Now that we’ve gotten your attention with a suitably sensationalist headline, let’s bring things back down to Earth with a much more palatable reality check.
According to reporting by industry experts, Aussie consumers can expect a “mild” shortage of Champagne this Christmas – largely confined to premium, group-owned marques like Veuve Clicquot (Moët Hennessy) and Perrier-Jouet (Pernot Ricard).
The news arrives off the back of a similar trend that is currently affecting markets in Europe and North America. In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this November, Philippe Schaus, Global CEO for Moët Hennessy, explained widespread loosening of COVID-19 restrictions and record levels of demand among consumers had resulted in what luxury analysts have already nicknamed the new “Roaring 20s.”
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In addition, issues that have been endemic in the luxury goods sector since 2020 continue to put a drag on supply; with logistics delays proving particularly fatal for Australian importers – who are among the most reliant on Champagne’s global supply chain.
Understandably, all of this has been exacerbated by the popularity of Champagne brands amongst the Australian public, which count the country as the 6th biggest market for French fizz worldwide.
At any given time, Champagne is a popular choice for gifting and large-format consumption; but the style achieved new heights of popularity during the nation’s manifold lockdowns (so much so that sales volumes rose 16.5% between 2020 – 2021).
The soft run on large Champagne houses presents Australian consumers with an opportunity to shift gears – moving away from commercially mainstream choices in lieu of family-owned operators (i.e. the emerging niche of “grower” Champagnes) or an altogether non-French alternative.
“We have diversification of interest into gin, craft vodka [and] boutique wineries,” observed Kyla Kirkpatrick, CEO of Emperor Champagne, in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald.
“So why are consumers still [sticking to] drinking big-name Champagnes?”
It’s a great question. One we can’t wait to tackle, with libations less beholden to a global shortage, over the holidays.
