Bottleneck stops Champagne from popping off

Australian drinkers will find the premium sparkling wine even more expensive this Christmas and new years as supply dwindles.

The bottleneck stems from a combination of factors including reduced access to shipping containers, warehouse staff shortages and competing international markets vying for the wine.

Wine importers 'Negociants' area manager Jeff Thaow said: "We're getting kicked off the queue."

Access to refrigerated cooler containers shipping between France and Australia is limited by backlogs with importers placing orders 12 months in advance of expected arrival times.

To retain Champagne's distinctive bead it should be stored at temperatures below 13 degrees Celsius on the journey to Australia.

That's "unless you want the Champagne to cook as it's crossing the equator," the importer said.

Australian boutique wine importers, who have contracts with Champagne domaines, are importing in relatively small quantities making them unattractive to shipping companies, Mr Thaow said.

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The labour shortage across the country is also acutely felt by wine distributor warehouses slowing the progress of wine from Champagne into the glass.

Mr Thaow accepts current conditions as the new normal, with no indication shipping is becoming faster.

"This might be a new norm for a while in terms of logistics and importing," he said.

Reduced access is not holding Australian drinkers back, we are drinking increasingly premium wines particularly Champagne, rose and chardonnay and seem happy to pay the added price, Mr Thaow said.

Britain and the United States are the largest importers of Champagne globally, Australia imported around 10 million bottles of Champagne last year to make us the 6th largest international market.

International competition for the precious wine is fierce and growing and Champagne is exploding with popularity after COVID-19 lockdowns, he said.

"There's more people trying to get a part of the pie," Mr Thaow said.

Luckily, our own country produces a range of premium sparkling wines, particularly in Western Australia and Tasmania, which will continue to be affordable for the Australian market, Mr Thaow said.