Alright everyone, it's not quite time to panic yet, but it appears that the rumors are true: There may be a champagne shortage in the coming year. According to Delish, ad weather, rot, and mildew dramatically impacted the crop yield last season. which impacts how much champagne we get this year and potentially even next year. I know, I know. Just how bad is this shortage? According to Decanter, 2016 was the lowest crop yield since the 1980s, and prior to that, the worst since 1956. Clearly, these poor crop yields are not something that happen frequently, so champagne lovers around the world are, for lack of a better term, freaking out.
Which leads me to my current quandary: What can we do to prepare for the potential champagne shortage? Of course, it's always worth remembering that if we do go without a little champagne, this is far from the end of the world. As much as I enjoy a good mimosa on a Sunday morning, it's always good to keep perspective that a champagne shortage is literally the least of many people's problems. That said, if you're someone who enjoys popping open a bottle of bubbly, it's totally valid for you to be more than a little bummed about this news. So, what can you do to prepare?
1. Stock Up On Champagne
Luckily for us, it's pretty easy to buy champagne ahead of time and store it for later. If you buy a non-vintage champagne, you can expect to store it unopened for roughly three to four years. Vintage champagnes you can expect to store unopened for longer, averaging between five and ten years.
2. Switch To A Different Sparkling Beverage
If you're a fan of wine, you already know that a sparkling wine can be delightful, especially as you're cooling down from a long day in the heat. My personal favorite bubbly alternative to champagne is the lesser-known Spanish cava, a drink that is produced in the same was as champagne, but with different grapes.
Many people feel that cava is actually closer to champagne than prosecco, though prosecco tends to dominate the market, for whatever reason. Hey, with the champagne shortage coming, you have a reason to try both!
3. Check Out Your Local Breweries Instead
While beer and champagne probably couldn't be more different, a champagne shortage might be just the prompting you need to gather your friends and tour some local beer breweries. Often this is a cool way to try different beers for cheap and support your local and independent establishments. Not a bad way to kill a weekend afternoon, am I right?
4. Seriously, Stop Wasting Champagne
Yes, everyone loves that scene in every movie celebration where someone wastes an entire bottle of champagne by letting it explode all over the place. With the champagne shortage nearing reality, tell your friends to stop doing that, pronto. Every drop counts!
5. Take Advantage Of Every Bottomless Brunch You Can
If there was ever a time to treat yourself to a bottomless brunch, it's now. Get it while the going is good, or get used to the idea of having only Bloody Marys available as a side for your favorite brunch plate.
6. Get Used To Sparkling Cider To Start Off Your Morning
It's always possible that the champagne shortage might be the push you need to reevaluate your drinking habits and experiment with some non-alcoholic beverages. Of course, whether or not you drink is entirely your decision, but it's not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with some sparkling cider inspired cocktails, whether for yourself or a loved one who is choosing not to imbibe.
7. Call Everyone And Give Them The Bad News
No one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but it may just fall on your shoulders. Better to tell people sooner rather than later, so you and your squad can plan how you're going to make it through the potential champagne shortage. Good luck!
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