Comprehensive sparkling wine dossier: A Sparkling Future?

The wine industry is grappling with numerous challenges. Consumption is falling, the anti-alcohol lobby is getting stronger – or rather, louder – and climate change is forcing many traditional regions to rethink their approach. While the outlook on some fronts is therefore not very sparkling, on another side things have been bubbling away for several years, more or less strongly.

Of course, Sekt, Crémant, Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne are also affected by the economic crisis. However, on the one hand, they have long since moved out of the purely celebratory niche, and wine drinkers around the world are now opening a bottle not just at Christmas and New Year's Eve, but all year round. In addition, many markets are seeing increased demand for fresh (white) wine styles instead of heavy red wines. Sparkling wine can provide the right offering here. In the coming year, various market research institutes estimate that the global sparkling wine business could amount to over 50 billion US dollars.

For the wine seller, this means: it is wise to diversify your sales strategy – and back the right horses to secure your share of the multi-billion dollar sparkling wine business.

Prosecco: Established Player with an Understanding of Trends

Prosecco has done a lot right in recent years. Even before other origins understood that the present and future of consumption lie in accessible, fruity-fresh wine styles, the region in north-western Italy served exactly this profile. And with economic sense and a certain foresight: the relevant consortia regularly address the question of how to best reconcile supply and demand – and carefully manage cellar stocks, expansion of the production area and acquisitions, and work on new categories for new target groups.

Prosecco Fuels Export Business

This may sound arbitrary to some wine professionals – but in reality it is clever marketing that pays off, as the figures show. For 2024, the market researchers at the Italian institute UIV-ISMEA Observatory estimate that the quantity of sparkling wine bottles produced or sold from Italy could exceed the considerable mark of one billion. The main driver is Prosecco DOC (15/D68), which is mostly (approx. 80 percent) exported and thus, according to the Italian statistical institute Istat, accounts for three quarters of total Italian sparkling wine exports. After a bumpy 2023 with a slight export decline of 0.8 per cent, the origin is picking up speed again.

"The Prosecco category is one of the few that continues to grow year after year. We expect this trend to continue, including in new markets such as Asia, where Prosecco is still in its infancy; we want Mionetto to be actively involved," reports Vanessa Lehmann, Head of Communications at the world's largest sparkling wine producer, Henkell Freixenet (4/E10 as well as at the stand of the Consorzio Tutela Del Vino Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, 15/C56). The well-known brand with the slanted label recently took over market leadership in the important sparkling wine market of Germany with a 33 per cent market share. According to Lehmann, Mionetto has also been the best-selling Prosecco brand internationally for many years.

New Ideas for Traditional Products

Further success drivers: Italy's sparkling wine producers are not standing still. The introduction of a Prosecco Rosé in 2020 was very smart given the booming pink trend and, after a few initial difficulties, has found a growing clientele. The plans for a premium Prosecco DOC Riserva category (in white and rosé, with a minimum maturation of one year) may be controversial – as Prosecco is supposed to be young and fresh – but it can also contribute to profiling and ultimately prove that Prosecco can be more than just sparkling and primary-aromatic.

Successful collaborations with celebrities – such as the Zonin (16/D68) wine line with pop singer Kylie Minogue – create attention in an attractive target group and boost sales. And: the region has one of the most important current trend topics on the agenda: wine tourism. After the holiday apartment portal Air BnB introduced wine origins as travel destinations in 2022, the flow of visitors is booming, especially in the hills around Conegliano and Valdobiaddene – recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019, by the way. In times of declining consumption, such an asset can mean the decisive advantage in marketing.

Prosecco Also Without?

And in another area, things are now moving in Italy – finally, one might say: namely in the question of how dealcoholised wine may be produced and marketed. The traditional southern European wine countries are having a much harder time taking the step towards no-low – but it will remain inevitable. Prosecco in particular can unlock new sales potential here, as its fresh, fruity, and often slightly sweet style is virtually predestined for a version without alcohol.

Producers such as Henkell Freixenet have therefore partly sought detours: Mionetto has been available in an alcohol-free version since last year – but it may not be marketed as Prosecco DOC. According to Lehmann, this is successful, however: "Mionetto is a strong brand, but also very closely rooted in the region. If there were the possibility of producing alcohol-free wine under the Prosecco DOC label, that would be a great step and would certainly give the entire category a further boost, allowing the origin to position itself even more broadly." According to the latest reports, however, the Italian government has recently opened up after lengthy negotiations and has paved the way for the legal foundations for (partially) dealcoholised wine, so that the first (sparkling) wines without alcohol can soon see the light of the market.

