The house is in American hands...
Yes, the owner couple have been passionate about champagne for a long time. The two bought the Maison fifteen years ago and revolutionised it with a new team. Along the way, they have built two luxury hotels that have raised the bar for hotels in Champagne. They are visionaries with a flair for excellence and thus also personify the top-of-the-world idea of St. Moritz.

Sounds like an ideal collaboration.
Yes, and it is by no means a matter of course in the current market situation. Global demand for champagne exceeds supply. The bottles are literally ripped out of the hands of the Maisons, and organic products from houses like Leclerc Briant are particularly in demand.

How did this market situation come about?
During the pandemic, there was a sharp increase in demand for luxury goods in general and fine wine and champagne in particular. In addition, there was a chain of adverse circumstances, such as the poor harvest in 2021, shortage of materials, and supply chain interruptions. In addition, Champagne is the most strictly regulated wine-growing region in the world. One cannot produce more than the land bears. Everything is harvested by hand, and the main priority is quality.

How long will this shortage last, and how will prices react?
I think a year or two. Prices will continue to rise.

Who is drinking all this champagne anyway?
Most often, it’s “sparkling personalities”, which by definition exude positive energy, have a good sense of humour and attract other people. There are quite a few of these in St. Moritz.

Dan Roznov is best known as the Champagne Spy blogger and founder of the event series Champagne & Friends.

The Brut Réserve St. Moritz is available for purchase in the St. Moritz online shop and at the St. Moritz Tourist Information.

Further information on the maison Leclerc Briant: https://leclercbriant.fr/

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Did someone say (St. Moritz) Champagne?