Champagne Grand Cru Ambonnay 2020 Bérêche & Fils | Champagne

The Ambonnay Grand Cru Champagne from Bérêche & Fils is an absolute rarity, crafted from a single 0.4-hectare plot, known as Les Tourets, nestled at an elevation of 110 meters within the Ambonnay Grand Cru, on the southern slope of the Montagne de Reims, which is considered one of the greatest Pinot Noir terroirs in all of Champagne. The vines, averaging fifty years of age, sink their roots into soils of brown clay and deep chalk, which give this blanc de noirs a texture of immediately recognizable richness and fullness. Introduced to the wine estate’s lineup starting with the 2014 vintage, this cuvée adheres to the same exacting standards as the other grands crus produced by brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche. With only 2,325 bottles produced, it ranks among the house’s most coveted and hardest-to-find champagnes.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: The Bérêche & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Ambonnay is the opulent and enveloping counterpart to the Grand Cru Mailly, a cuvée that embodies the natural generosity of Ambonnay at its most accomplished and refined.

The nose opens with breadth and allure, revealing a rich bouquet of brioche, honey, and rose petals, interwoven with hints of dried cherry and wild strawberry. A floral and spicy dimension, with hints of garrigue herbs, cedar, and cloves, gradually enriches this generous aromatic profile, before a subtle chalky minerality discreetly yet precisely recalls the Grand Cru origins of this Pinot Noir.

On the palate, the texture is silky and enveloping, carried by a concentrated yet restrained energy that suggests rather than imposes itself. Notes of tart fruit, toasted almond, and red berries enliven the palate with intensity, supported by a finely honed acidity that maintains balance with absolute precision. The finish, with its subtle hints of iodine and salt, concludes the tasting with the inimitable signature of chalk and the Grand Cru, inviting both patience and immediate pleasure.