Impact of declining Champagne Sales?

Interesting article on what seems to be a dire situation in Champagne

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2020/05/concern-in-champagne-as-sales-collapse

And yet digging deeper it seems like the lower end of the market (sub $20 champagne that doesn’t seem to exist in the US) is really suffering, and the higher end is doing great. Where does this put the middle tier of the grower segment? This seems to be the group that we here are most interested in. Does anyone have any info about what is happening? I’d really be sad if the growers that I’ve been learning about and loving have significant business risk.

I read it as saying sales of cheap Champagne are down because of falling consumption in France. Since overall sales by value are up, it doesn’t seem likely that good grower/producers are hurting. I don’t think luxury curves alone would drive up the revenue that much.

If the UK imposes tariffs post-Brexit, I’d imagine that would really hurt the lowend producers since that stuff sells by the truckload in Britain. And if the US imposes a 100% tariff on sparkling wines, then they’ll be distilling wine in Champagne, too.

I love really good Champagne. But, there is an ocean of really thin, acidic, mediocre Champagne out there that I would never want to drink. In so much of France, these types of wines used to get by on name, but that has not been true for many, many years. Between more foreign competition and less drinking of “peasant” wines from people in France, wines in a lot of France have had to up their games to survive. Champagne has come to this over the last 15-20 years, much later than other regions like Burgundy, which really started addressing the same issues starting in the 1980s. IMHO, the best of Champagne is the best it probably has ever been, whether we are talking about the top wines from the big houses or the exciting wines coming out of small growers. But, IMHO there still is a lot of mediocre wines that cannot compete on the world market. Similar to the situation in Bordeaux today, where the top estates can sell their wines for huge amounts of money while a lot of average producers in lesser regions have trouble giving their wines away.

Another article from the LA Times last week.

Between restaurants being closed and the kinds of celebrations which call for Champagne being called off, it’s no surprise they’re in for a tough time. But I doubt it’s going to reflect much in the prices of the upper-middle to high end ones we talk about around here.

The funny thing is I’ve bought more Champagne in the last 3 years than I have in my life

I’m doing my part, especially during the lockdown.

I never open Champagne unless at least four people are present, so our Champagne consumption is temporarily near zero. We have tried making it a dinner wine, but found that after a glass we would rather shift to something else.

Still pressing onward with my goal of a cellar that’s 1/3 champagne, stretch goal of 40%. Too much BDX Barolo and Chablis to squeeze out to get any higher. I’ve been working very hard at this and my credit card company has been very supportive.

Seems strange given how strong prosecco and cava sales reputed to be.