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Crémant sales continued to rise sharply in 2023, while Champagne sales fell again. According to the producers' association FNPEC (Fédération Nationale des Producteurs et Élaborateurs de Crémant), over 108 million bottles from the eight Crémant appellations were sold last year - almost six million or 5.7 per cent more than in 2022. 40 per cent of these were exported, 60 per cent were sold in France. According to the FNPEC, the average price per bottle has also continued to rise. The largest volume was sold by Alsace producers with 39.4 million bottles, followed by Loire (26.7 million) and Burgundy (22.3 million).
These figures contrast with the 14-month decline in champagne sales. Only 299 million bottles of champagne were sold in 2023. According to figures from the Comité Champagne, this is 8.2 per cent less than in 2022. Sales figures fell even more sharply in the first quarter of 2024. At 67.4 million bottles, sales in this period were 17.1 per cent lower than in the first quarter of 2023, when the Champagne houses were still able to sell 81.2 million bottles.
Champagne sales fell even more sharply in the first quarter of 2024. The CIVC reports a decline of 17.1 per cent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Sales have now fallen for 14 months in a row. Export sales even fell by 21.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2024. Sales to the EU accounted for the largest share of the decline at 25.2 per cent. Sales outside the European Union fell by 19.7 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2023. Non-vintage champagnes were affected the most.
(uka /sources: FNPEC, CIVC, dpa, wine-searcher.com)