvest could have slightly exceeded the regulatory limit of 13%
## The earliest harvest ever
Picking started in early August, the earliest on record in Champagne, after historic spring frosts, early flowering and five separate heatwaves.

> The 2026 growing season will be remembered as one of the most unusual in Champagne's history
## Year one of a new cycle
Verzenay producer Stephane Vignon says the Mediterranean climate is moving north. Industry co-chair Maxime Toubart expects this harvest to become normal within 10 to 15 years.

> The Mediterranean climate is moving north. This is year one of a new cycle.
## Drinkers want the opposite
Wine writer Jane Anson notes buyers are moving toward lower alcohol, so strength is no selling point. The 2026 vintage will not reach shelves until 2028.

> The battle between what consumers want and what nature provides must be very stressful for producers.
## Key takeaway

When a region has to change its own rulebook to keep making its signature product, that is climate change showing up in the bottle.