Champagne Makers Bubble Over A Bumper Crop Caused By European Drought

From National Public Radio:

Europe had one of its hottest summers on record this year and many crops were destroyed in the heat and drought. But the summer of 2018 has produced a bumper crop in Champagne. ...
On the plus side, winemakers in Champagne say the warmer temperatures are increasing the quantity and quality of their grapes. But they admit that the new climate may end up changing many old winemaking methods. They say it will be important to adapt.
"What I'm hearing around me, even from people older than 80 years, is that this is the best harvest they've ever had," says Philippe Schaus, the CEO of Moet Hennessy.
Experts are predicting a sharp rise in production — perhaps up as much as 50 percent from last year. Schaus says some of the excess wine will be stored for use in leaner harvest years. But that still leaves a lot to be bottled.