Champagne Grand Cru Cramant & Avize 2020 Bérêche & Fils | Champagne

The Cramant & Avize Grand Cru Champagne from Bérêche & Fils is one of the most eagerly anticipated blanc de blancs in the lineup of brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche, who—from their base in Ludes, on the Montagne de Reims—have successfully transformed a family wine estate founded in 1847 into one of the most influential names in Champagne winemaking. This cuvée brings together two of the greatest Chardonnay grand crus of the Côte des Blancs, Cramant and Avize—two adjacent villages with complementary characters: the full-bodied, fruity generosity of the former, and the mineral tension and straightforwardness of the latter. The result is a luminous, vertical Champagne, built for aging, whose precision and chalky purity rival those of the region’s greatest blancs de blancs.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: Bérêche & Fils’s Grand Cru Cramant & Avize Champagne is the house’s most refined and elegant expression, where the chalky minerality of the Côte des Blancs meets the absolute precision of the Bérêche style.

The nose opens with a delicate and luminous generosity, blending notes of ripe citrus, white flowers, and fresh almond, carried by a effervescence of rare finesse. A chalky, almost powdery texture emerges at the bottom of the glass as the wine unfolds, bringing that mineral dimension characteristic of the great Chardonnay terroirs of the Côte des Blancs.

On the palate, the profile is both crisp and characterized by a compact, silky texture, threaded with a hint of saltiness that structures the progression with remarkable continuity. Notes of peach, fresh apple, and light brioche accompany perfectly integrated acidity, leading to a long, pure, and refined finish, whose chalky persistence concludes the tasting with an impression of great elegance.