During the most critical months of the global health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social gatherings and large celebrations were temporarily suspended. This severely affected the champagne industry, which in 2020 saw a third of its sales plummet, giving rise to a crisis worse than the one experienced during the Great Depression of 1929. Given the seriousness of the situation and to avoid a drop in their prices due to the new stock, the commission that regulates the champagne industry began to set production quotas. This forced many growers to stop harvesting their grapes, abandoning them in the fields or destroying them. The decision hit small and newer producers the most, who are much more vulnerable to market fluctuations compared to larger and more established companies. Not to mention all the tons of grapes that were wasted--and with that, all the resources that were used to grow them--in order to keep the quota.