Bereche Et Fils, Ay Grand Cru, 2017

The domaine has gone from strength to strength under the guidance of brothers Vincent and Raphaël Bérêche, who took over from their parents back in 2004. Located in Ludes (1er Cru) where a good portion of their 11ha are found, they also own a clutch of well-placed vineyards in and around Ormes (Petite Montagne) and Mareuil-le-Port (Vallée de la Marne), as well as isolated parcels in Trépail, Rilly-la-Montagne, and Chigny-les-Roses. To complete the picture, they recently added small plots in the grand crus of Mailly, Ambonnay and Aÿ, taking the domaine into a different league altogether. The brothers currently produce nine champagnes and one still coteaux champenois from over 20 parcels of vines averaging a high 40yo. Vincent is in charge of viticulture aided by a team of ten full-time employees – around one hectare per person – the work is fastidious, restricting yields, ploughing both between the rows and vines (during plant growth but not in summer) and hand harvesting with a large team of pickers. They work without herbicides or pesticides. Raphaël's work in the cellar is equally detailed and thoughtful. Wild ferment is the norm and, increasingly, the champagnes are aged for extended periods under oak – about three quarters of the wines are now vinified in 350ltr barrels, the taille goes into 205ltr barrels and the reserve wines in 600ltr demi-muids. Due to their low pH and high level of acidity, the wines generally don’t go through malolactic fermentation, which helps preserve finesse and ensure longevity.