Britons first to be hit by global champagne shortage
By PETER STEBBINGS
Last updated at 09:19 13 August 2007
Increasing global demand for champagne means there could soon be a worldwide shortage - with Britons likely to be the first to miss out.
Vineyard owners in eastern France are refusing to sell tens of millions of bottles stocked in their cellars because they see them as their retirement "nest-eggs".
The result is that the most prestigious French champagne houses are having trouble keeping pace with rising demand in the US and emerging markets such as Russia, China and India.
Patrick Le Brun, head of the union of champagne vineyard owners, said Britons will be the first to feel the pinch.
"If there isn't enough to go around, the producers will prefer places where there is growth," he said.
Frederic Cumenal, president of Moet & Chandon, said: "The industry has always succeeded in coping with demand.
"Today it's no longer the case. Yields are at a maximum and we will soon hit a wall."
Global champagne sales have risen sharply in recent years, from 287million bottles in 2002 to 321million in 2006.
This year they are forecast to reach 330million, with exports to Russia alone growing by 39 per cent as the country's so-called "New Russians" bask in their new-found wealth.
But that is nothing compared to other developing countries such as China and India, where exports are growing by 50 per cent and 125 per cent respectively.
The shortfall lies in the fact only 32,600 hectares of vineyards are authorised to produce the black grapes needed for champagne.
Experts say the maximum number of bottles that can be wrung out of that land is 350million and claim the champagne industry is a victim of commercial success, strict red tape and an ingrained conservative mentality of those who grow its grapes.
They say the only way to solve the shortage in the short term is for the grape-growers in France to agree to sell the estimated 100million bottles currently maturing in cellars.
A long-term solution is for more vines to be planted, although official permission is required to do so, and this is believed to be at least ten years off being granted.
Most watched News videos
- Strictly's professional dancers display 'controversial behaviour'
- Ex-Gov Adviser: IT outage was a 'digital auto-immune disorder'
- Shocking footage shows aftermath of carjacking that saw woman killed
- Just Stop Oil warriors surround van detaining co-founder Roger Hallam
- Chris Packham calls long Just Stop Oil prison sentences 'bonkers'
- Moment police in Leeds forcefully take children out of the house
- Shocking moment cowardly driver leaves fiancee to die after car crash
- Shocking scenes in Leeds as gang of thugs overturns a police car
- Leeds riots: Heartbroken father sobs and begs for his children back
- Leeds: Moment rioting thugs throw fridge into fire and ignite bus
- Cyber security expert: Crowdstrike CEO 'downplayed' outage impact
- Shocking scenes in Leeds as 'explosion' sends people running