2016 Aÿ Grand Cru, Bérêche et Fils (Disgorged November 2023)
It is not often we can offer wines of such exalted status, so it is a great pleasure to have this magnificent grand cru on the list. Bérêche is now one of the most sought-after growers in Champagne. The family team owns 11 hectares, most of which are in the village of Ludes on the Montagne de Reims. In recent years they have gone from strength to strength, and their wines are snapped up with speed. They block malolactic fermentation so the wines have a tensile, chalky line running through them. The extended oak ageing they practise adds depth and power to the wines. As you might expect, it is made in miniscule quantities.