And it’s not just Americans. Champagne sales are also hurting in Canada, France and other European countries. Prices have seen important increases over the last few years. Also, the popularity has risen up until 2022. You can’t sustain that type of growth for ever (even volume wise!). And obviously, the economic situation is not helping sales either.
What we’re seeing with the 2nd half of 2023 and very early 2024 is consistent with what we expected:
“Prestige” cuvées are still selling strong (Dom P, Cristal, Taittinger CdC, etc.)
Tightly allocated bottles are still selling strong and seeing secondary market movement
Less expensive cuvées (entrée de gamme) of lesser known producers are selling well (lowest prices)
Where we are really seeing the contraction is on Grandes Maisons champagnes (except “Prestige” cuvées) and lesser known producers with higher price points.
Also consistent is that prices have not gone down. Grandes Maisons will be offering promotions (so wait for retailers to slash prices before buying) and grower producers are either holding prices still or even hiking them up again.
Sommpicks selection of hard to find champagnes is pretty good, they’re reliable, they get things shipped quickly and well secured. Not exactly what I’d call cheap, but sometimes they’re a very good source of difficult to find wines. I snag some things from them here and there if I’ve got a big tasting coming up and want something special or different or know a host is a fan of some producer I do not own.
NV Aurore et Florian Laval Olim - Rose of Meunier. Nov. 2022 Disgorgement. The A et F Laval Symposium, a blend of pinot noir and meunier, was pretty enjoyable with fairly high acidity but a nice balance of fruit for a good “hot day” mouthwatering finish. This, though, is not on the same quality level. It is grapefruit citrus driven with a hit of ginger and lemon lime and musky white tart cherry. Not particularly smooth, not particularly well integrated, acid is high, and not a ton of complexity. I found that this presented poor value and was not up to my expectations.
I agree with you that the Symposium is superior to the Olim in quality and it is less expensive too. Time will tell, but I think this “new generation” label shows promise especially as Aurore and Florian have experience from past generations and their father’s Michel Laval label. At least there is decent experience with Aurore and Florian. What I don’t like is the current hype around every new winemaker/vine grower in Champagne regardless of legitimate experience. It takes time to learn the craft especially if the previous generation just sold off the grapes. Add in many who aim for rather high pricing with no history to support the quality and you have a possible house of cards. The recent run of good vintages has allowed some to shine more than normal IMO. The proof will be in more difficult, challenging, or choice provoking vintages like 2021 and 2023.
***Edited because I mistakenly called Florian, Flavian
I’m normally not one to harp on dosage, but this is a Champagne that it’s noticeably “higher”. I actually would’ve thought by taste it was in the 8-9g/l range.
Fairly basic, apple, pear on the nose and very slight buttered bread note. Ripe lemon and tart green apple on the palate.
Thankfully this bottle was given to my girlfriend over the holidays by someone at work. Would I drink it again? Sure, if I wasn’t paying for it. It’s not that bad, but as we all well know in this thread, there’s a lot of better Champagne out there.
Edit: thinking a bit more as I finish this, maybe it just needs some more time post disgorgement.
Always appreciate the feedback and as I read this in bed I’m thinking maybe also the kind correction if I had Florian instead of Flavian! I was pleased with Symposium and in part took a flyer on these folks because of the Michel Laval tie-in. Hope they continue to develop.
No, you were correct with Florian. My bad on Flavian; no clue where that came from except for a bad memory or maybe thinking of Flavian Nowak. I will go back and correct it. Good catch and thank you.
First experience with Bereche, and after reading through several glowing reviews here I had pretty high expectations. This is their brut reserve, entry level offering with a mid 2023 disgorgement date.
Suffice to say, the wine met or exceeded every expectation I had for it. The color is a rich gold with a slight reddish tinge, almost like a red gold for the watch aficionados out there. Nose was immediately expressive with tons of lemon, honey, nuts, brioche, and a deep earthy core that reminded me a bit of isla scotch whisky, but not nearly as pungent. On the palette, the wine brings all the same complexity from the nose, with a highly concentrated preserved lemon note followed by waves of yeasty sweet pastry and on the finish a chalky mineral note that lingers with the baked goods. The wine has a wonderful texture that makes it stand out from plenty of other good to great champagnes - it’s creamy and soft, but at the same time has ample acidity that feels so tightly woven into the flavors that you experience awesome balance without ever thinking too much about it.
Needless to say, I am loving this wine, and with a few hours of air, everything is slightly intensified and better, but not dramatically different in character. Not that I hope it would change either, it’s pretty great.
I have a notebook I used to scribble drunken notes on when I went to large wine tastings. I was leafing through it the other day, and my note on this wine, dated 2006, simply read “dog food.” Sadly, your notes contain no clues to the meaning of that non-sequitur. I don’t think it was a shopping list, as I was pet free until 2021. I don’t suppose you picked up any Alpo notes?
Ha, I didn’t. But I wonder if that earthy note I described as isla whisky might come off as dog food to you? I don’t have any dogs, so I’d probably never make that association myself.
If you tasted Bereche’s NV back in 2006 then it would have been a completely different wine made by the previous generation (with some minor input from Raphael and Vincent). It wasn’t as good then as it is now and tasted quite different IMO. I never picked up dog food notes in it back then, but didn’t particularly find it memorable back then either.
You are channeling @Frank_Murray_III
I agree with both of you. Brut nature wines usually show better closer to cellar temperature than refrigerator temperature.
Extracted from a thread just posted re 4 wines tasted blind at dinner:
2012 LAURENT-PERRIER BRUT- blind; this had a pale yellow color and it took a while for the nose to provide a hint as to what the taste profile might include which turned out to be mild lemon and lime fruit delivered in a cotton candy like frothy mousse; this was a true light weight in every sense of the word from the color to the back end; as it turned out once revealed, it was the feminine version of the 2008; finesse, charm and elegance are the operative words in this lovely bubbly.
Doyard Vendemiare 2016-one of my favorites with beautiful clarity, lovely chardonnay fruit, and the length and acidic sizzle I enjoy in champagne. As the wine opened up, I was really struck by how simply delicious it was. Aromatically the nuance combined together so harmoniously as to give the feel of multiple voices but all on the note with perfect pitch. The palate was a similar experience, centered around lemon oil, white flowers,the slightest buttercream, and stones but integrated and harmonious, presenting as a single line of flavor through the palate.
Agrapart Terroirs bottled Mai 2017-in line with the Doyard. Over time as it opened up, I would give the Terroirs the slight edge. Beautifully chiseled with the electricity and tension I really prize in white wines in general and especially in Champagne. Great minerality and wonderful refreshing acidity and length.
Probably the best two bottles I have enjoyed in several months.
Not just great producers, but a very good (great?) vintage. I’ve really been enjoying the 2016s I’ve had recently. A 2016 Marie Courtin Concordance PN Sans Souffre was really delicious the other night.
Agreed. 2016 is right in my wheelhouse. I really enjoyed 2010, 2012, and have really loved some 2013-2015s but for my palate I feel like 2016 is one I should really focus on (YMMV).
