France Dying on the Vine (clip)

So when a region of the world
becomes known for a specific type of food,

they'll go to great lengths to protect it.

I mean, let's look at Kobe beef.

It can only be called that

if it meets a very particular
set of requirements,

including that the cow was born, fed,
and slaughtered in a region of Japan

that includes the city of Kobe.

Quebec regulates who can sell maple syrup

and the government even keeps
a strategic reserve.

French champagne is from, you guessed it,
the Champagne region of France

and it's heavily regulated.

But the pandemic is exposing
the behind-the-scenes drama

about how it's produced.

DYING ON THE VINE

You must hold it like this
and tap, all the way up.

Okay, and I used the
back of the knife here.

- Here, this part. OK.
- Yes, that part.

Okay, merci.

Oh, it's quite heavy.

Okay.

This is very difficult.

Whoaaaaa!

There were many reasons to break out
the champagne sabre in 2020.

Whooooo!

And that's bad news
for Charles [ ] and his family.

Merci.

This is what we have today for
Femme de Champagne: non-vintage.

It is more of apéritif-style vintage.

We stay in the frame
of elegance and finesse.

The developer has been in
this business for 150 years.

They produce more than 2
million bottles and Elite.

The big clients like Delta Airlines

and the Moulin Rouge

with covid-19, keeping planes on the
ground and event, space is closed sales.

As have plummeted by almost 40%,

and the champagne industry
has had to take drastic action

at a crab, has a typical
neuron having trouble.

If I didn't know the context,
it looks like sabotage.

So this is the fix it for ramen. You usually
room and more back to the Mothership.

So with the sales dropping throughout
the year. How did the industry respond

with the city illuminated Dakota?

Champagne has spent decades
meticulously curating a global image

as the way to Mark special occasions.

It's this type of deliberate management
that led to cutting production

by 100 million bottles,
this year to prop up prices,

but the decision left, over 10,000
tons of grapes to waste away.

And it didn't necessarily
account for issues

that were already threatening Champagnes
reign as a celebratory. Drink of choice.

Can you talk a little
bit about the state of

Of the champagne industry
before the pandemic hit

because I remember there was
already talk of champagne,

having a little bit of an image crisis

before covid.

But if you do MB,

scholarship and activism evil

to some from a secure location semester
final because part of the revenue,

Sadiq Ali Duchamp and
salute salute Circle,

we sure do two dudes operative
lose a point of privilege Instagram

and public key

to a small tree on the bank,
on the color changing, tunic,

illegal immigration achiever

and put the volume set for describe

professional self in photo
orientation has a drive.

Some smaller, producers have a different
take on the right response to the crisis,

some clam Left Behind questions.

While the big names in the industry
sell millions of bottles each year,

and some sillas makes only about 50,000
and each one can go for hundreds of euros.

Chef liquid Reza come sir,

we a la parte know but it tastes.

Where's your boss? It is best girl.

She tutored me. Keep he

means all producers are leaving grapes
on the ground to compost something.

That's a losses.

Particularly hard for smaller companies
that can't lose out on Revenue.

So the industry implemented a
quota to try and ease the crisis.

Do you think that was the right
solution? Seabone solution?

See permit, the passage
or kalmo antipater longer.

Possible correspondent even
more, probable that your sookie.

Sookie sookie world of incoming fabric.

Champagne success. Depends on Innovation
from the next generation of winemakers.

Charlotte Discovery, sweetie,
but I'm building something.

But younger produces

like Alexander. Shortened are also the
ones with the most recent Investments,

leaving them? The most,
at risk financially.

I love it.

Would you drink this for
an aperitif or with food?

The department who loves any problem or

we will blow out a settlement
is really good though.

Most champagne makers
are doing fine for now.

But their future depends
on when the pandemic ends.

And more importantly, if
sales pick up when it does.

It's of all the industries
that have been hurt

by the pandemic Champagnes. Not
necessarily the most sympathetic one.

Why should people care
that Champagnes been hurt?

I'm awkward because what is only than me
like a person? Namely France, a vision.