Champagne Champions

With Christmas and New Year's celebrations just around the corner, many people currently stock up on their favorite drinks. And what better way to toast on a special occasion than opening a bottle of champagne, one of France's proudest exports. The United States and the UK are particularly fond of the exclusive sparkling wine from the Champagne region, having imported 26.9 and 25.5 million bottles in 2023, respectively. As our chart, based on data by the trade association Comité Champagne, shows, five of the eight largest international markets for champagne are located in Europe.

This is not to say that other countries don't enjoy sparkling wine, but the numbers given here only refer to the higher-priced, regionally-produced drink from the French region of Champagne. The area was officially designated in 1927 and is home to winemakers like Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon and Krug.

While champagne makes up less than 10 percent of global sparkling wine consumption, it accounts for 35 percent of the market value, generated with only 0.5 percent of the world's total vineyard area. Overall, champagne exports from France amounted to roughly $4.4 billion in 2023, with the U.S. alone importing almost $1 billion worth of the prestigious bubbly.