Champagne shipments in 2002 reached their highest point since 1999 and third highest level ever at 287.65m bottles, a 9.5% increase on 2001, according to the figures released by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC). With stock levels in most important export markets, notably the UK and USA, almost non-existent at the start of 2002 and good re-ordering widely reported in January 2003, shipments are thought to be very close to sales for the first time since 1998. A feature of t