Prosecco GoTo@ProWein:

• Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC, 5/D68
• Consorzio Tutela Del Vino Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, 15/C56

Größere Erzeuger (Auswahl):

• Henkell Freixenet with Mionetto, 4/E10
• Villa Sandi, 16/G24
• La Marca Vini e Spumanti 15/B31
• Val d’Oca, 16/F43
• Botter, 16/F48
• Bottega, 16/D44
• Spumanti Valdo, 15/A80
• Ruggeri,15/B27
• Villa degli Olmi,15/B32

Champagne: Major Challenges

Things haven't been so sparkling for Champagne recently. In 2024, a total of just under 271 million bottles of Champagne were sold – a decline of a good 9 per cent, reports the Comité Champagne. Again, because sales already fell by 8 per cent in 2023. Exports also fell by double digits; with 153 million bottles, almost 11 per cent less were delivered abroad.

However, after a slump during the Corona period, France's premium sparkling wine was able to celebrate almost insane records; the pent-up demand to toast together again after months of lockdowns seemed unbroken. 325 million bottles went over the counters and restaurant bars in 2022. A normalisation to the pre-Corona level was therefore to be expected.

Now, in times of inflation and economic crisis, consumers are cutting back on the sparkling wine shelf and are less likely to reach for the comparatively more expensive luxury product. The cheaper alternatives, such as Prosecco or Crémant, are the biggest competition for the houses in the most important markets, France and the USA. The association is optimistic: the economic situation is improving in many countries, so it seems that the worst is over. The largest Champagne producer, LVMH, also reports a recovery for the second half of the year – albeit with a continued decline in sales. In order to relieve the pressure on the markets, the permitted yield for 2024 has already been reduced to 10,000 kilograms per hectare, 1,400 less than in the previous year.

At the same time, increasingly warmer temperatures are also causing problems for Champagne – its actually cool climate is an important feature. Temperatures have risen by almost 2 degrees on average in the last 60 years. Spring frosts are becoming more and more of a threat when the vines sprout earlier in warmer weather. As happened in 2024, with additional rainfall that led to fungal infestation, the winegrowers have not had an easy wine year. The region wants to reduce its ecological footprint with extensive CO2 plans – it has already been reduced by 15 per cent between 2003 and 2028, according to the Comité Champagne.

More Marketing Should Fix It

The crisis is affecting large and small producers alike. While Champagne is likely to be seen as exceptionally traditional in the minds of many wine consumers, the region is proving to be quite dynamic in the face of the new challenges. New products with a modern look, pop labels and a social media presence are intended to appeal to (old) buyers (again). Long-matured top cuvées with elegant packaging express more value. Lightweight glass bottles underpin the region's sustainability promise.

There will probably not be an alcohol-free Champagne in the near or distant future. However, the most important Champagne house, LVMH, invested in a partnership with the French producer of alcohol-free sparkling wines, French Bloom, last year. The products start at 30 euros, and at the top end even 100 euros are due. Dealcoholised is also possible in the high-end segment and, as the world's largest luxury group, LVMH naturally wants to have a say here.

Last but not least, more and more smaller producers have been making a name for themselves for several years – grower Champagne has long since entered the field and is enjoying the favour of many connoisseurs, albeit on a much smaller scale than the big players, whose strength lies above all in the reliable, consumer-friendly style – and their clout in terms of marketing.

Champagne GoTo@ProWein:

The dynamism of the region can be experienced in Düsseldorf, especially in the Champagne Lounge (10/H10). More than 30 producers, from small wineries to internationally well-distributed brands, including Champagne Bruno Paillard, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, Champagne Besserat de Bellefon and Champagne Cattier.

Numerous other exhibitors and brands such as Nicholas Feuillatte (10/A20), Lanson (at the Mack & Schühle stand, 4/A01), Roederer (at the Schlumberger stand, 4/E30) or Pol Roger (10/H50) complete the Champagne experience at ProWein.

Crémant: After the Record is Before the Record?

In 2023, the French producers' association Fédération Nationale des Producteurs et Élaborateurs de Crémants (FNPEC) was able to report its greatest success: more than 100 million bottles of Crémant had been sold in the past year. A figure that was increased again a year later to 108 million bottles.

An impressive record, especially since sales had slumped from 90 to 75 million bottles just four years earlier, mainly due to the pandemic. However, the manufacturers have successfully managed to diversify their markets: While the domestic market was the most important just five years ago (with around 68 per cent), the export share has recently risen to 41 per cent.

