Overview
Winters are cold and there are frosts in spring and fall. The average temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the minimum temperature for photosynthesis. Champagne has 1650 hours of sunlight and it takes 1400 hours to ripen a grape. Champagne lies between the 49th and 49.5th degree parallel.
Weather and Climate
Continental with maritime (oceanic/Atlantic) influence. Rain and cloud cover are common. Summers are warm, overcast and humid. Spring and autumn have frosts that equate to 60 -80 days a year. Troyes has 85 days below freezing and Reims 75. 3.8 days are 14 degrees Fahrenheit which puts buds in the danger of freeze damage. There are an average of 177 days of rain per a year in Champagne. The hills of champagne create sun traps and the rivers help moderate temperature and mitigate frost damage. The annual harvest is not uniform in ripeness throughout the region. The blend helps to combat the weather allowing for an increase of reliability. Due to the northerly position grapes have a hard time ripening and when they do they have high levels of acidity and a lean aromatic profile. The rivers of champagne are the Vesle, Ardre, Marne, Surmelin, Aube, Ource, Landion, Laignes, and Seine.
Global Warming
Temperatures have increased by 2 degrees F over the past 30 years causing flowering and harvest to shift forward. This poses issues for precocious sites with early bud break. Grapes are picked between September 6 -10 which is 14 days earlier than the average. The last October harvest was the 2013 harvest making these wines full of body and fruit. The 2020 harvest began in August. There are more warm growing seasons which have led to lower acid levels allowing for a decrease in the dosage. The growing season in champagne is 96 days. As temperatures continue to rise the Champenois are reducing their carbon foot print. The weight of the bottle has decreased by 7% which in turn has allowed for CO2 emissions to reduce by 15% per bottle shipped. By 2050, the hope is to reduce CO2 emissions by 75%.
