Ulysse Collin - what happened?

[Greg_K]

What does that have to do with listing wines in wine-searcher? Places like EMP have the mags of all the really hard to find stuff because he wants it there. Some retailer putting his wines on wine-searcher won’t change that. Come on.

I was responding to why there are a lot fewer bottles available these days. He doesn’t allow them on WS because he’s extremely conscious of the distribution of his wines. It’s not about raising scarcity to raise prices - the prices on the wines haven’t massively increased.

Collin has been my favorite champagne producer for years, I’m following the pricing closely by buying lots of it for years.

If people can’t find it on WS, they assume it’s sold out. Then certain retailers will post it at higher pricing cause it’s not available on searches. Which then people who can’t find them online for prior pricing end up buying from these places and after a bit the pricing becomes the new normal as each new release the retailers that aren’t posting it online but offering it to their customers, start to inch their pricing up to get closer to WS low.

Tale as old as time for quite a few producers. When most people don’t know what the “release” pricing is on the wine, it tends to escalate the price in the nearish future.

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

[William_Segui]

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

Someone asked me for some champagne recommendations (<$150) and my last few UC buys were under that number so I went to W-S to look around. When nothing came up, I was surprised. That said, wherever UC still lives, does it exist under $150/btl (Perrieres/Maillions)? I’d guess not and/or not for long.

[K_John_Joseph]

I get a few bottles of Maillons every year in Dallas.

As for Mousse, they’ve been around a while, are very good, are well priced. Todd French is a huge fan of them as well. Buy some and give it a shot. Tough to beat at $45 if you lie Meunier.

[Aleks_V]

By the way, I think they just reloaded more Maillons if anyone in the DC area is still looking.

Thanks for the tip! Just fired off an email.

[Greg_K]

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

Someone asked me for some champagne recommendations (<$150) and my last few UC buys were under that number so I went to W-S to look around. When nothing came up, I was surprised. That said, wherever UC still lives, does it exist under $150/btl (Perrieres/Maillions)? I’d guess not and/or not for long.

The Maillons definitely does, the Pierrieres mostly does as well. The Pierrieres at this point is @150. The Maillons is a much bigger production and sees less time on the lees, so there’s much more of it generally.

[Aleks_V]

Already gone

[Frank_Murray_III]

anyone get this offer from Envoyer today? Sounds interesting…small producer, biodynamic, mostly Meunier

NV
Mousse Fils
L’Or D’Eugene Rose
(Formally Rose Effusion) $44.99

Terrific Rose Meunier. Beyond that, my favorite Meunier from Mousse is the Mon Village bottling. Also a perpetuelle, no dose.

As for Collin, oy vey. Another producer heading for bigger prices. I got a mixed case of Collin in the cellar, the Pierrieres is a lovely wine, for sure. Pierrieres and Maillons will eventually be out of my comfort zone.

[Andrew_M1]

Please stop calling MacArthur it’s all gone

[Steve_Nordhoff]

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

Someone asked me for some champagne recommendations (<$150) and my last few UC buys were under that number so I went to W-S to look around. When nothing came up, I was surprised. That said, wherever UC still lives, does it exist under $150/btl (Perrieres/Maillions)? I’d guess not and/or not for long.

Definitely hard to find. Quality is fantastic, as demonstrated by a 2015 Maillons last week.

[DougS]

I was responding to why there are a lot fewer bottles available these days. He doesn’t allow them on WS because he’s extremely conscious of the distribution of his wines. It’s not about raising scarcity to raise prices - the prices on the wines haven’t massively increased.

Collin has been my favorite champagne producer for years, I’m following the pricing closely by buying lots of it for years.

If people can’t find it on WS, they assume it’s sold out. Then certain retailers will post it at higher pricing cause it’s not available on searches. Which then people who can’t find them online for prior pricing end up buying from these places and after a bit the pricing becomes the new normal as each new release the retailers that aren’t posting it online but offering it to their customers, start to inch their pricing up to get closer to WS low.

Tale as old as time for quite a few producers. When most people don’t know what the “release” pricing is on the wine, it tends to escalate the price in the nearish future.

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t the intent. Why else would they do that? I can think of no other plausible reason, and it doesn’t sit well with me as a consumer. I think it’s illegal in the US, by the way, but there is no enforcement on stuff like that. In my retail days we used to get hounded to raise our prices on certain wines or take them off Wine Searcher. It was pretty annoying.

[Dan_M]

I’ve never tried his wines but I’ve got a chance to get some at 50% off these list prices. Any of these a good introduction? Or should I go for something else here?

[Steve_Nordhoff]

I’ve never tried his wines but I’ve got a chance to get some at 50% off these list prices. Any of these a good introduction? Or should I go for something else here?

I would buy the entire Vintage section of that list if it is 50% off.

[mbzima]

For what it’s worth, the importer/distributor in California said that Olivier told them they were only allowed to sell his wines to restaurants as of 2-3 years ago. That is only going to push the market price in one direction.

[CFu]

Hayato in socal gets a fair amount of Collin and sells it for reasonable pricing

[David_Bu3ker]

For what it’s worth, the importer/distributor in California said that Olivier told them they were only allowed to sell his wines to restaurants as of 2-3 years ago. That is only going to push the market price in one direction.

Yeah, but that hasn’t been such a smart play the last two years.

[Dan_M]

I’ve never tried his wines but I’ve got a chance to get some at 50% off these list prices. Any of these a good introduction? Or should I go for something else here?

I would buy the entire Vintage section of that list if it is 50% off.

Ha…killing me

[Andrew_M1]

I’ve never tried his wines but I’ve got a chance to get some at 50% off these list prices. Any of these a good introduction? Or should I go for something else here?

Can you grab me some Egly?

[Greg_K]

If people can’t find it on WS, they assume it’s sold out. Then certain retailers will post it at higher pricing cause it’s not available on searches. Which then people who can’t find them online for prior pricing end up buying from these places and after a bit the pricing becomes the new normal as each new release the retailers that aren’t posting it online but offering it to their customers, start to inch their pricing up to get closer to WS low.

Tale as old as time for quite a few producers. When most people don’t know what the “release” pricing is on the wine, it tends to escalate the price in the nearish future.

I agree with you generally, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened with Collin.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t the intent. Why else would they do that? I can think of no other plausible reason, and it doesn’t sit well with me as a consumer. I think it’s illegal in the US, by the way, but there is no enforcement on stuff like that. In my retail days we used to get hounded to raise our prices on certain wines or take them off Wine Searcher. It was pretty annoying.

If it doesn’t sit well with you as a consumer, you can always stop buying the wines.

[J_Galang]

Quick question, is there a price difference between the Enfers regular and the 60 months late disgorgement version? If so, please state the prices.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

Isn’t one of the points of this thread that there is no such thing as “THE prices” for these wines when the market is not transparent?