The temperatures have dropped further down to around 25 degrees. The weather seems more unstable … there are some showers and thunderstorms in the forecast … so rain could come.

… there is, however, a tendency to see the promised showers disappear from the forecasts before they materialise on the vineyards.

We still hope for some drops …

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Lack of pickers

The big issue is the lack of harvesters that continues to stress the vignerons. It is very difficult, or almost impossible, to put together a last-minute team to advance the harvesting and finish the harvest before the alcohol increases further.

The very early harvest caught quite a lot of vignerons off guard, and left them in a catch-22 situation where the grapes ripen fast, and the needed pickers are on holiday – and not immediately available.

This is a huge problem … and a potential disaster!!

The high alcohol – I say this again!

No reason to beat around the bush… the alcohol levels are high, and currently it is unusual to harvest below 14% in the big appellations… and levels around 14 to 15% are normal in 2026 … and they will climb even higher if the vignerons wait too long.

They are big wines … and alcohol levels beyond 17% have been seen !!!! … and above 14% is normal and should be accepted as a part of the 2026 characteristics.

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Rich but very fine aromatics so far

The aromatics are, however, lovely in many cuvees … this is the benefit of the small but very healthy grapes … many wines are giving a lush pleasure … in a strange way, their taste is very good even with these elevated alcohol levels.

This is new territory in Burgundy … no one really knows what happens when a Burgundy wine reaches 17% … and to be honest, most don’t want to know.

Harvest window?

We are talking August 21st, and dreaming about a harvest at the start of September and reasonable alcohol seems quite unrealistic. More and more are speaking about a further drop in acidity and a rise in the PH values – an indication of more unstable and heavy wines.

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This is soon becoming a simple struggle of just getting the wines in the cellar before it’s really too late. So the next week (August 24th to August 30th) is really the last harvest window, unless your vineyards get a spell of this elusive and magical rain!

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Harvest activity

Quite a lot of prominent estates are in the vineyards picking … names like Meo-Camuzet, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Dujac, Cécile Tremblay, Rousseau, and DRC started at the beginning of this week.

Think it will be pedal to the metal … to avoid using the ink to print 16% on the label.

The Winehog will be here today and in the days to come … we are here as long as I get your support! So please subscribe!

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Harvest time … Forecast

Forecast date	Harvest Côte de Beaune	Harvest Côte de Nuits
May 18th	August 15th	August 22th
June 20th	August 15th	August 22th
July 5th	August 15th	August 22th
August 7th	August 12th	August 18th
August 9th	August 7th	August 9th – early start small plots
2025 Harvest Final	August 17th	August 27th

Weather – forecast

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Harvest articles

• Harvest 2026 – lacking pickers
• Harvest 2026 – the alcohol in the room
• Harvest 2026 – avanti … Avanti!!
• Harvest 2026 – a fair bit of rain!
• Harvest 2026 – here we go … but no rain
• Harvest 2026 – Burgundy is now in harvest mode
• Harvest 2026 – possible panic is lurking
• Harvest 2026 – Friends, free and Fee
• Harvest 2026 – preparing for harvest next week
• Harvest 2026 – preparing the start
• Harvest 2026 – the harvest unfolds
• Harvest 2026 – has started
• Harvest 2026 – less than two weeks to the start

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Contact – mail me a tip or a photo

Send me an email – if you have some harvest news

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