An exceptionally hot, dry summer has pushed sugar levels in champagne grapes to record highs, prompting France's National Origin and Quality Institute to relax rules for the first time and allow champagne to be sold at up to 15 per cent alcohol, up from the previous 13 per cent cap. The move has proved divisive, with some producers welcoming the flexibility while others warn it threatens champagne's reputation for lightness and delicacy. Across the Channel, the same warm weather has boosted prospects for English sparkling wine makers, who are expecting an early and strong "vintage year".

Picking in Champagne began on 6 August, the earliest ever, though the 2026 vintage will not reach shelves until 2028 due to the required 15-month ageing process. In England, Nyetimber, the country's oldest sparkling wine producer, will start harvesting on 14 September, its earliest date since planting its first vines in 1988, with 500 pickers expected to gather almost 2,500 tonnes of grapes for over 1.5 million bottles. The summer was the UK's hottest on record, with temperatures reaching 38.1C at Kew Gardens on 13 August, though the same drought has hit barley farmers hard, with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board warning of the worst harvest on record and knock-on effects for beer supplies.