Champagne increasing in popularity

Worldwide sales of Champagne have grown from 287 million bottles in 2002 to 321 million last year; and, with 2007 sales expected to exceed 330 million – the maximum that the Champagne region around Reims can produce – land in 40 villages in northeastern France is under consideration for use as vineyards by the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. French farmers will be only too happy to produce Champagne because an acre of vines is worth 350 times the value of an acre of wheat. Increased demand in Russia, China and India is believe to be the cause of the increase in sales.