10 criteria specific to a brand of Champagne made by a Champagne House

30.000 Families

From vines to pleasure

      Numbering approximately 100, the Champagne Houses account for:
- More than 2/3 of Champagne sales (),
- More than 90 % of all the Champagne wine exported worldwide, reaching over 160 countries around the globe. These Champagne Houses reinforce and develop the prestigious reputation of the most famous wine in the world. The revenue generated by the Champagne Houses, over half of which comes from exports, plays a vital role in France’s balance of trade. It corresponds to the sale of 20 new Airbus planes or more than the cost of the oil required by the entire of France for a week.
- 4.000 Champagne House employees, including 500 who are exclusively dedicated to tending the vineyards, contribute to these revenues and are rewarded by a highly respected social status, the origins of which date back to 1936. It is just one sign of the generosity that the major Champagne Houses extend to their employees and co-workers.

      The analysis of the economic value of a Champagne House’s business is difficult because of the specific elements which make up each House :

• Some are over a hundred years old, others have been recently created;
• some own large vineyards, others buy grapes from vine growers;
• some focus on exports and are known worldwide, others dedicate themselves almost exclusively to the French market;
• some only sell their own brand of Champagne, while others make, as a certain part of their produce, ‘cuvées’ on behalf of clients outside of the Champagne Appellation for other wine houses to sell them under their own name.

      As with all economic sectors, annual turnover remains the principal point of reference, but it is important to know that in the Champagne region it is not the only point of interest. If the Houses and their Grandes Marques send the 2/3 the volume of bottles, they realize the 3 4 of the total turnover of Champagne..
Before the Second World War, 2/3 of the wine produced in Champagne was for the export market, with 1/3 for domestic consumption, but that ration has since been reversed. The spectacular growth in French Champagne consumption can be accounted for by the combined effect of the improvement in French quality of life and the dramatic increase in bottles sold by wine makers and “cooperatives” in France.
While only 1/3 of the Champagne currently produced in the region is currently exported, over 90% of the volume exported is sold by the ‘Grandes Marques’ and Champagne Houses, at 1.7 billion euros in value. This accounts for 1/3 of the revenue generated globally by French wine exports.

Nearly two-thirds of turnover 2007 have been achieved by large Properties (5 Groups) whose turnover "Champagne" (a) dépassse 130 million euros

      The rapid growth of sales over the last few years and the size of the capital assets required by such activity have led to the development of some very economically important Champagne Houses. Some of them belong to the top economic level of wine and liqueur producers.
(a) Progressively lower ranking based on the turnover for Champagne activity alone, not the turnover published in official balance sheet. (Click on the name to get a detailed profile.)    

      

-1a- * Moët & Chandon + Mercier + Ruinart (Moët Hennessy LVMH*)		* Shares listed in the Stock exchange
-1b- * Vve Clicquot + Krug (Moët Hennessy LVMH*)
-2- * Vranken-Pommery + Charles Lafitte + Heidsieck & C° Monopole + Demoiselle
-3- * BCC : Lanson +  Burtin Besserat de Belledon + Boizel + Chanoine + Philipponnat + De Venoge + A. Bonnet
-4- * Laurent-Perrier + De Castellane + Château Malakoff + Salon-Delamotte + Lemoine	President of the Champagne House stated on the homepage of the brand
-5-    G.H. Mumm + Perrier-Jouët (groupe Pernod Ricard*)

     
       Some of the well known Champagne Houses belong to the same large investment groups, yet each brand manages to distinguish itself from the others by its diversified grape suppliers and its distinctive wine making techniques. By doing so, each brand keeps the characteristic taste that clients around the world expect.

More than one third of the total turnover generated by the Champagne industry is made by approximately 20 groups or Houses.

      These tradition orientated businesses are now also characterised by a turnover of between 10 and 100 billion euros per annum. The international fame and prestige enjoyed by these enterprises is based on the very idea of a familial business structure and sense of history that their clients associate with the company brand. The heavy media coverage of the large economic Champagne groups often hide the creation and development of new and independent family run businesses that often prevail within the ‘Grandes Marques’ and Champagne Houses.

Approximately 5% of the total turnover created by the Champagne industry is made by around 30 small and medium sized Champagne Houses.
      Mainly enjoying grape supplies from their own vineyards or from lands associated with their family, these Houses hark back to the familial character of the traditional “Champenoise” economy and lifestyle and form an integral part of the region’s economic fabric and sense of identity.
(Ranking underneath in alphabetical order)

Abelé   R. Boulard   Brice   E. Brun   Cheurlin-Arnoult   Cuperly   De Meric   Deregard Massing   A.Desmoulins
H.Giraud   A.Gratien   Jacquesson   Jacquinot   R.J. Lallier   A.R.Lenoble   C.Mignon-L.Launois   P.Mignon
 Moutard Diligent    Prin   E. Ralle   L. de Sacy   Ch. Senez   A.Soutiran