Whilst we all like bubbles at Christmas (well, any excuse actually) we're more than happy with supermarket own brands or even a cheeky Cava or Prosecco. Which is a good job because those with a taste and pocket for grand crus may not be getting their Magnums of Bolly this year.
Our friends at Berry Brothers & Rudd are forecasting champagne rationing in the near future. It seems the new, super wealthy across the world are guzzling up premium supplies faster than they can be replenished. Champagne producers failed to predict just how popular the grands marques in super sized bottles would be. It seems nobody thought to show their strategic planners those bling rap videos with huge bottles spurting champy foam over the ladeez. Magnums, Jeroboams and even the monstrous Methuselahs (containing the equivalent of 8 normal bottles) are likely to be in short supply with waiting lists opening up for some. Ab Fab favourite, Bollinger, has already run out of Magnums.
The Champagne Houses are speculating about starting production in up to 40 new villages in the appellation and have even sent their people to the vineyards of Kent and Sussex in an attempt to meet the increased demand for future bubbly.
In the meantime, we're reassured to hear that "getting hold of cheap fizz from supermarkets won't be a problem."
Image courtesy of Ioran's Flickrstream.
