Champagne days return to UK

The British have rediscovered their taste for champagne, according to figures published yesterday. More than 20 million bottles of bubbly were imported last year, a volume not seen since the 1980s.

The 18.4 per cent increase on 1995, compared to a world-wide rise in imports of 2.6 per cent, re-established the UK as the number one champagne buyer in the world, knocking Germany off the top spot, according to the Champagne Information Bureau.

Drinkers are also said to be spending more on each bottle, buying Prestige Cuvee and Vintage champagnes. World-wide shipments total 256 million bottles.