Bereche et Fils 2007 - Cote 750 ml.
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Size: 750 ml.
Bérêche & Fils is run by brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche, who took over some years ago from their father Jean-Pierre. The family have been grape growers in Chigny-les-Roses, in the Reims Mountains, since 1847. They farm 23 acres divided into vineyards of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Raphaël is winemaker and the estate produces about 80,000 bottles a year. The estate makes numerous Champagnes, all for their power and character, according to wine writers.
The two brothers use very traditional methods across the board and be warned that production is tiny! Malolactic fermentation is systematically avoided, with bottling normally in May, un-filtered and with a natural cold-settling. These delicate techniques produce superbly vibrant Champagnes with great concentration and structure.
These Champagnes carried a pure and minimalistic label with a short name, were sold with a surprisingly high age for being newly introduced and produced by a small grower, and were all produced in a quite dry style. They were presented in a wine shop in Epernay where there’s usally a tasting of this kind every Saturday, and they definitely were to my taste. The production volume is quite low, so they probably won’t be too easy to find in most markets, but they’re definitely worth grabbing if you come across them.