NEWS: Third of Champagne harvest to rot

Champagne producers agreed to pick 32% fewer grapes this year, leaving billions of grapes to rot on the ground, in a move to counter fizzling bubbly sales around the world amid the economic downturn. The result of the slashed harvest and other reductions will be a 44% cut in the number of bottles produced this year.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125192460913580955.html

I have to admire the discipline of a region that's willing to make a serious cut in production to preserve its pricing power. Any word on how this will affect smaller growers?

Walt

P.S. I also have to admire the pun of "fizzling bubbly."

Interesting. Especially since they just recently made a vast expansion of the AOC region of Champagne.

[David M. Bueker]

Given that they are not doing this until the harvest I find it neither noble nor notable. It's an attempt to keep prices artificially high while not improving wine quality in the least. Sickening - especially in light of the expansion.

Is this enforceable or is it like OPEC reducing output?

Interesting. Especially since they just recently made a vast expansion of the AOC region of Champagne.

I know. I wonder if they will be forced to go ahead by those who have presumably been snapping up parcels in the future Champagne AOC?

Given that they are not doing this until the harvest I find it neither noble nor notable. It's an attempt to keep prices artificially high while not improving wine quality in the least.

Perhaps there will be less incentive to irrigate? That's about the only silver lining I can see of a last-minute drop like this.

Is this enforceable or is it like OPEC reducing output?

From what I understand it's a real, enforceable government regulation. There have been enough AOC scandals that noone is eager for another one.

Walt

[David M. Bueker]

Walt - I thought irrigation was illegal anyway.

Disgusting methods to manipulate the market just to protect the big producers' prices.

The sad thing is that the smaller growers would be seriously affected by this, perhaps even moreso than consumers.

Walt - I thought irrigation was illegal anyway.

Duh. You are of course right.