French winemakers are warning that a champagne shortage is just around the corner because of “frost, rot and mildew,” according to Decanter, a wine review and news source. Um, is it just us, or is this a sign that the world is ending? Is it because of global warming? Is it because of Donald Trump?!
Because of unexpected cold weather and storms as well as a “mildew epidemic sweeping through Champagne,” over two-thirds of grape buds were rendered unusable. Of grape vineyards, 99 percent were reported to have “mildew symptoms” by an organization that keeps watch over winemakers and their facilities.
What are we supposed to do? All this news makes us want to do is drink (champagne) to forget!
This slight tragedy, which winemakers are calling the “toughest [growth season] since 1956” will result in less champagne on store shelves in the coming months. Thankfully, prosecco still exists, and, Cosmopolitan reports, “most [winemakers] have some sort of reserve that can be used” when grapes don’t yield what they are expected to.
We can only hope that champagne will be back in time for New Year's. Until then, we just have to buckle down and celebrate frugally, while dreaming of champagne showers and cork-popping horror stories.