The Drinks Business reports that Champagne’s industry bodies have capped the 2026 marketable yield at 8,800 kilograms per hectare, equivalent to roughly 250 million bottles and the lowest limit of the modern era apart from 2020. The measure is intended to prevent overproduction and reduce stocks, while first-half shipments rose modestly to 107.1 million bottles, supported by exports, and an unusually early harvest is expected to begin across many vineyards in late August.