Bereche & Fils Grand Cru Cramant 2018 (Disg. Jul 23)

The Cramant Grand Cru is a Blanc de Blancs sourced from two small plots: Le Bateau in the northeast of the village and the Chemin de Châlons plot (of Selosse fame) at its southern extreme. The vines are owned and expertly managed by Florent and Julien Mignon. The grapes from these great terroirs, with their chalky soils and 40-plus-year-old mass-selection vines, strike an incredible balance between structure, finesse and fruit intensity. This cuvée was vinified with indigenous yeasts in barrel and spent 54 months on lees before disgorgement. The dosage was 3.3 g/L.

“The 2018 Extra-Brut Cramant Grand Cru (from Bateau and Chemin de Chalons) is creamy, sensual and quite expressive in this tasting. It's a classy, understated wine with good depth and textural intensity, especially for the year. Apricot, fresh yellow flowers, graphite, spice and dried flowers build nicely. There's a bit of tightness on the finish, which is why I would prefer to cellar this for a year or two. The textural resonance here is admirable.”

94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinou