Collet Brut Champagne - 750ml

Product Information

However, it’s not that simple. While it is likely that COGEVI will continue to supply Alliance’s needs for its brands, should it choose not to do this, Alliance would lose access to some prime vineyards in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte de Blancs. Despite the quality of its vineyard holdings in Champagne, and the good standard of COGEVI’s output under the Collet brand, this particular part of the group has run into financial troubles, and it is believed that it has requested a bailout from the Alliance Champagne board.

This means that COGEVI, due to the split, could lose a customer in Alliance Champagne at a time when it might be seeing sliding sales of wine and Champagne to other parties, such as supermarkets, as well as seeing a falling demand for grapes from the négociants.

Champagne Castelnau, Extra Brut NV

And finally, exacerbating the situation is something that’s become a more recent issue for the region, and particularly the cooperatives, and that is a shift from a shortage of grapes, to, potentially, an oversupply, as annual production in recent harvests has exceeded current demand. Furthermore, db has been led to believe that COGEVI managing director, Olivier Charriaud, has already left the organisation, along with the financial director. Meanwhile, the unbranded sector of Champagne, often supplied by cooperatives, is declining in terms of sales and profitability, which may mean that another source of COGEVI business is in decline. Indeed, the leaving-party represents 800 growers spread across 810 planted hectares, including some prized premier and grand cru plots, with vineyards and facilities capable of producing around six million bottles. Earlier this month it was announced by cooperative group Alliance Champagne – which is one of Champagne’s biggest producers and landowners – that part of its three-pronged business was breaking away, taking with it around one third of the group’s combined vineyard holding and therefore potential grape supply.

So why have these senior figures left COGEVI? While this is speculation, it appears that COGEVI may have spent too much money, with db sources citing a number of major investments, with a couple of capital-intensive ones mentioned in particular. After all, as much as 60% of Champagne’s annual business is done in the last three months of the year. Mid-lemon colour, it has a complex nose of raspberries, golden delicious apples and William pears with marked blossom notes, brioche and marmite. The fruit notes are developed, but with some underlying fresh zesty lemon. On the palate the mousse is powerful yet elegant, and the finish off dry and slightly chalky. (Siobhan Turner MW) Lanson, Le Green Label Organic But there’s a bigger problem for Champagne makers, whether they are growers who bottle under their own label, cooperatives who make their own brands, or houses who buy grapes to produce globally distributed marques. In other words, while Champagne Collet has a strong reputation for quality, it does not have the awareness or margins of a Grand Marque such as Pol Roger, Bollinger, or Veuve Clicquot, making funding big capital investments, particularly in a contracting market for Champagne, a challenge for COGEVI.Jacquart & Associés Distribution (JAD) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alliance Champagne which was set up by the three remaining co-ops both to handle the distribution and marketing of the Jacquart brand, wine made under the Champagne Ritz licence and all the BoB production for COVAMA, COGEVI and Union Auboise. Indeed, the change is really at the top – COGEVI directors will no longer be involved at board level at Alliance. So, in effect, the development means that COGEVI has moved from being an Alliance shareholder to becoming a preferred supplier. That’s because, until this year, prices have been increasing for grapes, (despite a volume decline in overall shipments), and, due to the Champagne ageing process, everything being sold now has been made from grapes bought at least two years ago.

While such investments may have seem justifiable in a growth market for Champagne, the trajectory for Champagne in recent years has been a downward one, when looked at in terms of volume sales alone. As for the part of this group that’s leaving the mothership, that’s the Coopérative Générale des Vignerons de la Champagne Délimitée (COGEVI), which, like most cooperatives, sells grapes, wines and bottled Champagne, as well as producing its own brand, which in this case, is called Champagne Collet. As mentioned earlier, COGEVI only supply around 100ha worth of grapes to Alliance for its branded Champagne production, representing around 20% of COGEVI’s turnover, but, bearing in mind the current situation, sources suggest that COGEVI don’t want to lose Alliance as a customer – and hence the likelihood that COGEVI will remain a supplier to Alliance. To explain further, Alliance Champagne comprises a triumvirate of cooperatives across the region, uniting over 1,700 grower members representing more than 2,500 hectares of vineyards, producing 25 million bottles of Champagne annually. One of Champagne’s biggest groups is breaking up, but is this a sign of wider problems in the sector or a case of excessive spending within one business? We look at the situation. COGEVI produce Champagne ColletSince then the CVC has grown rapidly and it is now made up of 80 smaller co-ops, which between them have nearly 5,000 grower members who send to the Chouilly co-op for processing, the crop from the equivalent of 2,200ha of vineyard spread right across the appellation. About 100 years ago a group of wine-growers in Épernay launched a new Champagne brand in honour of French 1 st World War general, General Curières de Castelnau. Nowadays based in Reims and with a vineyard holding in the Champagne region of over 900ha, the wines of Champagne Castelnau are a long-lasting tribute. Aged on the lees for 7 years, this Extra Brut shows a lovely balance of freshness and maturity. Mid-gold in hue with small bubbles and a well-defined cordon, the nose shows ripe red and yellow plums and red apples with buttered toast and orange zest accents. Very dry in style, the wine has medium body, lively acidity and very good texture with layers of flavours and excellent length of flavour. A delight to consider drinking with rich seafood dishes, or roasted quail or pheasant in light red wine sauce. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW) Read more Together, Jacquart and Montaudon account for around 5m bottles in annual sales for Alliance, or one fifth of the group’s output – it produces 25m bottles each year. The Champagne Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and is an extension of its successful Masters series for grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as regions like Rioja and Tuscany. The competition is exclusively for Champagne, and the entries were judged using Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic glasses supplied by Sensible Wine Services. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Champagne Master. So, for Champagne producers, the dilemma comes with selling high-cost wines at a time of oversupply and low consumer confidence.

Mid-lemon colour with a hint of gold. Clean and fresh on the nose with biscuity notes and bright fruit with some more developed notes. On the palate it is dry with high acid, medium body and lively lemony fruit. Noticeable oxidative notes on the finish suggest it should be drunk within the next 12 months, which will be an enjoyable task. (Siobhan Turner MW) Vieille France, Brut

However, one insider has made it clear that the reason for the break up is connected with past over-spending, rather than any issue with incomes during the present downturn in Champagne consumption. An excellent wine from Lanson. Mid-gold colour. The nose is intense and complex, with raspberry, green apple and some biscuity notes. On the palate it is long and creamy, with bright fruit and subtle hints of more developed, savoury notes. It has a beautiful, slightly chalky texture, a powerful mousse, and a long, creamy, and beautifully integrated finish. Delicious! (Siobhan Turner MW) Champagne de Venoge, Cordon Bleu Brut NV