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Thirst for the High Life Creates 'Champagne Rationing' Threat |
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Monday, 19 November 2007 |
Shoppers planning to enjoy champagne over the festive season have been given a sober warning from Britain's oldest wine merchants: supplies of top bottles are starting to run so low that customers face the prospect of rationing.
Berry Bros & Rudd, the 300-year-old vintner in St James's, London, says it may have to open waiting lists for some bottles, particularly larger sizes like magnums, which have been increasingly sought after.
In the next few years, the company predicted it might have to limit the number of bottles per customer to ensure a fair supply.
Steadily growing demand from Western countries and a surge of interest from newly-wealthy consumers in India and Russia are driving the 3bn-a-year global market. Russians, in particular, like to see leading crus at parties.
Larger bottles such as the magnum containing 1.5 litres (the equivalent of two normal bottles) the Jeroboam (four bottles) and the Methuselah (eight bottles) have been particularly sought after—despite experts being less than dazzled by their taste.
Champagne production lags behind trends by several years and the leading houses did not anticipate the larger bottles becoming so highly prized. During the past 10 years, production from the 35,000 hectares of the Champagne region has been 330 million bottles a year. Last year demand hit 333 million bottles in the 12 months to August 2007 —11 million more than during the previous year.
Frederick Cumenal, president of Met & Chandon, warned last year: "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." As a result, producers are intending to swell the Champagne appellation with 40 new villages—the first change since official maps were drawn up in 1927—which might raise production to 430 million bottles by 2011. This year's champagne production is set to turn out some 375 million bottles.
But Berry Bros & Rudd's champagne buyer Simon Field said supply could start to fall short in the next few years, with problems hitting the grand marques by 2009. "With demand on the up and supply remaining static, getting hold of premium champagne is going to become increasingly challenging—particularly the larger bottles, like magnums," he said.
The champagne house Bollinger has run out of magnums and Pol Roger is restricting the number of its large format bottles.
"In a few years' time, we may well have champagne rationing."
Some champagne houses are now looking to England, such as Louis Roederer, maker of Cristal champagne, whose executives toured vineyards in Kent and Sussex in September with a view to investing in wine production.
Field, one of 265 Masters of Wine worldwide, said: "Getting hold of cheap fizz from supermarkets won't be a problem, but if you want the best, plan ahead and secure the bottles you really want."
(C) 2007 The Independent - London. All Rights Reserved
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