Despite recent economic, political and health-related upheavals around the world, at least one thing hasn’t changed: fizz fans are still buying up bottles of top Champagne. Demand for the French bubbles is currently outstripping supply, meaning the market – especially for non-vintage – is fast becoming overheated, with some wines rushed to market as a result.
For consumers, this makes choosing the right cuvées a challenge, says Essi Avellan MW. The world authority on sparkling wine is the most recent guest on The Drinking Hour podcast. In episode 78, Avellan joins host David Kermode to discuss the current landscape of the Champagne world, and the work that went into the first part of her brand-new Champagne Report 2022 for Club Oenologique. The pair discuss the top fizzes and findings after Avellan’s tasting of 350 wines, the impact of rising demand on quality within the Champagne world, the perils of ‘light strike’, and where to find the finest examples of the prestigious sparkling wine right now.
Discover more episodes of The Drinking Hour with David Kermode here
