WEBVTT
00:00:01.802 --> 00:00:05.213
So when a region of the world
becomes known for a specific type of food,
00:00:05.213 --> 00:00:07.237
they'll go to great lengths to protect it.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:07.237 --> 00:00:08.832
I mean, let's look at Kobe beef.
00:00:08.832 --> 00:00:10.092
It can only be called that
00:00:10.092 --> 00:00:12.427
if it meets a very particular
set of requirements,
00:00:12.427 --> 00:00:15.460
including that the cow was born, fed,
and slaughtered in a region of Japan
00:00:15.460 --> 00:00:17.730
that includes the city of Kobe.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:17.730 --> 00:00:19.849
Quebec regulates who can sell maple syrup
00:00:19.849 --> 00:00:23.016
and the government even keeps
a strategic reserve.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:23.016 --> 00:00:26.742
French champagne is from, you guessed it,
the Champagne region of France
00:00:26.742 --> 00:00:28.576
and it's heavily regulated.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:28.576 --> 00:00:31.265
But the pandemic is exposing
the behind-the-scenes drama
00:00:31.265 --> 00:00:32.519
about how it's produced.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:33.419 --> 00:00:35.678
DYING ON THE VINE
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:38.348 --> 00:00:41.725 line:1
You must hold it like this
and tap, all the way up.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:41.725 --> 00:00:42.670
Okay.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:42.670 --> 00:00:44.210
And I use the back of the knife.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:46.426 line:1
- Here, this part. OK.
- Yes, that part.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:46.426 --> 00:00:47.699
Okay, merci.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:48.519 --> 00:00:50.013
Oh, it's quite heavy.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:51.016 --> 00:00:51.899
Okay.
00:00:52.701 --> 00:00:54.354
This is very difficult.
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:55.784 --> 00:00:57.070
Whoaaaaa!
NOTE Paragraph
00:00:57.260 --> 00:01:01.642
(Charlet) There were many reasons
to break out the champagne sabre in 2020.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:03.067 --> 00:01:04.503
Whooooo!
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:04.988 --> 00:01:08.469
And that's bad news
for Charles Duval-Leroy and his family.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:09.086 --> 00:01:09.985
Merci.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:10.421 --> 00:01:14.121 line:1
This is what we have today for
Femme de Champagne: non-vintage.
00:01:15.001 --> 00:01:17.151 line:1
It is more of apéritif-style vintage.
00:01:17.151 --> 00:01:20.689 line:1
We stay in the frame
of elegance and finesse.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:21.039 --> 00:01:25.268
(Charlet) The Duval-Leroy has been
in this business for 150 years.
00:01:25.268 --> 00:01:28.169
They produce more than
2 million bottles annually
00:01:28.169 --> 00:01:30.615
for big clients like Delta Airlines
00:01:30.615 --> 00:01:32.293
and the Moulin Rouge.
00:01:33.096 --> 00:01:35.738
With COVID-19 keeping planes on the ground
00:01:35.738 --> 00:01:37.823
and event spaces closed,
00:01:37.823 --> 00:01:41.001
sales have plummeted by almost 40%,
00:01:41.001 --> 00:01:44.435
and the champagne industry
has had to take drastic action.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:45.751 --> 00:01:47.776 line:1
This is an unusual year.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:47.776 --> 00:01:49.335 line:1
We had a good harvest,
00:01:49.335 --> 00:01:51.665 line:1
but due to this COVID-19 crisis,
00:01:51.665 --> 00:01:54.303 line:1
we couldn't harvest all the grapes.
NOTE Paragraph
00:01:54.943 --> 00:01:58.311 line:1
As you can see,
there are a lot of grapes left.
00:01:58.621 --> 00:02:01.197 line:1
It's a frustrating year for us.
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:01.833 --> 00:02:05.112
If I didn't know the context,
it looks like sabotage.
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:05.532 --> 00:02:08.692 line:1
It's really something unprecedented.
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:09.002 --> 00:02:11.144 line:1
There are so many times
that we ask ourselves
00:02:11.144 --> 00:02:13.823 line:1
if there's a new wine-making method.
00:02:13.823 --> 00:02:16.365 line:1
No, it's just throwing the grapes
on the ground.
00:02:16.365 --> 00:02:18.813 line:1
It makes no sense.
