Heat and rain shaped Provence’s early 2026 harvest

Provence’s 2026 grape harvest was early and took place amid exceptional heat, several heatwaves and drought, according to a Terre de Vins report published on September 28. Summer rain and preparations carried out in advance helped limit the damage from those conditions. Two episodes of rain also slowed harvesting before Grenache, Syrah and Rolle were brought in. In the Var, consulting oenologist Gilles Masson, who owns Domaine Masson, described the resilience of vines that remained green after three separate heatwaves.