Demand for Champagne has been surging in recent months, and that’s especially been true in the United States.
Last year, the French region shipped more than 33 million bottles of bubbly to America, according to data from the Champagne Bureau, USA. That’s a 31 percent increase from 2019, and the highest amount shipped anywhere outside of France.
“The strength of the U.S. market in 2022 shows that Americans are still eager to consume Champagne,” Gaëlle Egoroff, the director of protection and appellation promotion activities at the Comité Champagne, said in a statement. “In addition, American consumers are increasingly seeking out new moments for Champagne consumption outside of celebrations or special events, contributing to this strong result.”
In total, the U.S. received 33,720,198 bottles of Champagne, worth more than $997.9 million. Globally, the region shipped out 325.5 million bottles last year, up 1.5 percent from 2021. The total value of all shipments surpassed $6.6 billion for the first time ever.
What accounts for the increased interest in Champagne? The Champagne Bureau attributed the massive increase to a return to pre-Covid habits, such as in-person celebrations and gatherings. Additionally, the organization noted that more people are turning to Champagne during smaller, more untraditional moments, such as after-work happy hours or meals with family and friends. After the past few years, we’ve certainly learned that those quieter moments are just as worth celebrating, if not even more so.
The Champagne Bureau, USA is the official stateside representative of the Comité Champagne, a trade group for the grape growers and houses of the Champagne region. In response to the wild demand it saw last year, the Comité Champagne is planning to increase its annual budget by a whopping 50 percent and create a new center for research, development, and innovation, among other changes.
While that’s good news for fans of bubbly, Champagne is facing a bit of a crisis: Some producers are expecting a shortage for the next couple of years. However, there should be more than enough of the good stuff to supply the world in 2023, as long as people don’t start hoarding bottles. Thankfully, if the Champagne Bureau’s analysis is to be believed, it seems like people are breaking out the bubbly whenever they feel like it.
