A/18 Ayala Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut

A focused, creamy and biscuity Champagne that has almonds, cream, pastries and white flowers on the nose, followed by a medium body with silky bubbles. A very inviting blanc de blancs. Dosage 5g/L.

92P+: A brand new cuvée, Ayala's 2018 Blanc de Blancs A18 is entirely crafted with Chardonnay sourced in the villages of Chuoilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger for the grand crus and Cuis and Bisseuils for the premier crus. Revealing a delicate, sweet bouquet of jasmine, brioche, pastry, confit citrus and flowers, it's round, harmonious, moderately weighted and seamless, concluding with a chalky, delicate finish with lemon-oil inflections. Dosage: five grams per liter.

Always coming from the Grand Crus of Côte de Blancs, the 2018 Champagne Le Blanc De Blancs A/18 Extra Brut includes fruit from the Montagne de Reims. This was Julien Gout's first vintage with Ayala as Chef de Cave, and he added the extra fruit to give the wine a bit more depth. On the nose, it’s delicate and floral with its notes of white flowers, baby powder, fresh pear, and lemon candies. Medium-bodied, it has more intensity but remains all about finesse and elegance, with a delicate, rounded mid-palate, a pillowy, fresh mousse, a delicate structure that frames the wine, and a clean, stony finish, closing with a hint of spice. It’s another step in the right direction for this estate and very nicely done.