Only Russian fizz can carry Champagne name in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law, which mandates that only Russian winegrowers could sell wine labeled as “Champagne” in Russia, and French Champagne will be classified as “sparkling wine.”

This direct challenge to the French Champagne industry comes as the deadline approaches following a legal battle in 2010. It was ruled then that Russian crémants (sparkling wines made using Champagne methods), which had used the word "Champagne” on their labels since Soviet times, must stop doing so by 2022.

Moët Hennessy’s Moscow office claimed that French producers were not prepared to change the name of their product for the Russian market, adding that delivery would be banned until a solution could be found.

Russia currently imports around 50 million litres of sparkling wine each year, of which 13 percent is French Champagne. There are already several brands of Russian ‘Champagne’ on sale in Russia, produced in southern regions such as Krasnodar and Rostov, often for as little as 270 Roubles (£2.70) a bottle.