Champagne producers begin earliest recorded harvest amid heat, drought

Hautvillers crews began work at 6:30 a.m. on UNESCO-listed slopes

The AP dispatch from Hautvillers described harvest teams starting work at 6:30 a.m. on the slopes where UNESCO recognized the vines as a World Heritage Site in 2015. Gobillard, the production director at the family-owned Gobillard & Fils house, told the AP that starting the harvest in mid-August was considered “almost unthinkable” in the region.

Gobillard represents the fourth generation of his family to work the estate’s vineyards, according to AP. The property spans 40 hectares (about 100 acres), AP reported.

AP reported that extreme heat and drought had accelerated ripening, leaving producers a narrow window to preserve the quality of the area’s sparkling wine.