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Photo: Pixabay
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Champagne producers and distributors have been forced to comply with changes in Russian law and from tomorrow the famous French name will no longer be able to be used, written in Cyrillic on the back label of bottles sold in Russia, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
Instead, it will say “sparkling wine”, and the name “champagne” is reserved for Russian producers of sparkling wines.
However, talks between France and Russia are ongoing, with Paris hoping to eventually persuade Moscow to recognize the appellation of origin.
The change in the law on July 2 caused strong outrage among champagne producers and distributors, and several French ministers staged sharp protests.
At the end of October, Paris managed to impose a two-month moratorium from Moscow on the application of the new Russian rules, so that the bottles with the existing labels can be sold, many of which have already been sent to Russia.
This moratorium on inspections has played a role and allowed Champagne companies to adapt and change their labels in line with the new Russian regulation, said the Champagne Committee, which brings together wine growers and retailers of prestigious French wine.
Representatives of the French sector visited Russia in November to meet with Russian producers. The chairman of the General Union of Champagne Vineyards, Maxim Tubar, who is participating in the delegation, expressed hope that in the medium term, Russian producers will abandon the term “champagne” and create their own names.
Russia is the 15th largest market for French champagne exports. In 2019, 1.8 million bottles were sold in the country, which represents 1.5 percent of total champagne sales, according to the Champagne Committee. However, the industry organization notes that this market is very profitable and gives high value to the product, and Russian consumers love quality champagne and consume it when traveling in France.
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