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#TBT FIVE TOP CHAMPAGNE BRANDS BY GLOBAL SALES FOR 2014

2014 Champagne sales hit second highest total on record with
over 308m bottles of Champagne being sold. This represent a 1% rise in global Champagne sales from 2013.

The Comite Champagne, formerly the CIVC, also estimated that worldwide Champagne sales reached 4.5bn euros in value terms, up from 4.3bn euros in 2013 and the second highest annual total on record, behind 2007.

This suggests consumers have traded up to higher priced Champagne, despite fierce discounting. Exports drove the increases in volume and value in 2014.

Most champagne houses, growers and co-operatives lowered their dosages since the start of the century, with an average reduction of 2.8 g/l over the last 15 years, a measurable reflection of an increase in BNV quality resulting from harvesting riper, cleaner grapes, and producing richer, more complex blends.

Compiled here is a list of the top Five Champagne brands, by global sales, for 2014. Where are your favourite Champagnes ranked?

1. Moët & Chandon

Size (approx. annual sales, 2014): 2.45m cases

Cellar master: Benoît Gouez

It’s widely acknowledged that the quality of the world’s biggest Champagne brand – and flagship wine in the LVMH stable – has improved since Benoit Gouez became cellar master in 2005.

Within the last decade the category leader has benefitted from updated winemaking facilities, an increased proportion of reserve wine, better viticultural management and, as a result, riper fruit and richer, cleaner wines, which, in turn, have allowed for a lower dosage – Moët dropped to 9g/l in 2012, having previously hovered around 12 g/l.

During this period, they shifted its celebrity allegiance from actress Scarlett Johansson to tennis star Roger Federer – who remains the global Moët brand ambassador today.

In recent years the brand has not been tempted to release a drier variant of Moët and the house has no extra brut (6 g/l or below) or brut nature (0 g/l) Champagne, but, in the same year it discontinued its White Star, Moët introduced the Ice Impérial, which, with a 45 g/l dosage, is a much sweeter version designed for serving over ice.

Brand owner: Moët Hennessy

Head office: 20 Avenue de Champagne, 51200, Epernay, France

Website: www.moet.com

Product range: Moët & Chandon, Impérial NV, Rosé NV, Ice Impérial, Grand Vintage Blanc, Grand Vintage Rosé

2. Veuve Clicquot

Size (approx. annual sales, 2014): 1.55m cases

Cellar master: Dominique Demarville

Similar to Moët, Veuve Clicquot has seen its dosage fall by a few grams per litre over the last decade, but has retained its relatively opulent style, a function of the high Pinot Noir content in the blend, as well as high proportion of reserve wine, and more than 30 months spent ageing on its lees in the cellars.

It is the first brand to use biodegradable gift boxes made from its own grapes.

Brand owner: Moët Hennessy

Head office: 13 Rue Albert Thomas, 51100, Reims, France

Website: www.veuve-clicquot.com

Product range: Brut Yellow Label, Rosé, Demi-Sec, Vintage, Rosé Vintage, Cave Privée, La Grande Dame

3. Nicolas Feuillatte

Size (approx. annual sales, 2014): 875,000 cases

Cellar master: David Hénault

Director of winemaking: Guillaume Roffiaen

Made at, and owned by, the cooperative The Centre Vinicole Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (CV-CNF), the brand has access to 2,250 hectares of grapes from 5,000 growers at a winery which can ferment as much as 300,000 hectolitres each year.

Founded in 1976 – the label has a strong following for its contemporary packaging, good value blends, and partnerships with the arts.

Nicolas Feuillatte’s best selling blend is its Brut NV, accounting for 80% of sales.

Brand owner: Centre Vinicole–Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Head office: Chouilly, BP 210, 51206, Epernay Cedex, France

Website: www.nicolas-feuillatte.com 

Product range: Brut NV, Brut Réserve, Brut Grande Réserve, Demi Sec, Rosé NV, D’Luscious Rosé NV, Brut Vintage, Brut Extrem’, Cuvée Spéciale Vintage, Brut Chardonnay Vintage, One Four Brut, One Four Rosé, Cuvée 225 Brut Vintage, Cuvée 225 Rosé Vintage, Grand Cru Chadonnay Vintage, Grand Cru Pinot Noir Vintage, Palmes d’Or Brut Vintage, Palmes d’Or Rosé Vintage

4. G.H Mumm Cordon

Size (approx. annual sales, 2014): 638,000 cases

Cellar master: Didier Mariotti

Famous for its red stripe and regular appearances on Formula 1 podiums, GH Mumm sits alongside Perrier-Jouët in the Pernod Ricard Champagne portfolio.

