2007 will be remembered for its unusual climatic conditions. After a mild winter the vine lifecycle started unusually early; the sun and the exceptional heat of April further accelerated the precocity of the vine. At this point they were already able to predict that the grape harvests would begin in mid August. The bad weather which settled in from May disrupted the flowering which ivaried from one region to another and even from a vineyard to another.
The weather in July was warm and gloomy. In August there was much rain and cold temperatures which slowed down the maturation of the grapes.
The non-uniformity of the flowering caused huge diversity in the levels of ripeness from one vineyard to another. This made the decision of when to harvest particularly tricky.
Picking started on 23rd August for the most precocious vineyard, but wherever possible the growers delayed picking to let the vines take advantage of the sunny weather which settled in from the 24th August.
Despite the chaotic build-up the harvest went largely without incident. The grapes are healthy with a good balance of alcohol/acidity and the quality may prove to be good enough for the production of a vintage. With the exception of the vineyards affected by summer hail, the maximum permitted yield of 12,400 kilos/hectare should be reached.
[Source : Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne]
