Burgundy harvest: Low yields with good fruit reported

By Oliver Catchpole

Published: 11 November, 2025

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) has released its 2025 Burgundy harvest report, detailing low yields but healthy grapes.

The vintage was shaped by unusual growing conditions, including two heatwaves followed by a rainy harvest season that produced small, healthy berries that the Board described as “packed with flavour and colour”.

Additionally, vinification went smoothly, as a result of quick and even fermentations helped along by well-balanced sugar levels, while the acidity of the grapes remained intact.

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The season began under ideal conditions, with a cold winter that gradually warmed throughout late March and April, leading to mid-budbreak on April 8 (in-line with the 31-year average, although with regional variation).

By mid-April, mild temperatures and a good amount of rainfall meant the vines were developing rapidly, hampered only by a slight cooldown in May.

After first flowering occurred as early as 26 May, early summer temperatures kickstarted and accelerated blooms (although rain and humidity led to coulure and millerandage in some later-flowering areas).

The first heatwave of summer had a decisive impact on yields, as thickening skins, small berries and decreasing pulp content were observed. However, these were taken as positive signs for juice concentration. An additional heatwave (8-18 August) meant that ripening concluded rapidly (although some fruit showed signs of sunburn).

As Jason Haynes, founding director of Flint Wines – the independent wine merchant – explained to Harpers: “The second 'canicule' was especially important in terms of volumes, as much of the juice in the grapes evaporated as a result of the heat.”

The harvest was completed throughout Burgundy just after mid-September.

Haynes added: “Rain arrived towards the end of August and some growers decided to harvest before it fell as the analytical numbers were good and some harvested after. It very much depended which village you were based in and how you farm.

“As always, there was no definitively right or wrong answer, as top domaine were split as to what they did. Those that harvested after perhaps saw potential alcohol drop by a degree or so but didn't see volumes of juice jump that significantly as they might have hoped.”

BIVB detailed that despite a few issues with frost and hail, along with an uneven rainfall distribution in summer, “quantities are average, but the fruit’s excellent health and the purity of the juice has yielded a high-quality vintage”.

This year captured a range of expressions, a reflection of the variety of terroirs and microclimates in Burgundy.

The harvest occurred in two waves for Crémant de Bourgogne. The first took place in the August sun, resulting in structured and expressive base with depth and aromatic clarity, while the second – taking place after the early September rains – gave rise to fresher and more delicate grapes.

Among white wines, BIVB said two styles in particular have emerged – the first type is tense and fresh, with notes of white-fleshed fruit, while the second kind are richer, broader and smooth, offering notes of exotic fruits.

Meanwhile, small, thick-skinned berries ripened well, leading to deeply coloured red wines with moderate alcohol levels. The reds were described as having a “sense of poise and lightness”, well balanced with notes of small red fruits, such as cherry and raspberry in particular.

Overall, BIVB said that 2025 was “a vintage for the cellar – a year to set aside while enjoying older or more approachable wines in the meantime”.

Commenting on how this year’s wines compared to last year, Haynes added: “For now, growers are more focused on highlighting the success (quality-wise at least) of their 24s which perhaps required more mental and physical energy from their entire teams throughout last year than any other vintage ever. 2024 is a vintage that would not have been made 25 years ago.

“So, here we have two very different vintages, one small in volume because of bad weather and one small in volume because of good weather. They will both be very different stylistically and both will be in very short supply. There is generally less white in 2025 than 2024 and it's the reverse for the reds.

“Both are potentially fascinating and very much a testament to the brilliance of the modern-day Burgundian winemaker.”

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