Niche, but excellent Champagnes in the range include the Mumm de Cramant blanc de blancs and Mumm de Verzenay blanc de noirs – the latter launched in 2012, initially just for the French market

Brand owner: Pernod Ricard

Head office: 29 rue de Champ des Mars, 51053 Reims, France

Website: www.ghmumm.com

Product range: Brut Cordon Rouge, Brut Rosé, Demi-Sec, Brut Millésimé, Mumm de Cramant Blanc de Blancs, Mumm de Verzenay Blanc de Noirs, Brut Séléction, Cuvée R. Lalou

5. Laurent-Perrier

Size (approx. annual sales, 2014): 545,000 cases

Cellar master: Michel Fauconnet

It is the largest family-owned house in France and currently headed by Alexandra and Stephanie, daughters of the legendary Bernard de Nonancourt

Brand owner: Group Laurent-Perrier

Head office: Domaine Laurent-Perrier, 51150, Tours-sur-Marne, France

Website: www.laurent-perrier.com

Product range: Brut NV, Rosé NV, Ultra-Brut, Demi-Sec, Brut Millésimé, Grand Siècle, Les Réserves Grand Siècle, Alexandra Rosé

Source: Drinks Business and Decanter

The Region of Champagne Takes the Lead on Climate Change

At a time when Paris is hosting the COP 21 talks that could pave the way for an agreement on combating climate change, the Champagne Region is contributing to the international effort through its pioneering commitment to sustainable and responsible wine-growing.

Global warming in the region is a fact: temperatures have increased by close to 1.2°C in 30 years and the blossoming and grape harvest dates have moved forward by a fortnight. “The Champagne Region very quickly grasped that climate change was a priority issue and we were duty-bound to plan ahead”, explains Vincent Perrin, the director general of the Comité Champagne.
The whole Champagne Region began to get involved in the 1980s, implementing solutions to protect the environment (technical specifications, decision-making tools, advice and support).

In 2003, Champagne was the world’s first wine-growing region to calculate its carbon footprint and implement a carbon plan which enabled several focus areas to be selected (sustainable wine-growing, transport and freight, building energy efficiency, responsible procurement and fostering active involvement) and led to truly innovative solutions being developed, such as reducing the weight of Champagne bottles by 7%.

In a decade, the region has managed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 15% per bottle shipped, making it one of the few industries to have reduced its emissions in absolute terms.
All of the region’s professionnals are now involved in the initiative.

Moreover, UNESCO’s decision to include the Champagne Slopes, Houses and Cellars on its World Heritage List is a source of encouragement for the efforts made and demonstrates the industry’s ability to preserve its heritage.

“The Champagne houses and growers are more united than ever before around a sustainable wine-growing strategy. Promoting our wines means constantly innovating so that we can pass on our economic and environmental heritage to future generations”, conclude Pascal Férat and Jean-Marie Barillère.

Source: CIVC, France

Chicago’s First Official Champagne Grand Tasting

The largest official Champagne tasting in the United States kicks off today at the Ivy Room in Chicago. Trade and media attendees will have the opportunity to taste more than 100 unique wines from 36 different Champagne producers.

The event celebrates those wines produced in Champagne, France, which can only be called Champagne. Organized by the Comite Champagne, which represents all the grape growers and houses of Champagne, the tasting gives media, trade and the wine industry a special opportunity to taste and increase their knowledge of a wide variety of wines from the region available on the U.S. market.

“This is the first time we have hosted a Champagne tasting in Chicago and the fourth one we have held in the United States,” said Sam Heitner, director of the Champagne Bureau, USA the representative of the Comite Champagne in the United States. “The selection of more than 30 Champagne brands highlights the authentic qualities that are born from the land, climate and centuries-old methods that can only be found in Champagne, France.”

Jean-Marie Barillere, the Chairman of the Comite Champagne, and Thibaut Le Mailloux, Communications Director of the Comite Champagne are attending the tasting along with leadership from a number of prominent Champagne producers.

“Champagne is a location, 90 miles northeast of Paris, clearly defined and delimited since 1927; this wine region is integral to our unique product. That is why we say that ‘Champagne only comes from Champagne’ and why virtually every country in the world reserves the Champagne name exclusively for these wines,” said Le Mailloux. “With this event, we seek to increase understanding of the Champagne region in the United States, reaffirm the organization’s long-standing commitment to supporting the U.S. market and ensure U.S. trade, journalists and consumers know Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.”