Meanwhile, traditional red wine regions such as Bordeaux are also increasingly focusing on the Crémant category in the fight against declining sales of heavy, tannic red wine. According to the association Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), the production volume of Crémant in Bordeaux has roughly tripled in the last decade. In the period from January to November 2024, 4.8 million bottles were exported.

A development on a comparatively small scale: Crémant de Loire (almost 15 million bottles abroad in the same period), Crémant de Bourgogne (around 10 million bottles) and Crémant d’Alsace (approx. 9 million bottles) remain the most important export suppliers. They are mainly drunk in Belgium, the USA and Scandinavia; in the entry-level segment, Germany, where the large supermarket chains dominate wine sales, and the Netherlands are particularly relevant.

Here's the complete, word-for-word translation of the attached document into British English, maintaining the same tone and structure, and taking into account my knowledge of the wine industry, especially sparkling wine:

Crisis Dampens Records

The economic crisis has recently also put the brakes on this up-and-coming fizz: in 2023, the Crémant appellations had to take a hit, particularly in exports, just like most other sparkling wine categories given the general decline in wine consumption. However, the latest figures show things are picking up nicely. The five most important origins (besides the aforementioned Crémant de Limoux and Crémant de Bourgogne) have seen double-digit increases in their exports. As an affordable yet high-quality French alternative to the significantly more expensive Champagne, Crémant is likely to have secured its place in consumers' favour.

At ProWein, this French bottle-fermented wine is widely available to experience: One of the top producers from the strongest exporting origin, the Loire, is Bouvet-Ladubay (10/E100) with high-quality Crémants, but also sparkling wines from the AOP Saumur. The Aliance Loire cooperative (10/E139) has been impressing for years with very good quality, and, as the region's largest Crémant producer, sufficient quantity – and attractive prices. The world's largest sparkling wine producer Henkell Freixenet is, of course, also in the Crémant game, with the Gratien & Meyer brand (4/E10), an asset from the Loire. Boisset (10/A30), currently the third-largest French wine company, is an ambassador for Crémant de Bourgogne (e.g. Jean-Charles Boisset) or Crémant de Jura (with Tissot-Maire) with many brands. In Alsace, Crémant has always played an important role – accordingly, it's worth visiting, for example, the cooperatively organised companies that traditionally market large quantities from the region: Cave de Turckheim (10/I91), Wolfberger (10/F159) or Cave de Ribeauvillé (10, J99). A very well-known and successful producer from the South of France is the Sieur d'Arques cooperative, with its Limoux bestseller, the "Grande Cuvée 1531" (4/C50).

Outside the Crémant appellations, of course, sparkling wine is also produced in France: a dominant player, for example, in the German market is the "Brut Dargent" brand from Les Grands Chais de France (4/E05), the largest French wine company.

Crémant GoTo@ProWein:

• Bouvet-Ladubay (10/E100)
• Alliance Loire (10/E139)
• Henkell Freixenet mit Gratien & Meyer (4/E10)
• Boisset (10/A30)
• Cave de Turckheim (10/I91
• Wolfberger (10/F159)
• Cave de Ribeauvillé (10, J99)
• Les Grands Chais de France (4/E05)
• Sieur d’Arques (4/C50 am Stand der Weinagentur Zeter)

Cava: Dry Years

Most recently, nearly 252 million bottles of Cava were sold in 2023 according to the DO, which means the Spanish sparkling wine origin was able to recover respectably from the sales slump of the Covid crisis. With a share of around 70 percent, foreign markets – primarily Germany, followed by Belgium, the USA and Great Britain – traditionally play a key role in the sales mix.

This structure of figures is now likely to shift significantly: the 2023 harvest was characterised by a drastic drought, with talk of yield losses of up to 50 percent, and the DO already reported double-digit sales declines during the year in 2024 – although there were slightly positive trends in terms of value, which, however, are likely to be strongly driven by inflation. At the same time, the scarce harvests have made the product increasingly expensive. Climate change will continue to pose major challenges for the region in the future.

As a result, major producers have reacted: the Cava giant Freixenet (4/E10), the origin's largest producer, decided in 2024 to also buy wine from other regions for the "Freixenet Carta" brand – and to forgo the DO Cava seal for this. This was the only way to produce enough sparkling wine with the new "Freixenet Premium Sparkling" for the most important markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH). However, Freixenet says that the new, fruitier, lighter style has been very well received by consumers, so that "Premium Sparkling" will be a fixture in the DACH markets in the future. This decision is drastically reflected in the DO's export statistics: Germany recorded a sales decline of more than 50 percent because although Freixenet is still being drunk here, it's no longer Cava.

