Champagne permits a limited exception to its 13% total alcohol rule
A targeted Champagne exception, effective 29 October 2026, permits more than 13% total alcohol after secondary fermentation for specified blends bottled for that fermentation in 2027. It covers unenriched 2026 wine blended with enriched wine from earlier harvests.
The order was signed on 22 October and published on 28 October 2026. It responds to that summer's heatwaves and exceptional drought, which produced grapes with particularly high potential alcohol levels.
For every vessel used in the blend, producers must record its volume, alcohol content and any enrichment rate. The measure is not a general increase in Champagne's alcohol limit and does not set a new 15% ceiling. The reporting time shown here is that of the TF1 Info / AFP report, not a precise publication time for the legal text.
“Reported” is when the source published the report; “Verified” is when the editors checked the sources. A date or a source link does not by itself guarantee accuracy.
