On July 2, 2021, the President of Russia signed amendments to the Law on the Regulation of Alcoholic Products, which introduce additional requirements for alcoholic beverages. In particular, the law allows the use of the name “champagne” only for Russian products now. Imported wines, including those from the French region of Champagne, can only be called “sparkling wine”.
Thus, the wording “sparkling wine (champagne)” was replaced by the category “sparkling wine, including Russian champagne”. At the same time, the classification of protected geographical indication / protected appellation of origin wines is carried out on the basis of the Russian national system for the protection of wine products, which applies only to Russian wines. Thus, the name “champagne” was allowed to be used only in relation to champagne produced on the territory of Russia.
Also, the new law will not include imported still and sparkling wines with a protected geographical indication and appellation of origin, wine drinks, etc.
The Russian representative office of Moët & Hennessy sent a letter to its Russian partners stating that it had decided to stop deliveries to Russia. The manufacturer notes that due to these changes, the company will have to re-certify the products, change the labeling, and together with the Wine Association of the Champagne region decide to rename the products.
However, then Moët & Hennessy announced that supplies would only be temporarily suspended, but would resume as quickly as possible after the necessary legal and logistical issues were settled.
Other French champagne producers have not yet confirmed their readiness to change the name for the Russian market.
In total, about 50 million liters of imported sparkling and champagne wines are imported into Russia per year, of which 13% is champagne from France.
In total, imported products occupy only 27% of the sparkling wine market in Russia.