The Bourgogne Wine Board has reported a high-quality harvest, despite unusual rainfall that interrupted picking. 

Harvesting began early, with the board noting that by mid-May it was evident 2025 would be one of the earliest vintages on record, as the first flowers appeared as soon as 26 May. 

This was accelerated by warm weather over the last weekend of May, which triggered “explosive” flowering in the earliest-ripening plots and initiated flowering in the later ones. 

The later-ripening areas, however, were affected by humidity and rainfall in June, which disrupted some flowering, caused poor fruit set and produced small, uneven berries, reducing harvest potential. 

Two heatwaves also swept across France and Bourgogne – first in late June and then in August – helping the vines to advance quickly. 

Not all effects were positive, however, as the weather also impacted yields. Because of the heat, skins thickened, berries remained small and pulp was lost. The hot weather also led to unstable conditions with violent, localised storms in several areas, including hail. 

Following the unstable season, the harvest officially began on 18 August at Crémant de Bourgogne. 

This, too, was interrupted by “substantial rainfall,” especially in the north of the region, which caused some estates to pause picking. 

By mid-September, the harvest was complete across the region, with timing and yields varying according to local weather conditions. 

The board has said that the wines currently in the cellar “look very promising: with fine concentration and virtually no disease, providing superb raw material for this vintage”. 

A relieving end to a turbulent growing season, the board added that merchants and estates have “everything they need to craft great wines from the 2025 vintage”.