CHAMPAGNE: GLOBAL EXPORTS GROWING. ITALY CONTINUES TO INCREASES DESPITE CRISIS. A PROJECT UNDERWAY FOR THE REVISION OF THE AREA OF DENOMINATION BY 2021 ACCORDING TO DIANEL LORSON OF CIVC (COMITÉ INTERPROFESSIONNEL DU VIN DE CHAMPAGNE)

The wineries in the Champagne region produced 338 million bottles in 2007, and, of these, 150.9 million were sent to 190 different countries. Today, exports represent 45% and have tripled their volume in respect to the 1980’s, when exports didn’t even reach one third of the total. Italy, with its 10.3 million bottles of Champagne imported in 2007, has climbed the world classification and moved into fourth place for volume and third place for value. In the first semester of 2008, regardless of the crisis, Italy confirms a continued growth in volume of 1.16% compared to the previous year.

This data was released by the Champagne Information Center for Italy during Champagne Day, which was held recently in Milan. The event was accompanied by a Champagne tasting and confirmed, once again, the passion Italians have for the sparkling wine from across the Alps. Professionals were presented with 59 different labels that are distributed on the Italian market, including over 160 cuvèe tastings.

“The global demand for Champagne continues to grow. Today, Champagne production represents 12% of the entire sparkling wine market”, declared Daniel Lorson, Director of Communications for CIVC (Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne), which reunites Champagne producers. Lorson also noted that there is a revision project in the works for the territory under the Champagne denomination and explained that, “in order to mediate some gaps in the delimitation of the Champagne area, which was defined at the beginning of the 20th century, a revision procedure of the denomination was begun”.

The revision of all of the French denominations is under the responsibility of INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité). In 2006, a commission of five experts was nominated to define the criteria of the revision and to formulate proposals that were then presented in March of 2008.

The new area of elaboration, that is, the area in which it may now be possible to label and bottle Champagne, could grow from 635 to 673 municipalities. The production area of the grape, in which it would be possible to cultivate the vineyards destined for Champagne making, could also grow from 319 to 357 municipalities.

”Starting with very stringent qualitative and objective criteria, the commission has also proposed the exclusion of some municipalities that benefited from the denomination”, stated Lorson.

By the end of 2008, beginning 2009, after having examined the claims, the commission will present its definitive project to INAO and then a draft will be presented to the state council that will officiate the new definition of the geographic area.
“Only when this step is concluded will the last phase of the delimitation be able to begin with the revision of the land parcels in 357 municipalities in the production area of the grape, or rather, the delineation of the land parcels that can effectively produce with the Champagne denomination… If this step is completed by 2015, the first wines resulting from these revisions could be commercialized by 2021”.