Champagne authority Peter Liem writes that “among all Champagne villages, Aӱ is the most historically esteemed… Today, its terroir is still just as storied, and its grapes are sought after by winemakers across the region.” It is perhaps no surprise that the poet Alfred de Vigny declared in 1853 that “the mousse of Aÿ radiates happiness”. From a Grand Cru where Pinot Noir reigns supreme, Bérêche’s cuvée is sourced from less than a hectare of 40+-year-old vines at 280 metres’ elevation in the parcels of Brise Pot and Froide Terre in Grande Vallée de la Marne, where thin topsoils (at a maximum of 30cm) rest over dense Campanian chalk. The blend is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, fermented slowly in barrels and aged on lees in a bottle for 78 months. The dosage was 4 g/L. It’s a striking Champagne whose depth of hedgerow fruits and soft spices is matched by its length and cut-glass precision.