Premium Profiling and Organic Opportunity

Despite all the harvest challenges, Spanish sparkling wine producers have been fighting their way to the top in terms of quality for several years. At the beginning of 2019, several producers turned away from the DO and founded the new quality designation "Corpinnat", which provides for stricter production requirements – such as 18 months of ageing on lees compared to just 9 months for a standard Cava. However, the group only accounts for a small proportion of production. Large companies such as the second-largest Cava house Raventós Codorníu (11/A49) or Juvé & Camps (11/A70) still produce under the regulations of the DO Cava.

Another important step: the expansion of organic production. For 2025, the DO has set itself the goal of being the first to work 100 percent organically. A trump card that the region could be making much more of than it has done so far. ProWein visitors can also find out more about the status quo and future of Cava at the stand of the producer association AECAVA (11/A50-1).

Cava GoTo@ProWein:

• Henkell Freixenet, 4/E10
• Raventós Codorníu, 11/A49
• Juvé & Camps, 11/A70
• Producer association AECAVA,11/A50-1

Sekt: Stable Home Game

Sekt isn't just a German issue on the production side, but also in terms of sales: according to the Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien (Association of German Sekt Producers, which, according to its own information, represents around 95 per cent of German Sekt production), around 246 million bottles were sold in Germany alone in 2024. Exports play a subordinate role, most recently 12 percent in 2023.

In comparison to crisis-stricken still wine, Sekt is proving to be quite resilient. "The general trend of consumer restraint that was noticeable last year was not reflected in the German Sekt market," reports Dr Alexander Tacer, Managing Director of the Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien. The increase is small at 0.5 percent compared to the previous year – but at least it's not a decrease. One reason is the ongoing aperitif trend, which is no longer just an Italian thing.

However, it's difficult to get to the bottom of the actual figures for production and sales of German sparkling wine products in detail. The various categories overlap too much: Winzersekt, as bottle-fermented Sekt from winery production, can be marketed either as wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO) or without – many premium producers are now increasingly opting for the latter and foregoing the quality wine testing required for the PDO seal, where, so the argument goes, innovative styles were at risk of being judged as faulty. At the same time, sparkling wines made using the tank or transfer method also slip under the PDO umbrella, which makes differentiation even more difficult. The German Wine Institute (DWI) estimates the market share of Sekt made using bottle fermentation at around 3 per cent. Large brands dominate in the food retail sector, with "Rotkäppchen" (most recently 37 percent market share) from Rotkäppchen-Mumm having been the market leader for many years. According to reports, the big brands are satisfied with their performance despite the economic challenges.

Top Sekt: en vogue in the niche

The premium segment has experienced a particular dynamic in recent years – which, however, is reflected in quality, not quantity. Back in 2019, the former "Verband der traditionellen klassischen Flaschengärer" (Association of Traditional Classic Bottle Fermenters) renamed itself "Verband traditioneller Sektmacher" (Association of Traditional Sekt Producers) (1/A76), thus launching a new quality offensive. In 2022, the first new sparklers in the Réserve category came onto the market, which must have a minimum yeast ageing period of 36 months, among other things. The number of members has been growing steadily ever since, most recently with three new additions to 44 businesses.

The Verband deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP, Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates, 1/A120) has also been on premium paths in terms of Sekt for several years: in 2018, its own "Sekt Statute" was introduced, which prescribes traditional bottle fermentation, with a minimum yeast ageing period of 15 months at the entry level, meaning that "VDP.Sekt" matures for just as long as Champagne. The "VDP.Sekt.Prestige" at the top must lie on the yeast for 36 months. In the next step, only sparkling wines produced using the traditional method will be allowed to bear the VDP eagle on the bottle.

Room for Improvement Abroad

This development is being followed with great attention in Germany's wine scene. But how is the topic of Sekt received abroad? "Here we still have to do a lot of groundwork and first make the term "Sekt" known alongside established designations such as Champagne, Cava or Prosecco Spumante," is the view of the German Wine Institute (DWI). First steps have already been taken, according to VDP Managing Director Theresa Olkus: "The perception of the term Sekt has already changed; more and more consumers understand it to mean not only mass-produced products, but also artisanal wines." According to Olkus, Riesling could provide a USP for Sekt made in Germany. "However, many winemakers are still reluctant to use this as a figurehead, as many continue to be strongly oriented towards Champagne with its grape varieties."

