US Tariff Increases Put Small Champagne Houses Under Pressure in 2025
Tariff increases implemented by the Trump administration in 2025 are bearing down on champagne exports, with small producers facing the sharpest consequences.
Brut Daily
Latest in Champagne
A curated journal of champagne news, houses, regions, vintages, and market intelligence.
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Spring Frost Destroys 40% of Buds Across the Champagne Region
A spring frost event on 15 April 2026 has destroyed 40% of buds in Champagne, posing a serious threat to the region's upcoming harvest and overall wine production.
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LVMH Champagne Workers Take to the Streets of Reims Over Wage Demands
Five hundred employees of LVMH champagne houses demonstrated in Reims on 16 January 2026, calling for wage increases to be distributed alongside shareholder dividends.
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Comité Champagne authorises deferred payment for 2025 harvest grapes
The Comité Champagne has authorised delayed payment terms for grapes purchased from the 2025 harvest, a measure with direct implications for cash flow across the region's growers and producers.
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Barons de Rothschild's Extra Brut Triptyque 2018 earns a medal from La Revue du vin de France
La Revue du vin de France has awarded a daily medal to Barons de Rothschild's Extra Brut Triptyque 2018, bringing fresh recognition to this vintage champagne.
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Maison Telmont appointed official champagne supplier to Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping
Maison Telmont has been named the official champagne supplier for the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping, marking a significant partnership between the Champagne house and one of the equestrian calendar's most prominent international events.
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Bon Appétit puts major Champagne houses to the test in December 2024 comparative tasting
The American food publication Bon Appétit published a comparative tasting of leading Champagne houses, including Veuve Clicquot, Bollinger, and Moët, on 2 December 2024.
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Taittinger joins Delta Air Lines to mark the carrier's centennial milestone
Delta Air Lines has announced a partnership with Champagne house Taittinger to celebrate the airline's 100th anniversary, underscoring Taittinger's standing as a luxury brand in premium aviation.
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Caroline Fiot appointed chef de caves at Ruinart
Caroline Fiot has taken on the role of chef de caves at Champagne house Ruinart, assuming responsibility for cellar operations and the stewardship of house style.
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French State Moves to Block Roederer's Burgundy Vineyard Acquisition
The Roederer group's bid to acquire vineyards in Burgundy faces potential intervention from the French state, raising questions about cross-regional consolidation in French wine.
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A Century of Upheaval: Podcast Series Charts How Champagne Became Champagne
Wine Industry Advisor has released the second instalment of its two-part podcast series tracing Champagne's transformation from an inconsistently sparkling wine into the precisely crafted product the region is known for today.
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Champagne Taisne Riocour's Brut 2017 earns a medal from La Revue du vin de France
La Revue du vin de France has awarded a daily medal to the Brut 2017 vintage from Champagne Taisne Riocour, recognising it as a noteworthy expression from the region.
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Laurent d'Harcourt to leave Pol Roger by the close of 2026
Laurent d'Harcourt is set to depart from Champagne Pol Roger before the end of 2026, marking a notable shift in leadership at the historic Champagne house.
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Veuve Clicquot releases its 2018 Grande Dame rosé
Veuve Clicquot has announced the release of its 2018 vintage of Grande Dame rosé, the house's prestige cuvée, on 23 March 2026.
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Jacquart Turns to Music to Sharpen the Art of Champagne Tasting
The Reims-based champagne house Jacquart has incorporated music into its degustation sessions as a means of heightening sensory perception and encouraging tasters to articulate what they experience in the glass.
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Bollinger to be served in American Airlines' premium cabins from June 2026
Bollinger Champagne will be poured in American Airlines' Flagship First and Business cabins, marking a significant move into luxury aviation service.
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Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on French Wine and Champagne in Response to Digital Tax
The United States has threatened to impose a 100% tariff on French wine and champagne, citing France's digital tax as the catalyst for the potential trade measure.
