Wine Talk: As Champagne Sales Plummet, Producers Consider Destroying Unused Grapes

Worldwide sales have dropped $2 billion, and as many as 100 million bottles are expected to go unsold

It has been reported that by fall, there could be as many as 100 million unsold bottles of Champagne resting in the cellars of the Champagne region. Andocs/Shutterstock

News reports from the Champagne region of France paint a grim picture for this year’s harvest. For a change, the growing level of panic has nothing to do with the weather.

The Champagne industry has been slammed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While consumption of table wine has skyrocketed, Champagne sales have plummeted. The widespread lockdowns may keep people sheltering in place and tippling more than usual, but celebrations such as weddings and graduations have been verboten.