Winemaker Volker Raumland (1/A76) is not only the President of the Association of Traditional Sekt Producers, but also Germany's Sekt pioneer in the premium segment. As one of the first, he has shown the top qualities that German Sekt is capable of. The 15th vintage of his top sparkler "Triumvirat Grande Cuvée" was launched a few months ago – some of which had been aged on the lees for 15 years. Raumland also believes: "I am convinced that we should focus more on Riesling in Germany in the future," but adds: "Regardless of this, the Burgundy varieties are very important for Sekt, especially with long yeast ageing, where Riesling can sometimes struggle somewhat in some years." From his point of view, exports will become increasingly important for producers of high-quality bottle-fermented Sekt in the future.

Alcohol-Free Continues to Gain Momentum

Great potential is also attested to a category that is no longer so young: alcohol-free Sekt. With its long production experience, Germany is an absolute pioneer here and is also the most important sales market. Brands such as "Light Live" from Schloss Wachenheim (4/E15) have been a fixture on the shelves for many years. More and more large and small producers are following suit and launching product after product on the market at an impressive rate.

According to data from the market researchers at Circana, alcohol-free sparkling wine in the German food retail sector has grown steadily by 5.8 percent in recent years. The Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien reports that almost 20 million bottles of "sparkling beverages made from dealcoholised wine" (as the correct wine law designation puts it) were sold in Germany alone in 2024. This means that Sekt without alcohol is significantly more popular with consumers than dealcoholised still wines – which is likely to be simply due to the taste profile: the carbon dioxide provides freshness and mouthfeel and helps to sensorially balance the often high sugar levels in dealcoholised products.

Visitors to ProWein can convince themselves of the current quality status of sparkling (and still) wines without alcohol: Around 50 exhibitors from all over the world will be presenting themselves in the ProWein Zero area (Hall 1). Around 300 products will be available for tasting in the associated Tasting Area in cooperation with Meininger Verlag. And not just dealcoholised wine: more and more producers are offering alcohol-free alternatives based on fruit juices, tea or herbs.

Sekt GoTo@ProWein:

• VDP, 1/A120
• Verband traditioneller Sektmacher, 1/A76, with the presentation of the German Sekt Award 2025 from Vinum magazine on Tuesday, 18.03.2025
• Pro Wein Zero Tasting Area, Halle 1

Größere Erzeuger (Auswahl):

• Henkell Freixenet, 4/E10
• Schloss Wachenheim, 4/E15
• Peter Mertes, 4/F10
• Herres, 4/E21

Great Britain: A Serious Competitor?

Just a few years ago, most wine drinkers and probably also experts wouldn't have mentioned Champagne in the same breath as the rather unknown wine country of Great Britain. That has changed: recently, the sparkling products from England have arrived in the glasses of international wine connoisseurs.

The cool regions in the south of the country, Kent or Sussex in particular, with their soils characterised by limestone, chalk and clay, offer the best conditions for the production of sparkling wines. Chardonnay and Pinot feel right at home here, so that the comparison with the most prestigious sparkling wine region in the world, Champagne, was bound to be drawn sooner or later.

In terms of quality, English fizz has nothing to hide: top producers and early pioneers like Ridgeview, Nyetimber (10/H50) or Chapel Down have proven that with careful cultivation and vinification, complex, balanced wines are possible, usually made according to the traditional method. In England, prices are also directly aligned with the main competitor from France – sparkling wine from Great Britain, it's safe to say, isn't for the lower shelf. No wonder, then, that large Champagne houses have also set up a branch here, such as Vranken-Pommery with its winery in Hampshire, to participate in the sparkling boom on the island.

Enormous Growth

The success story is also reflected in the figures: according to data from the organisation Wines of Great Britain (12/D100), 6.2 million bottles of sparkling wine were sold in 2023 – this means that sales have almost tripled within five years and account for about 75 percent of England's total wine production. The English bubbles are mainly drunk at home – only 8 percent (of all English wines) are currently exported. However, with presences at international trade fairs such as ProWein and with distribution partners all over the world, the houses are preparing to change this. Whether they will succeed remains to be seen – the competition from France and Italy is fierce.

English Sparkling Wine GoTo@ProWein:

Wines of Great Britain, 12/D100 with the following producers: Bluestone, Everflyht, Exton Park, Hattingley Valley, Hundred Hills, Leonardslee

Nyetimber, 10/H50 (at the stand of Veritable Vins & Domaines)