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Champagne Drappier makes the case for saignée rosé in an age of pale conformity
Eighth-generation producer Champagne Drappier is championing the saignée method as a counterpoint to the blended rosé styles and Provence-pale lookalikes that currently dominate the market.
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Gleneagles Hotel and Dom Pérignon Launch Private Dining Concept Centred on Rare Vintages
Gleneagles Hotel has partnered with Dom Pérignon to introduce a private dining and tasting concept pairing Champagne with Scottish produce and rare vintages, announced in June 2026.
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Castel enters the champagne market with its first own brand, Angel Castel
The French wine group Castel has launched Angel Castel, its debut champagne brand, priced at €39.90 per bottle.
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Dom Pérignon and Baccarat Unveil a Monumental Crystal Case Honouring the House's Founder
Dom Pérignon has collaborated with Baccarat to create a monumental crystal case paying tribute to the founder of the celebrated Champagne house.
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Ruinart appears in E.Leclerc stock-clearance promotion rated at 8.6 out of 10
A Ruinart champagne carrying a consumer rating of 8.6 out of 10 has been featured as a stock-clearing promotion at E.Leclerc, scheduled for a Saturday sale.
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Bruno Paillard releases its 2015 'Présence' a decade on from harvest
Champagne Bruno Paillard has released its 2015 vintage cuvée 'Présence' ten years after the harvest, drawing on a sunny year and the house's characteristic emphasis on chardonnay, fruit maturity, and purity.
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Champagne Mandois Expands Its Range with Single-Vineyard Cuvées and a Debut Ratafia
The Pierry-based family house, now in its ninth generation, has released new mono-cru and single-varietal expressions alongside its first-ever ratafia.
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A Century in the Glass: Ruinart Opens Its Cellars for a Landmark Vertical Tasting
Decanter's Champagne correspondent attended a vertical tasting of eight wines spanning one hundred years at Ruinart, offering a rare window into the long arc of Champagne's history.
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Benoît Villedey moves from Comité Champagne to Baron d'Avella as Director of Champagne Business
Benoît Villedey, an oenologist at Comité Champagne, has been appointed Director of Champagne Business at Baron d'Avella, marking a notable leadership transition at the house.
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Champagne Approves a New Pink Grape Variety to Safeguard Its Vineyards
The Champagne appellation has approved a new pink grape variety, marking a significant regulatory shift aimed at protecting the region's vineyards from disease.
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Bollinger releases tasting notes for its 2018 vintage, citing power and elegance
Bollinger has published detailed tasting notes and analysis for its 2018 vintage, characterising the release as a combination of power and elegance.
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Comité Champagne: no alternative to pesticides exists for flavescence dorée control
The Comité Champagne has confirmed that no current alternative to pesticides exists for managing flavescence dorée in the region's vineyards, while noting that research into other methods continues.
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Émilien Boutillat named chef de cave at Champagne Bollinger
Maison Bollinger has appointed Émilien Boutillat as its new chef de cave, a role that places him at the helm of the historic house's cellar operations and winemaking.
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Bollinger names Émilien Boutillat as its next cellar master
Champagne Bollinger has appointed Émilien Boutillat, formerly chief winemaker at Piper-Heidsieck, as its new cellar master, with the role taking effect in October 2026.
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Champagne Houses Forge Closer Ties with Growers as Climate and Consumer Pressures Mount
Champagne producers, including Laurent-Perrier, are deepening partnerships with grape growers as climate change and shifting consumer preferences reshape sourcing strategies across the region.
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Taittinger confirmed as official champagne of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The Champagne house Taittinger has been named the official champagne partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, renewing a relationship the house has held with the tournament before.
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Épernay's Wine Museum marks five years with a Night of Museums celebration
The Musée du vin d'Epernay celebrates its fifth anniversary on 19 May 2026, coinciding with the annual Night of Museums event in the Champagne region.