Earlier this year, China and Brazil officially reserved the “Champagne” name for wines only from Champagne, France. Canada will follow on January 1, 2014. These countries join numerous others including Australia, India, Mexico, the EU and South Africa in ensuring that wine labels make it clear: Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.

In 2012, Champagne shipped 308 million bottles worldwide, with more than 17.7 million bottles shipped to the United States, making it Champagne’s second largest export market behind the UK.

SOURCE Champagne Bureau, USA

Global Champagne exports rise 3.4%

Champagne exports across the globe have increased by 3.4% in value while the number of bottles exported fell by four million in 2012, according to the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC).
The UK topped the list with Champagne exports increasing by 0.5% in value despite volumes dropped by 6.1% to 32.4 million bottles.

The increase in value was due to heavy spending from wealthy consumers from Russia and China living in London and often visit restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs – these places account for 30% of UK sales.
UK Champagne Bureau, the educational and promotional arm of CIVC, director Françoise Peretti said though the consumption of Champagne has gone down, consumers are paying high for the drinks. “We are seeing a new market emerging, as discerning consumers come and settle in London from developing Champagne markets such as China, India and Russia,” Peretti added. “This is where they choose to come to explore the best of Champagne.”

Liz Palmer

Henri Krug [1937-2013]

Henri Krug, former director and chef de caves of Krug Champagne has died March 7 at the age of 75.

“Henri Krug’s passing is the disappearance of one of Champagne’s great personalities,” said Daniel Lorson, former communications director of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC). “He knew how to talk about wines like none other. He had an exceptional talent for explaining the art of blending, and knew in simple terms how to define the Krug style.”

Henri was the fifth generation overseeing Krug’s production and management, along with his younger brother Rémi. The house was founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug. Though Remy Cointreau purchased Krug in 1969 and luxury goods giant LVMH took charge in 1999, the Krug family always remained deeply involved, working with a notable degree of independence.

Henri’s time at Krug began in 1962, at the age of 25. Following family tradition and in order to preserve the house’s distinctive style, he worked closely with his father, Paul Krug II, as well as his retired grandfather Joseph Krug II. In 1965, Rémi joined the firm, and their responsibilities were quickly and easily divided: Henri managed the vineyards and winemaking, while Rémi largely handled communications and business.
“We always said we were two sides of the same fruit,” Rémi told a French newspaper after his brother passed away. “He was calm, reserved, unassuming, modest and always ready to listen to other people.”

Though they worked side by side for many years with their father, Henri’s and Rémi partnership shaped the modern lineup of Krug Champagne. To begin with, they reintroduced the house’s prestige bottling in 1979 as the Grande Cuvée, packaging the wine in the distinctive, fluted bottle that is a hallmark of Krug Champagne today. Henri also formalized the tasting panel that works for months each year creating and blending the wine, as well as strengthening the house’s relationships with top growers in the region and their supply of high-quality grapes.

In 1971 Krug purchased approximately 15 acres of land in the village of Le Mesnil sur Oger, including the enclosed, 4.5-acre Clos du Mesnil vineyard. With an exceptional harvest in 1979 and the quality of the Chardonnay of this vineyard, the brothers eschewed Champagne’s tradition of blending multiple grape varieties and produced the 1979 Brut Blanc de Blancs Clos du Mesnil (98 points non-blind, $3,350 at auction), made from one grape, from one plot and one outstanding year. The wine has been an icon of Champagne ever since.

At roughly the same time, Rémi recognized growing market demand for rosé Champagne. Though their father was against the idea, the brothers felt strongly enough about its potential to secretly produce a rosé in 1976. After aging was complete in 1983, they served the wine blind to their father. Paul was sufficiently impressed that a rosé could adhere to the house style, and so a Brut Rosé NV was created.

The latest addition to Krug’s bottlings, the vintage Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d’Ambonnay, owes inspiration to Henri as well. Henri’s son Olivier began working with the house in 1979, and following Clos du Mesnil’s success, Henri planted an idea in his son’s head, saying, “Maybe your responsibility is to find a Pinot Noir vineyard to be a little brother to Clos du Mesnil.” Krug purchased the 1.7-acre Clos d’Ambonnay vineyard in 1994, releasing the 1995 vintage (95 points) in 2009, for $3,500/bottle.

“He was a perfectionist who has been able to convey his passion and demand for precision to Olivier,” said Lorson.

Henri officially retired in 2002, but remained active with the house’s day-to-day work until 2007. Henri left the reins of Krug in the hands of Olivier, director of the house since 2009, and Eric Lebel, chef de caves since 1998.

Henri is survived by his brother Rémi, his wife, Odile, their five children and several grandchildren.