Drink less, drink better: some economic indicators suggest that the Italian market for champagne is heading in this direction. The new trending term is “premiumization” — an awkward word, perhaps, but one that captures the shift perfectly.
Maida Mercuri Shares Her Knowledge
Linguistic preferences aside, a conversation with Maida Mercuri quickly reveals that the situation has its contradictions, but there’s reason to view it with optimism. Maida is a force of nature — knowledgeable, energetic, and utterly passionate.
She began her wine journey in 1979 (“though I started drinking much earlier”) and proudly recalls, “back then, I was the youngest professional sommelier”. With a career spent at the top of the game, tasting the finest wines, and importing récoltant manipulant champagnes — those crafted by producers using only their own grapes — Maida has an insider’s view of the French sparkling wine scene.
Comité Champagne Says Italians Drink Less But Better
Before diving into her insights, let’s take a broader view for a moment. According to the Comité Champagne, Italy imported around 10 million bottles in 2023, 6.8% less than the previous year. However, the value in euros increased by 7.2%. While it’s true that production costs have risen, meaning more is spent to purchase the same product, it’s also fair to say that the trend is moving toward highquality drinking. “From my experience”, says Mercuri, “I’ve noticed that Italians are drinking better these days because they’re choosing to drink less”.
Decrease In Sales? Don’t Worry
It’s not just about prices. “Health consciousness plays also a role, as does the growing awareness that you can’t drive long distances after drinking at a restaurant. So, instead of ordering three bottles, people tend to choose one and really taking the time to enjoy it”.
Interestingly, this shift doesn’t seem to be troubling the récoltant manipulant producers. “I don’t think the small-scale producers are feeling the pinch. For instance, when I visited Champagne in mid- November, and again around Christmas, many of them had already sold out and were just waiting for their new vintages to mature. That’s a pretty strong indicator that business is still brisk”.
Vintage and Young Bubblies
So, there’s no need to worry and for consumers, there’s even a silver lining. “A slowdown in sales might actually lead to champagnes that have spent more time aging on the lees. Recently, I’ve noticed a trend toward producing champagnes that are fresher, lighter, with less body and shorter aging times. To be honest, they’ve felt a bit too sharp, even from producers who, five or six years ago, were creating fuller-bodied, more flavorful and more intriguing champagnes”.
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Images credits Julie Couder
