As has the ‘08 Krug
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Krug has. I haven’t noticed any decrease in the price of 08 cristal.
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Luckily I am seeing quite a few releases this year at the same price or e1-2 more than last year.
I bought more Laherte Freres today. Both the BdB Brut Nature ($49) and Rose de Meunier ($47). Thankfully these two wines, which consistently ring my bell, remain below $50. Yeah, they are not low $40s like they were a few years ago, but they’re also not taking double digit + increases. There is still value around like these wines.
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Yeah Krug is way down. Bought some for $400 down from $850+. 08 Cristal is still very high compared to the $190 I paid years ago.
Krug 171 out today in London at £925/6 IB. Pretty wide spread of pricing though with some merchants out at £1015 which is supposedly Krug’s recommended price. Even 925 is 12% up on the 825 that the 170 was available for.
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Another champagne gone, it seems Reflet d’Antan will only be sold in restaurants and they are doubling or almost trebling the price. I used to think Bereche was one of the jewel in the crown type procuders we had, now I could not care less about their champagne. The Brut Reserve at 35 € three years ago and now 55 € to 60€ with no change in quality, we are now discounting this, just to move it.
Too expensive. Hure Frere could be accused of copying them for a long time but now Hure Freres are so much better in quality and price across the selection.
Reflet d’Antan is moving to magnum only so that explains some of the price increase.
Other than both being in Ludes and at one time having a cuvee with “Instant” in the name, I don’t think there is much similarity in style between Hure and Bereche.
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One certainly isn’t a substitute for the other.
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We have lost our allocation of the Reflet, we have been told it will only be sold in restaurants.
You like stating the obvious, I am aware the styles are different but Bereche, with their aggressive prices increases which is not justified by the quality are alienating customers. In my opinion Hure freres for a long time have copied Bereche in style and only in the last few years have found a style of their own. They are now the producer making the best champagne in Ludes. Hure have also increased prices but one can live with that as the quality is fantastic.
I saw courtier offered some bedel
Thank you for the detailed response. It does looks like the Brut Tradition is seeing longer time on lees, so I grabbed a bottle of 58 month 2021 deg to see if it has really shifted in style.
I still feel like Les Crayeres a steal compared to let’s say Krug 170eme at 220€ or Cristal 2014 at 275€. Maybe even better value than Comtes 2012 right now. But I agree that it’s not something that I’d keep for several decades. Just wish it was more readily available at that price. We’ll see since Francis Egly openly stated that they will increase production.
As for Hure Freres, I do see the similarity between them and Bereche that the entry wines from both are easy, pleasant sippers. Yet to try the Memoire- is it worth the price of entry?
Last week in Reims, Cristal 2015 at 280 €, the new Dom Perignon at 250 €, crazy.
The german champagne critic Gerhard Eichlinger may not have much meaning outside of Germany, but the champage producers want the new book translated into french as it offers the most comprehensive coverage of the region. He has promoted Huré frères into the top category which I think is justifable. This week we drunk the Inattendue and the new Memoires, they have really gone up a level and for me are now at Egly-Ouriet level in term of craftmansship and use of barrique. I don’t know what your prices are but from our perspective, these champagnes are definitely worth the price.
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Cristal 2015 is up again from 2014? Heard good things about the vintage but that’s a bit too much…
Inattendue and Memoire are available locally at approximately 60€ and 80€, respectively. I thought the Inattendue was rather nice for a young bdb, while the Invitation was just a pleasant, easy sipper.
14 cristal is available slightly below the last offer i had from merchants, so as I said, i think prices will inevitably cool off a little. I noticed yesterday that 08 Cristal is significantly below the all time high…
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Hey Brad, I want to thank you for stating the obvious. I’m here to learn more and try and decide what to purchase, not be sniped at.
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A few new wines in for us at more or less the same price as last year (+2e maybe).
Alexis, Petit Clergeot, Dufour, S&A Cordeuil, Chavost…
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I saw that offer too. Somewhat surprising that it didn’t sell out instantly. Perhaps a sign of the market softening?
Would be my suggestion too but I get yelled at round here if I suggest the champagne market isn’t just full time bull
A good customer has told us, Krug contacted them recently offering really good prices for the Mesnil and the Ambonnay, but not good enough for him to bite. He told them when the Mesnil is priced at three figures instead of four he would buy, They did not react.
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