Glut Champagne's vineyards have enjoyed good growing conditions. But sales are down
With this year's harvest almost in, Champagne's grape growers should be rubbing their hands. It has been a good year in the vineyards, with enough rain and sunshine when it mattered and very little disease to spoil the grapes. And so the growers or vignerons were looking to sell a bumper crop to the Champagne houses such as Moët et Chandon, Lanson and Mumm, who turn the grapes into bubbly and sell it worldwide. The vignerons , who supply around 90% of Champagne's grapes, are essentially paid by the weight of fruit, so a bountiful harvest usually means good money....