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:18.986 --> 00:02:21.544
With the sales dropping
throughout the year,
00:02:21.544 --> 00:02:23.168
how did the industry respond?
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:23.168 --> 00:02:25.500 line:1
The first step was to say,
00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:27.278 line:1
"Let's reduce quotas.
00:02:27.278 --> 00:02:29.468 line:1
If we reduce quotas, we reduce production.
00:02:29.468 --> 00:02:32.235 line:1
We won't inflate the stock
that hasn't been sold."
00:02:32.235 --> 00:02:35.119 line:1
It's a truly collective response
to lower production,
00:02:35.119 --> 00:02:38.100 line:1
which is why we have left grapes
on the vine today.
00:02:38.100 --> 00:02:42.913 line:1
It's a heartbreaking response,
but we know it's necessary
00:02:42.913 --> 00:02:44.930 line:1
for the long term in Champagne.
NOTE Paragraph
00:02:46.072 --> 00:02:50.336
(Charlet) Champagne has spent decades
meticulously curating a global image
00:02:50.336 --> 00:02:53.352
as the way to mark special occasions.
00:02:53.352 --> 00:02:55.719
It's this type of deliberate management
00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:59.312
that led to cutting production
by 100 million bottles this year
00:02:59.312 --> 00:03:00.728
to prop up prices.
00:03:01.218 --> 00:03:06.031
But the decision left
over 10,000 tons of grapes to waste away,
00:03:06.031 --> 00:03:08.526
and it didn't necessarily
account for issues
00:03:08.526 --> 00:03:10.791
that were already threatening
champagne's reign
00:03:10.791 --> 00:03:12.517
as a celebratory drink of choice.
NOTE Paragraph
00:03:13.468 --> 00:03:16.268
Can you talk a little bit about
the state of of the champagne industry
00:03:16.268 --> 00:03:17.920
before the pandemic hit?
00:03:17.920 --> 00:03:20.062
Because I remember there was already
talk of champagne
00:03:20.062 --> 00:03:21.729
having a little bit of an image crisis
00:03:21.729 --> 00:03:22.834
before COVID.
NOTE Paragraph
00:03:23.374 --> 00:03:27.024 line:1
Since 2008, champagne
hasn't regained its sales
00:03:27.024 --> 00:03:30.500 line:1
simply because the final consumer,
00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:32.886 line:1
due to to economic issues,
00:03:32.886 --> 00:03:35.235 line:1
has shifted from champagne
to other alcohols
00:03:35.235 --> 00:03:37.487 line:1
or other aperitifs, of course.
NOTE Paragraph
00:03:37.487 --> 00:03:39.712 line:1
Champagne hasn't benefited yet
from Instagram.
00:03:39.712 --> 00:03:41.185 line:1
We see more and more that
00:03:41.185 --> 00:03:43.331 line:1
there is an audience that
needs to show itself
00:03:43.331 --> 00:03:46.650 line:1
with a big glass with lots of ice
and colors in it.
00:03:46.650 --> 00:03:49.134 line:1
A gin and tonic that's well prepared
00:03:49.134 --> 00:03:50.797 line:1
and looks beautiful.
00:03:50.797 --> 00:03:53.182 line:1
And champagne is very elegant,
00:03:53.182 --> 00:03:56.665 line:1
but it's served in a small glass
with not a lot in it.
00:03:56.665 --> 00:03:59.413 line:1
It's too discreet to take a selfie
or a photo with.
00:03:59.413 --> 00:04:01.150 line:1
"Look, I'm in a dreamy landscape."
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:04.934
(Charlet) But some smaller producers
have a different take
00:04:04.934 --> 00:04:06.797
on the right response to the crisis.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:07.435 --> 00:04:09.620 line:1
The color is incredible,
00:04:09.620 --> 00:04:11.347 line:1
it looks like Roussanne [grapes].
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:12.481 --> 00:04:14.451
(Charlet) While the big names
in the industry
00:04:14.451 --> 00:04:16.865
sell millions of bottles each year,
00:04:16.865 --> 00:04:20.403
Alselme Selosse makes only about 50,000
00:04:20.403 --> 00:04:22.891
and each one can go for hundreds of euros.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:24.286 --> 00:04:28.018 line:1
We're looking for the grapes' stems.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:28.018 --> 00:04:29.025 line:1
(Charlet) Like this?
