Russian champagne can now be bought in cans

Since Putin’s 2021 decision to make champagne the sparkling wine made in Russia, import rates of European wines have plummeted. According to RIA Novosti news agency – based on Eurostat data – Russia has reduced its wine imports from the European Union to the lowest level in 20 years, with only 126,000 tons imported since the beginning of the year.

In the most recent reporting period, imports fell by 25% year-on-year, reaching the lowest figure since 2004, when Russian companies imported only 87,000 tons of European wine.

The main wine supplier this year was Italy, whose share in Russian imports doubled to 39%, equivalent to 49,000 tons. Last year, the total value of Italian wine imports to Russia was 158 million euros.

At the same time, last year’s leaders, Lithuania and Latvia, experienced significant drops, with sales 2.7 and 4.3 times lower, respectively. For eight months, only 18,000 tons of wine were imported from Lithuania and 14,000 tons from Latvia to Russia.

The top five EU wine suppliers to the Russian market this year also include Poland, whose exports increased 1.7 times, reaching 13,000 tons, and Portugal, whose sales increased 2.8 times, reaching 10,500 tons.

Russian brands are gaining ground, as in the case of La Petite Perle sparkling wines in their Extra Brut and Rosso (rosé) versions, which can now also be compared in their canned version, ready to be consumed anywhere.