Crémant de Bourgogne Posts One of Its Strongest Harvests

Crémant de Bourgogne closed 2025 with 231,000 hectoliters of production, one of its strongest harvests on record, as the sparkling wine category continued to gain ground in Burgundy and abroad. The appellation now accounts for 15% of Burgundy’s total wine production volume, up from 13% two years ago, and has become the region’s third-largest AOC by volume.

The growth reflects both expanding vineyard area and steady demand for sparkling wine at a time when Burgundy’s reputation remains tied to still wines. Vineyard surface area for Crémant de Bourgogne is nearing 4,000 hectares, a sign that producers are continuing to invest in the category as part of a broader business strategy. For many growers and négociants, the wine offers a way to diversify sales while competing in a global market that has shown strong interest in sparkling wines priced below Champagne.

Exports were the main driver of the category’s expansion in 2025. Sales volumes rose 9%, and exports made up 51% of total volume sold, a 14% increase in export share from 2024. Over the past decade, Crémant de Bourgogne has accounted for 20% of the growth in French AOC sparkling wine exports outside Champagne, according to the industry data cited by Wine-Intelligence. That performance has helped move the wine from a regional product to a more established international brand.

The United States and Canada remained the leading foreign markets by both volume and value. Demand was also strong in Nordic countries, including Switzerland, Norway and Denmark, where Crémant de Bourgogne is now the best-selling Burgundy wine. The United Kingdom stood out as another major market, passing one million bottles in sales and posting gains of 27% in volume and 29% in value. Italy has also emerged as a top-five destination, especially for premium cuvées. Smaller declines in the Netherlands and Japan were linked to local market conditions rather than broader weakness in demand.

In France, large retail chains continued to play an important role, accounting for 28% of total sales, or about six million bottles in 2025. The average retail price was about €8, roughly €1 above comparable sparkling alternatives, which supports the wine’s position as an accessible but higher-quality option. Producers have used that pricing to place Crémant de Bourgogne between everyday consumption and more formal occasions.

The range of styles has widened as well. The appellation now includes aperitif wines, food-pairing cuvées, vintage bottlings, rosé and blanc styles, brut nature wines, special cuvées and single-vineyard expressions. That variety has helped it reach different consumers and compete across multiple price points and settings, from casual drinking to restaurant lists.

Industry officials say supply remains controlled despite recent weather challenges. Stocks are described as balanced, allowing producers to meet demand without putting pressure on quality or pricing. The sector’s position rests on brand recognition, technical know-how in sparkling wine production, strict quality rules and consistent reliability in the market.

Crémant de Bourgogne marked its 50th anniversary in 2025 and is now entering a new regulatory phase. In 2026, the appellation submitted a request to France’s national wine authority, INAO, to amend its production rules so that named vineyard parcels, or lieux-dits, can be formally recognized. The change would bring sparkling wine production closer to Burgundy’s long-standing parcel-based identity and could strengthen traceability and terroir expression.

For Burgundy’s producers, the shift matters because it gives Crémant de Bourgogne a clearer place in a region where prestige has long been defined by still wines from specific sites. The category’s recent growth suggests that sparkling wine is no longer just a secondary product in Burgundy but an increasingly important part of its commercial future.