Moet Hennessy announced a temporary suspension of champagne supplies to Russia. Because it can no longer call it champagne

“Do not want to - do not take it,” said Russian winemakers

“Washes Hennessy Distribution Rus” - the Russian structure of the producer of premium alcoholic beverages Moet Hennessy - warned of the temporary suspension of the shipment of champagne to Russia. On July 2, the company was published on Facebook by the top manager of the alcohol distributor Vinicom Olga Sokolova. His authenticity was confirmed by the sources of RBC , Vedomosti , Forbes and Kommersant .

As the Hennessy Distribution Rus was washed, the decision to suspend the supply of champagne is associated with amendments to the law on the regulation of alcoholic beverages. On June 16, they were approved by the State Duma, and on June 23 - the Federation Council. At the time of writing, “Hennessy Distribution Rus washes” the amendments were still awaiting the signature of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He signed them on July 2.

Amendments, in particular, change the law “sparkling wine (champagne)” in the law on the phrase “sparkling wine, including Russian champagne”. And thus they allow the use of the term “champagne” only in relation to a drink produced in Russia.

Due to these changes, “Hennessi Distribution Rus washes” will have to be repeated certification of his products and change its labeling. In addition, winemakers from the French region Shampan should approve their renaming their products for the Russian market from “champagne” to “sparkling wine”. So far they have not given such approval, according to the letter "Washes Hennessy Distribution Rus."

Amendments were not discussed with the professional community. Although they can affect not only champagne importers

Amendments to the Law on the Regulation of Alcoholic Products were received by parliament in 2017. At the same time, they received their final form only for the second reading and were not discussed with the professional community, said Maxim Kashirin, founder of the company for the sale of Simple alcoholic beverages. “I haven’t been remembered for a long time that the new legislation was adopted at such a time - almost on the last day of the State Duma - and did not give any transition period,” the businessman said.

The head of the information project on the Wineretail wine trade, Alexander Stavtsev told Kommersant that, due to amendments with the need for repeated certification, importers of not only champagne, but also other wines with geographical origin may encounter. They will need to hand over products for laboratory research in Russia. According to the source of Kommersant in a large retail network, at best, this process will end in one to two months.

The Union of Vinogents and Winemakes of Russia called the decision of Moet Hennessy with blackmail. “Do not want to carry it - do not take it,” said the President of the Union

Moet Hennessy is part of the LVMH concern and produces premium champagne Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot. According to the director of the Center for Research of Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets (number) Vadim Drobiz, Moet Hennessy annually imports 600-800 thousand liters of its products in Russia in the amount of about $ 20 million. This is approximately 2% of the annual volume of imports of sparkling and champagne wines to Russia.

“These volumes are consuming no more than one million people in the country, which means that in the photographs of representatives of the elite with a glass there will be not French champagne, but Italian Prokvko and Spanish Kava,” said RBC’s fragment. He is sure that Moet Hennessy incorrectly read the amendments to the Russian law and that he cannot cancel the international name of the Champagne product, because "this is not its jurisdiction."

The President of the Union of Vinogradaries and Winemakers of Russia Leonid Popovich is also sure that no one forbids the Moet Hennessy to use the name “champagne” in Russia: “We never force us to call alcohol products otherwise than the manufacturer calls. We just ask to prove its compliance with Russian standards for sparkling wine and indicate it on the label, ” said Popovich RIA Novosti.

He called the letter “Washes Hennessy Distribution Rus” “Screaming from scratch.” “I even think that this is a kind of blackmail without any evidence. Two dozen other manufacturers are supplied to Russia, and no one was outraged from them. Do not want to carry it - do not take it. In Russia, sparkling wine is no worse. Our consumers will not be left without sparkling wine, the same in quality, taste and aroma, ”Popovich assured.

Moet Hennessy promises to resume deliveries as soon as possible. When exactly is unknown

On July 4, Bloomberg reported with reference to Moet Hennessy that the company agreed to label its products supplied to Russia as “sparkling wine” instead of “champagne”. The new requirements of the legislation led to a “exclusively temporary” suspension of supplies to Russia, but they will resume after adjusting the labels, Moet Hennessy said. When this happens, the company did not specify.

Olga Korelina