Champagne – Lifting of the suspension of exports to Russia

The Interprofessional Committee for Champagne Wine ruled on Friday for the resumption from September 15 of shipments to Russia, against a backdrop of Franco-Russian controversy over the Champagne appellation, its management said on Saturday, confirming information from the magazine Land of Wines.

The Committee (CIVC) had advised producers in early July to temporarily suspend exports, in reaction to a new Russian law. Signed on July 2, this wine law obliges champagne distributors to exchange the prestigious title of “champagne” for that of “sparkling wine” on the back-label of the bottles written in Cyrillic, reserving the name “champanskoye” for producers. Russian sparkling wines.

“The lifting of the export suspension is a measure of appeasement that adds to our desire not to go to the World Trade Organization. We will respect the new law, ”Jean-Marie Barillère told AFP, co-president of the CIVC and president of the Union of Champagne Houses (UMC), which continues to advocate diplomatic dialogue.

The CIVC decided this lifting while the Russian authorities have still not responded, according to him, to a joint letter sent in July by three French ministers to their Russian counterparts. The letter came from the Minister for Foreign Trade Franck Riester and the Ministers of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, and Agriculture, Julien Denormandie.

20 years of discussions

Russia is, along with the United States and Haiti, one of the states not to recognize the “Champagne” designation of origin (AOC) despite twenty years of discussions. “We multiply the exchanges with determination. We will not let go. The only champagne is French ”, reaffirmed on September 3 the Minister of Agriculture, visiting the agricultural fair of Châlons-en-Champagne.

“We have informed Mr. Riester of our decision. He understands our position, ”said Jean-Marie Barillère. “It is also a question of no longer penalizing Russian customers and consumers any more as the end of the year holidays approach,” he said. According to him, the suspension of shipments to Russia “was followed by at least 95% of the houses”. “The Champagne sector sells around 1.5 million bottles on the Russian market, ie 0.5% of the total market. But it is an image market where champagne is sold at a fairly high price, ”he stressed.

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