Hold the Strike! Compromise Reached On 2009 Champagne Harvest

Photo by Klaus Graber

Wednesday's meeting to decide upon the size of this year's harvest in Champagne reached a compromise that was a minor victory for the smaller producers (Récoltants-Manipulants) and grape growers(vignerons).

You may remember the background from my earlier post

http://tinyurl.com/n9v3ur

 -  large champagne houses wanted a drastic cut-back in the size of the harvest to reduce stocks of wine and stabilise prices, whilst the other parties wanted a more generous harvest to secure some cash-flow and, in the case of the RM, to develop their sales. The vignerons were threatening to strike if they didn't get what they wanted.

In the end a somewhat complex agreement was reached

The maximum anyone is allowed to harvest is 14,000 kg of grapes per hectare ( that's about 13,000 lbs per acre).

However, the big houses ( known collectively as Le Négoce ) may only use 8,000 kg to ferment into wine with which to make champagne.

That should allow them to reduce their stocks of wine over the next 2 years, which is what they wanted all along.

The RM and vigerons will be allowed to harvest  9,700 kg / hectare which will keep them reasonably happy as well.

This is the first time in ages that the smaller growers will have more grapes at their  disposal than Le Négoce - that's a revealing insight into the way the market is going at present, with sales of the small grower champagne holding up reasonably well compared to the bigger brands.

The remaining 4,300 kg must be fermented into wine and put aside in what is called 'blocquage' until 2010 when, and not before, it may be used to make into champagne.

Now it remains to be seen at what level the price of grapes will be set, but that should be announced any time now.

Looks as though there won't be any strike in Paris after all.

Jiles

Comments

[Pascale Bernasse]

good post, interesting insight regarding the Champagne industry..hopefully this will help the grower producers and the large houses.

[John Sturrock]

Guess this all means I'll just have to drink a bit more of this lovely bubbly!!!

Onwards and Upwards.

John :)