French champagne producers have placed limits on the amount of grapes sent for processing into wine, The Guardian reports, in order to maintain the price and exclusivity of the sparkling wine. This means that huge amounts of grapes will simply be left to rot.
“We make the wine of happiness, and when people are sad, like during the lockdown, sales of champagne tend to collapse,” said Vincent Leglantier, a wine grower in Bethon in northeastern France.
Sales of champagne have dropped significantly with the cancellation of weddings and celebrations, not only in France but globally.