Champagne Brands

Champagne has always been considered a thing of luxury. Most often found at wedding receptions or are on the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix, Champagne's image has always been a success. But perhaps that is where the brand is 'Champagne' suffers. If Champagne is primarily associated with special occasions, then it must alienate the vast majority of wine consumers solely on this point. Therein lies the problem - the success of Champagne is also its failure. The major brands dominate not only the UK market, but also those of the United States and Japan - with names such as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Perrier Jouet and Mumm culture time and again as the bestsellers. Prestige wines such as Dom Perignon, Cristal, Krug, the lead in terms of sales value with rappers such as 50 Cent and P Diddy endorsing their products in their music, always ensure that the image of Champagne remains one of wealth and success.

The exclusivity of Champagne and the confusion surrounding the name does little to help consumers through their choices, however. As a retailer, there were many occasions when I was invited to give advice on "champagne" for a wedding when the consumer has spoken of sparkling wine, Cava, in particular, rather than Champagne itself. In this way, as I mentioned earlier, Champagne became associated with celebrations and is often used as a "catch-all term for both Champagne and sparkling wine. Studies show that champagne is a Buying rare in supermarkets, with an average of 1.8 purchases per person per year instead of five purchases per person per year for a sparkling wine as a whole (excluding Champagne). Research also suggests that 60% of consumers drink Champagne for social or entertainment, and the average age of a consumer of Champagne is between 35-64, but there is a strong woman who follows too much champagne in the 17-24 year bracket old.

In sum, it appears that the champagne retains an aura of exclusivity, even if in the market place, the word "champagne" conjours often images of a sparkling wine drunk on special occasions, especially those who are unaware of the strict guidelines established by the CIVC to protect the name and image of Champagne.

There is no doubt that the market for sparkling wines, Champagne is non-increasing, especially in the off-trade where the total sales volume rose 8.1% in 2004. This is particularly relevant to Champagne sales volume fell 2.1% in the same year. Statistics show that by the end of sparkling wine in the UK off-trade (in volume of sales) is currently 4% from 1% and Champagne yet 87% of light wine. It must be remembered that the "volume of sales is not the same as" sales value "that here takes the crown of Champagne, with a market share of 6% versus 4% wine Sparkling. The main concern that the industry has champagne in front of the growing dominance of good quality sparkling wine is that, unless severely curtailed Champagnes are not able to compete with the £ 7 - £ 10 points price, which remains the domain of sparkling wines.

Cava is the sparkling wine the most popular on the UK market today with a share of total volume of 54.6%. Two producers continue to dominate the market - Codorniu, and Freixenet, the leading market is Spain. They, like a growing number of houses of Champagne vineyards in the New World, in California, particularly to increase their participation in the global market for sparkling wine. These wines are rarely seen on the market of the United Kingdom, however, perhaps because of the strength of their Cavas.

New World Wines Sparkling California, Australia and New Zealand are also increasingly important in the UK market, especially brands such as Mumm Cuvee Napa, Green Point by Chandon and Lind.