2023-08-10 08:46:00
Due to climate change, the northern French sparkling wines are becoming slightly richer and less fresh. But the demand for champagne is growing, partly due to new enthusiasts from the corona era.
The champagne market is flourishing. Winegrowers shipped more than 325 million bottles from the northern French region in 2022, reports trade association Committee Champagne, making it a top year for champagne. For the first time, more than six billion euros worth of champagne was sold, partly because of inflation.
The Dutch are also drinking more and more champagne, says wine journalist Gert Crum. “We always drank it on New Year’s Eve. Unlike Belgians and Italians, for example, who open a bottle at Sunday lunch.”
During the corona period, champagne sales in the Netherlands suddenly increased by 15 percent – a glass of bubbles instead of a trip to the coast. Thanks to the new group of enthusiasts, the Netherlands is once once more in the top ten champagne-importing countries.
But climate change is putting champagne under pressure. Especially extreme weather – hailstorms, frost, or even drought – can cause varying harvests and reduced production. “There is stress among champagne producers that they cannot meet demand in bad years.”
Real wine connoisseurs can already taste the climate crisis in their glass. “The grapes ripen slightly, which makes the taste richer and less fresh.” This difference is still subtle, and winemakers adjust the taste with fermentation techniques. But fifty years from now, the Dutch bottle on New Year’s Eve may taste quite different than it does now.
Read also:
Champagne, cava, cap wet or lambrusco: which bubbles do you choose and where can you get them?
With bubbles, the darkest days become a lot more cozy. You don’t have to grab the most expensive bottle. And those who want to be on top of the wine trends choose unashamedly cloudy, naturally sparkling.
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