Champagne ups abv to 15%

Champagne has temporarily raised its maximum permitted alcohol level to 15% for the 2026 vintage, following an exceptionally hot, dry growing season that pushed grape sugars unusually high.

The change is an unprecedented response to a remarkable harvest. Champagne normally limits wines that have been enriched through chaptalisation to 13% alcohol, but some 2026 grapes reached potential alcohol levels above that threshold.

The region experienced its earliest harvest on record, with heatwaves and drought accelerating ripening while sharply reducing yields. The combination produced grapes with concentrated sugars but, surprisingly, plenty of fresh acidity.

The temporary 15% ceiling will only affect a small number of producers, rather than signalling a new direction for Champagne as a whole.