Bérêche & Fils Brut Réserve L:20BSA-06/23 NV
- Region
- France » Champagne » Champagne AOC
- Type
- white traditional sparkling, brut
- Producer
- Vintage
- NV, based on 2020
- Disgorged
- 2023-06
- On lees
- 24 to 36 months
- Grapes
- Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Sugar
- 6
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- 1 bottles
Ratings
This fantastic NV bottle is just entering its drinking window and is already delightful. It presents an expressive and charming bouquet of bruised apples, toast, damp cellar, and buttered croissant. Vinous with a wonderful texture and the allure of candied fruit, it boasts an intense, foamy mousse. The long aftertaste finishes dry, with intriguing hints of iodine and chalk.
Served blind, I managed to identify the wine (after a few failed tries haha), though I initially mistook it for an older release. It's a testament to the remarkable quality of this entry-level bottle, which displays an (un)expected complexity and depth. The aroma profile is rich with buttered croissant, bruised apple, crushed apple seeds, honey, and a hint of cider, creating a compelling bouquet. Its texture is equally impressive, being both round and prolonged. Truly a magnificent find.
The latest release has truly exceeded expectations, presenting an incredible richness and depth. The bouquet is a sophisticated ensemble of red apple, buttered croissant, crushed apple seeds, and subtle touches of honey. Its texture is luxurious, with a roundness that envelops the palate in deliciousness, culminating in a prolonged finish. This bottle is nothing short of wonderful, showcasing the meticulous craft behind its creation.
About Producer
Bérêche & Fils is one of those domaines that quietly reshaped how many of us think about Champagne (at least, it happens to me). Under the direction of brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche - who officially took over in 2004 - it has transformed from a solid family-run house into one of the region's most respected grower-producers.
The domaine is based in Ludes, a Premier Cru village in the Montagne de Reims, but their vineyard holdings stretch across 14.8 hectares in the Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne, with small but important parcels in the Grand Cru village of Cramant in the Côte des Blancs. Farming is thoughtful and labour-intensive. Old vines are cultivated by hand, with no herbicides or insecticides, and yields are kept deliberately low.
Vincent focuses on the vineyards, while Raphaël runs the cellar - where the approach is just as deliberate. Fermentations are slow, native, and largely carried out in barrels. Malolactic fermentation is typically blocked to preserve tension and acidity. One of the more distinctive touches: they use natural cork, not crown caps, for the second fermentation. This traditional method, rarely seen these days, allows a gentle, oxygen-rich ageing process in a bottle - resulting in subtler bubbles and a deeper, more layered texture. Everything is hand-disgorged, nothing is filtered, and the wines speak for themselves.
Bérêche isn't chasing trends or looking for glossy perfection. Their wines are textured, vinous, and unpolished in the best possible way. And while they've become cult favourites - spoken of in the same breath as Selosse, Agrapart, and Prévost - there's still a kind of humility and directness that sets them apart.