{"id":21761,"date":"2017-11-13T00:30:08","date_gmt":"2017-11-13T05:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/no-more-champange\/"},"modified":"2017-11-14T22:35:44","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T03:35:44","slug":"no-more-champagne","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/no-more-champagne\/","title":{"rendered":"No more Champagne?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the end of 2017 is drawing near and celebrations are coming, you may have started to look for the next great Champagne to taste… But what if I told you that you should consider a<\/strong> sparkling wine<\/strong><\/em> instead?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Taittinger:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Taittinger <\/strong>is one of the oldest and most traditional Champagne producers<\/strong>. Located in Reims, France, it was founded in 1734 and rebranded in 1932 after being bought by Pierre Taittinger. Today, still a family business, Taittinger produces 6 million bottles that sell for a total of 150 million euros<\/a>[i]<\/a>. Taittinger is \u201cthe smallest among the big ones\u201d as it competes directly with the likes of Veuve Clicquot (part of LVMH group, 19 million bottles) and Moet & Chandon (30 million bottles).<\/p>\n

To seduce, Taittinger relies on Champagnes strong on Chardonnay (40%) as well as the regular launch of exclusive products such as the 2014 World Cup Special Edition<\/a> NV Brut <\/em>[ii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Still, Taittinger\u2019s main competitive advantage is legal: the right to brand its sparkling wines <\/strong>Champagne<\/strong><\/em>. <\/em>That right, protected by the European Commission, recognizes the Champagne region and its winery products as a Protected Designation of Origin <\/strong>and under that ruling, the name Champagne<\/em> can only<\/strong> be attributed if both the growth of the grapes and the production process took place within the Champagne region<\/strong><\/a>[iii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That ruling not only makes the land of that region very expensive but also very sensible to climate change.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So far, so good…right?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Global warming has so far been good for Champagne makers <\/strong>as increased temperatures reduced frost damage and acidity levels while increasing sugar levels, making it easier to comply with strict production ruling<\/a>[iv]<\/a>; however, Champagne makers should be concerned as they may be facing much harder consequences:<\/p>\n