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:29.025 --> 00:04:31.461 line:1
(Anselme) Yes. And then, on the soil.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:31.461 --> 00:04:33.400 line:1
(Charlet) No. That's sad.
00:04:33.400 --> 00:04:38.297 line:1
(Anselme) Yes, it's sad because
there's a full team that worked on it
00:04:38.297 --> 00:04:39.515 line:1
for a whole year.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:39.515 --> 00:04:41.438 line:1
This is a gift from nature.
00:04:41.438 --> 00:04:43.012 line:1
We're insulting nature.
00:04:43.012 --> 00:04:47.385 line:1
We're not able to keep what it gives us.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:47.813 --> 00:04:49.892
(Charlet) The quotas mean all producers
00:04:49.892 --> 00:04:52.532
are leaving grapes on the ground
to compost.
00:04:52.532 --> 00:04:56.449
Something that Selosse sees
as particularly hard for smaller companies
00:04:56.449 --> 00:04:57.977
that can't lose out on revenue.
NOTE Paragraph
00:04:58.577 --> 00:05:02.803
So the industry implemented a quota
to try and ease the crisis.
00:05:02.803 --> 00:05:04.995
Do you think that was the right solution?
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:04.995 --> 00:05:06.377 line:1
It's not a solution.
00:05:06.377 --> 00:05:11.309 line:1
It's a way to carry on
while keeping everyone at ease.
00:05:11.309 --> 00:05:14.370 line:1
I see it as a race to the bottom.
00:05:14.370 --> 00:05:15.922 line:1
Those who make no effort,
00:05:15.922 --> 00:05:17.475 line:1
who don't adapt,
00:05:17.475 --> 00:05:21.894 line:1
who see vines as grape-producing machines,
00:05:21.894 --> 00:05:24.398 line:1
they are the ones being rewarded.
00:05:25.599 --> 00:05:30.926 line:1
So they want the good producers
to waste their high-quality fruits
00:05:30.926 --> 00:05:34.545 line:1
so that they can sell
their poor quality fruits.
00:05:34.702 --> 00:05:37.275 line:1
That's not how you give
young people a future.
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:38.715 --> 00:05:42.436 line:1
These three young men
are the future of the region.
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:42.886 --> 00:05:46.295
(Charlet) For Selosse, champagne success
depends on innovation
00:05:46.295 --> 00:05:48.328
from the next generation of winemakers.
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.986 line:1
Charlet, would you like
a glass of champagne?
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:53.026 --> 00:05:55.239 line:1
Okay. (laughter)
NOTE Paragraph
00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:59.010
(Charlet) But younger producers,
like Alexander Chartogne,
00:05:59.010 --> 00:06:02.043
are also the ones
with the most recent investments,
00:06:02.043 --> 00:06:04.619
leaving them the most at risk financially.
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:06.300 --> 00:06:07.297
I love it.
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:07.973 --> 00:06:11.469
Would you drink this for
an aperitif or with food?
00:06:11.887 --> 00:06:13.063 line:1
It depends on your mood.
00:06:13.063 --> 00:06:14.271 line:1
It depends on the moment.
00:06:14.271 --> 00:06:16.360 line:1
You can drink it
really early in the morning
00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:18.785 line:1
or really late in the evening.
(laughter)
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:19.317 --> 00:06:20.927
This is really good, though.
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:22.644 --> 00:06:25.184
(Charlet) Most champagne makers
are doing fine
00:06:25.424 --> 00:06:26.571
for now.
00:06:26.728 --> 00:06:30.053
But their future depends
on when the pandemic ends.
00:06:30.483 --> 00:06:34.096
And more importantly,
if sales pick up when it does.
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:35.146 --> 00:06:38.734
So, of all the industries
that have been hurt by the pandemic,
00:06:39.570 --> 00:06:42.100
champagne is not necessarily
the most sympathetic one.
00:06:42.461 --> 00:06:45.282
Why should people care
that champagne's been hurt?
NOTE Paragraph
00:06:45.717 --> 00:06:46.756 line:1
In many countries--
00:06:46.756 --> 00:06:49.553 line:1
whether it's the English,
the Americans, the Germans--
00:06:49.553 --> 00:06:52.168 line:1
nobody likes French people
but everyone loves France,
00:06:52.168 --> 00:06:55.454 line:1
and champagne is the tip of that image.