Crémant de Loire enjoys record-breaking success

n 2024, Crémant de Loire broke two records. Its first major achievement was overseas, its primary sales outlet, where it marketed 122,500 hectolitres – out of a total 202,000 hl – and achieved a 15% increase. Germany continues to rank as the appellation’s leading market, with shipments of 69,000 hl, followed by the United Kingdom, which surged by 40% to 11,600 hl. Next came the United States (8,000 hl), Belgium (7,000 hl), Sweden (5,000 hl) and Japan (2,500 hl). Regional companies have had long-standing ties with the German market but over the past decade they have successfully grown other destinations and improved price points. So much so that the average bottle price for wines shipped to the USA is €5.40 and €4 for the United Kingdom, compared with €3 in Germany. The appellation’s volume sales have allowed it to carve out a place for itself as the Loire Valley’s top-ranking wine in export markets, ahead of export heavyweight Sancerre.

The appellation’s second major achievement was in France. In a market showing significant decline, Crémant de Loire witnessed record sales in French super/hypermarkets, selling over 33,600 hl, an increase of 13% over the previous year. By value, consumers slightly reined in spending with the average bottle price standing at €6.42.

Inevitably, such healthy sales performance has filtered down to the companies themselves. “In 2024, we experienced robust growth in the United Kingdom thanks to Crémant de Loire”, stresses Nicolas Emereau, managing director of Robert & Marcel. The company’s marketing arm, Alliance Loire, in fact launched a second Crémant de Loire brand – Loria – alongside its historic De Chanceny label. Another sign of the times is the decision by Castel to make its first Loire foray outside still wines and launch its very first Crémant de Loire sparkling wine under the Plessis-Duval brand.