Meeting on 21 July in the Champagne Committee, representatives of the General Union of Winemakers and The?The houses of Union of Champagne have agreed on a marketable volume in the 2017 harvest of 10,800 kilos / hectare.
“This year’s decision is a compromise between optimism and prudence,” says Maxime Toubart.Gathered on July 21 in Epernay, winemakers and champagne houses agreed on a marketable yield of 10,800 kg/ha, of which 500 kg/ha have come out of reserve as of February 1, 2018 The reserve (lock) has been limited to 3,100 kg/ha, depending on the reserve level of the harvester prior to the 2017 harvest.
- The agronomic outlook is favorable.
- Estimated at this time between 10.
- 000 and 11.
- 000 kg / ha.
- With a healthy vineyard thanks to the summer climate that has been coming since mid-May.
- The development of the vines is about ten days ahead of the ten-year average.
- Harvest potential was affected by spring frosts; on average.
- 23% of the yolks in the vineyard were destroyed.
- Without being considerable.
- This productive potential is good since from the frosts the climate is rather temperate and the strains healthy.
- “We suffer from severe frost.
- But we have benefited from a good recovery since then and low pressure from disease.
- At the moment.
- It’s the profile of an easy year for winemakers.
- ” explains Maxime Toubart.
As every year, yields are determined in the light of the economic context and market prospects. In the first half of the year, champagne shipments increased by 2.9% compared to the first half of last year. If the big export continues to drive growth (17.9%), l?The European Union staned by 0.3% (strong fall in the UK market, increasing in all others).The French market, on the other hand, continues to fall (-3.2% in the semester). Therefore, wine producers are the most affected.market heterogeneity with a six-monthly drop of 5.6% in their shipments (up from 5.3% for trade and 1.8% for cooperatives).Estimates for France, however, will be moderate. On the one hand, thanks to the recovery of the French market linked, according to Jean-Marie Barillére, to the presidential elections and the “buffer effect of stocks as of 31 December”, this morning we have again measured a certain renewed optimism about the part of the operators with regard to French shipments by the end of the year that I remember represents 70 to 80% of the volume of annual shipments”.
Regarding the launch of the harvest, the technical committee of the Champagne Committee meeting on 5 July estimates the start of the harvest on 30 August for chardonnay, 2 September for pinot noir and 4 September for miller.
Other technical data
· Minimum alcoholic strength AOC Champagne (half winery): 9.5% flight
· Minimum alcohol content AOC Coteaux Champenois and Rosé des Riceys: 10% vol
· Taux minimum d?extraction des rebêches : 0 %
Some of these provisions must be confirmed by the MEETING of the INAO Regional Committee on August 25, 2017.