Bérêche Champagne
Today I’m thrilled to finally share a new allocation from Champagne superstars Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche. Not only do we have their outstanding NV Brut Réserve back in stock, but also a small handful of truly rare bottlings from Aÿ and Ambonnay (both Pinot Noir–based), along with the Chardonnay-driven wine from Cramant.
The brothers behind it all, Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche, pour relentless attention into every detail, from vineyard to bottle. Their wines are expressive, precise, and maddeningly hard to get your hands on. Scarcity isn’t a marketing line here—it’s simply the reality of how little they produce.
Bérêche’s cellar sits in the Montagne de Reims, in the village of Ludes. The domaine has been farmed organically since 2003, with a recent move toward full biodynamics. Despite just 14 hectares under vine, the brothers employ 11 full-time vineyard workers—plus themselves—an almost absurd ratio that tells you everything about the meticulous vineyard work that has made Bérêche one of the most respected estates in Champagne.
The vineyards are planted in classic proportions—equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier—but the results are anything but conventional. There is no malolactic fermentation here. Raphaël doesn’t block it; he simply creates conditions where it can’t occur, through precise farming and a naturally cold cellar. The wines are piercing, mineral, and alive—linear and tense, yet never lacking charm.
In a region known for blending, Bérêche’s single-village bottlings show just how much one site, one year, and one vision can express. These 2019s are painfully limited. We don’t say that to push—we say it because they’re already nearly gone.
And of course, no proper Bérêche offering would be complete without the workhorse of the lineup: the NV Brut Réserve. This recent arrival comes from the 2024 disgorgement, and having enjoyed a bottle just last evening, it comes with my highest recommendation. For those looking for a truly festive holiday bottle, there’s also a rare, numbered Jeroboam available in extremely small quantity.
The NV Brut Réserve is the foundational wine at Bérêche, and the latest release is based on the 2022 vintage, incorporating a 40% perpetual reserve component, uniting the freshness of the northern slopes and the maturity of the hot, dry vintage. Fruit for this wine comes from vineyard sites across the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de Marne, and the Champagne was disgorged in October 2024 with six grams per liter dosage. Bursting from the glass with aromas of nectarine, orange zest and brioche, it's medium- to full-bodied and ample, with considerable density, underpinned by racy acidity and concluding with a chalky finish. The Brut Réserve has seen the most refinements in recent years as it no longer incorporates tailles and now features Chardonnay from Trépail; technically, this means that the pH is lower and the acidity is higher. It’s one of the most reliable entry-level NV bottlings on the market.
- Wine Advocate, 92
The 2019 Extra-Brut Cramant Grand Cru is a heady, explosive wine. Lemon confit, chamomile, slate and crushed rocks stain the palate. The 2019 was picked at 12.1% alcohol, dangerously high for Champagne because the wines can gain 1.5% alcohol in fermentation, where natural yeasts stop working. This is essentially white wine with bubbles. It is compelling juice by any measure. The 2019 was bottled with very low pressure and finished with no dosage.
- Vinous Media, 95+
The 2019 Extra-Brut Ambonnay Grand Cru, 100% Pinot Noir, is creamy, ample and quite seductive. Dried red cherry fruit, dried flowers, tobacco, cinnamon and subtle earthy notes are all laced together. This is an especially open-knit, soft Champagne for Ambonnay.
- Vinous Media, 94
Disgorged in July 2024 with a dosage of 3.7 grams per liter, Bérêche’s 2019 Blanc de Noirs Ambonnay Grand Cru has turned out racier and fresher than their Blanc de Blancs Cramant, which isn’t typical of this demonstrative terroir. Sourced from the south-facing lieu-dit Les Feuchères, not far from Bouzy, it wafts from the glass with scents of pomegranate, rye bread and pink grapefruit mingling with brioche and spices. On the palate, it is full-bodied, satiny and rich yet controlled, with an elegantly muscular profile and tangy acids leading to a long, expansive finish. Like the Cramant bottling, Ambonnay is produced from purchased fruit.
- Wine Advocate, 94
The 2016 Extra-Brut Aÿ Grand Cru is all class. Bright and focused to the core, with striking understated energy, the 2016 is a jewel of a wine. Crushed rocks, mint, slate, white flowers and white pepper soar out of the glass, supported by clean mineral notes that bring it all together on the vibrant finish. The blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay on chalk is magical.
- Vinous Media, 97
