LILLE, Aug 13 — France’s Champagne region has begun its earliest-ever grape harvest after successive scorching heatwaves accelerated ripening, industry officials said yesterday.

The publication of the official harvest dates, before which harvesting is prohibited without special permission, marks the earliest on record, said David Chatillon, co-chairman for the Comite Champagne industry association.

The harvest opening dates range from August 8 to August 22, depending on location and grape variety, with record-breaking heat this year “of course” speeding up the ripening process, Chatillon said.

Since the 1980s, harvest dates in France have been creeping earlier, an indicator of a warming climate.

In Champagne, the grape pick now starts roughly two weeks sooner than it did twenty years ago.

Chatillon said the “quality looks good” for Champagne’s grapes, despite the sales quota being reduced for the fourth consecutive year due to global economic uncertainty and recurring climate-related risks.

This year has also seen the agriculture ministry exceptionally allow Champagne producers to purchase up to 15 per cent of their grapes, grape must or wines from others, compared with the usual limit of five per cent.

The industry requested the measure after spring frosts destroyed nearly 40 per cent of the buds in the vineyards — one of the worst such losses — and drought later meant the grape clusters were not as plump from lack of water. — AFP