AOC wine of Burgundy’s Beaujolais, mostly Gamay, light, vibrant and early-drinking
Dutch rider Demi Vollering has seized the yellow jersey on the Tour de France Femmes stage to Mont Ventoux, stretching her overall lead. Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney and Elisa Longo Borghini chased, but Vollering pulled clear on the final climb and finished first, with Longo Borghini second and Niewiadoma-Phinney third. Defending champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot has withdrawn due to illness.
France has recorded a sharply reduced 2026 grape harvest after an exceptionally hot, dry summer pushed harvests earlier and cut yields. Champagne production has fallen by about half and regulators have temporarily allowed some 2026 bubbly to reach 15% alcohol after sugar levels rose in sun‑stressed grapes. The agriculture ministry has estimated total output near 33.9m hectolitres.
A look at autumn meals from Sardinia’s riso con maiale e zafferano to apple specials in UK cooking, drawing on Guardian and Business Insider UK pieces as the season turns.
The French wine harvest has fallen about 2% to around 35 million hectolitres, down from 2025 and well below the 2021–2025 average. While hot weather pushed yields down in many regions, some southern areas like Bordeaux show a rebound in volume. Champagne suffered an especially early harvest with output halved from last year, though growers report exceptional quality visually and in taste. Burgundy-Beaujolais remains 30% below the five-year average. The ministry and industry praise overall excellent harvest health.