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Ruinart to host its Tables Singulières experience across three days in June 2026
Ruinart is set to stage its Tables Singulières event from 26 to 28 June 2026, bringing together champagne tasting and considered hospitality in a format the house has previously presented.
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Champagne vignerons ordered to deploy insecticide against golden flavescence epidemic
Growers across Champagne are now required by regulation to apply insecticide treatments in response to a spreading epidemic of golden flavescence, a phytoplasma disease that poses a serious threat to grapevines.
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Émilien Boutillat named cellar master at Champagne Bollinger
Champagne Bollinger has appointed Émilien Boutillat as its new chef de cave, a role central to the house's winemaking direction and long-term style.
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Wine Industry Advisor traces Champagne's story from Roman roots to royal ceremony
A new two-part podcast series draws on a 200-page Union des Maisons de Champagne encyclopedia to chart the region's history from late Roman times through the Middle Ages and beyond.
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Champagne Bollinger Parts Ways with Denis Bunner and Opens Search for New Cellar Master
Champagne Bollinger has confirmed the departure of Denis Bunner and launched a recruitment process to appoint a new cellar master at the Champagne house.
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Zareh Mesrobyan Takes the 2026 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK
Zareh Mesrobyan, head of wine at Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire, has won the 2026 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK, a competition centred on rosé Champagne, ripening, and winemaking expertise.
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Cdiscount offers reduced pricing on Ruinart ahead of the year-end festive season
French e-commerce retailer Cdiscount has cut the price of Ruinart Champagne in a promotion timed to coincide with the year-end holiday period.
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Champagne exports remain heavily concentrated in just thirteen countries
Trade data shows that more than three-quarters of all champagne exports are directed towards only thirteen countries, exposing the industry to significant geographic concentration risk.
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E.Leclerc Offers Veuve Clicquot at Lowest Web Price as Stock Moves Swiftly
The French retail giant E.Leclerc listed Veuve Clicquot champagne at a highly competitive web price on 9 June 2026, with available stock depleting rapidly as shoppers responded.
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Elise Losfelt Departs Charles Heidsieck to Join Château de l'Engarran
Elise Losfelt, who served as cheffe de cave at Charles Heidsieck, is leaving the prestigious Champagne house to take up a new role at Château de l'Engarran.
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Émilien Boutillat Named Cellar Master at Bollinger, Succeeding Denis Bunner in October 2026
Maison Bollinger has appointed Émilien Boutillat as its new cellar master, with the transition from predecessor Denis Bunner set to take effect in October 2026.
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Louis Roederer commissions artist Duy Anh Nhan Duc to interpret the soul of Champagne terroir
Maison Louis Roederer has collaborated with artist Duy Anh Nhan Duc on a work exploring chalk, gold, and the vegetative cycle of Champagne, announced on 9 February 2022.
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Pharrell Williams Lends His Eye to a Moët et Chandon Cuvée
The American artist and designer Pharrell Williams has redesigned the packaging of a Moët et Chandon champagne cuvée, marking a significant collaboration between contemporary culture and one of Champagne's most prominent houses.
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Champagne Leads France in Wine Tourism, Study Confirms
A study by a specialised platform has found that Champagne attracts more wine tourists than any other vineyard region in France, underlining the area's enduring appeal as a destination for cellar visits and vineyard experiences.
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Celtic Manor Resort opens Laurent-Perrier Champagne Garden in Wales
Celtic Manor Resort has launched a dedicated Laurent-Perrier Champagne Garden in Wales, marking a notable expansion of premium champagne hospitality within the UK leisure sector.
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Dom Pérignon unveils 2018 vintage at exclusive Bilbao celebration with Tilda Swinton
Dom Pérignon offered the first public taste of its unreleased 2018 vintage at an exclusive event in Bilbao, Spain, on 8 June 2026, accompanied by a performance from Tilda Swinton.