Champagne Ayala
Blanc de Blancs 2008
Champagne, France
Ayala’s Blanc de Blancs is 100% Chardonnay, produced in small quantities in exceptional years only and fully expresses the superb caliber of great Chardonnay from the best crus of the Côte des Blancs. It is truly a unique vintage offering.
The 2008 vintage is sourced from 2 Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs: Chouilly and Les-Mesnil-su-Oger. After 6 years of aging in Ayala’s cellars, remarkable minerality and low dosage make this an outstanding wine that can accompany a variety of flavorful dishes, or stand on its own.
Vineyard
Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2008 is 100% Chardonnay from 2 Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs: Chouilly and Les-Mesnil-su-Oger. Ayala currently owns 35 acres in Champagne. Thanks to its privileged location in the heart of the Grand Crus of Montagne de Reims and their link to Bollinger, they also have unique access to top quality grapes.
Winemaking
Everything from grape reception to vinification, aging, riddling and disgorgement is done at the Ayala cellars. The Blanc des Blancs rests on the lees in the cellar for 6 years after disgorgement, in order to develop complexity, intensity and roundness on the palate.
Tasting Note
This opens with delicate and refined notes of hawthorne, mirabelle plum, white peach, almond and exotic fruits. The attack is precise, leading to an ample palate, with remarkable volume and a great depth. The white fruit and citrus notes are clean and focused, with a racy, chalky minerality. The finish is fine and delicate, with rare length and concentration.
Food Pairing
The purity of its aromatic character makes Blanc de Blancs 2008 the perfect epicurean apéritif, but it can also pair well with a variety of white fish, like turbot or john dory. Ideal to complement a wild sea bass with lemon butter, a pink peppercorn seasoned sea scallop carpaccio or lobster in a vanilla sauce.
Vintage
2008 was one of the best vintages from the decade. A return to a classic, dry style in a cooler year. It resulted in powerful fruit and acidity that came together harmoniously. Additionally, the expert sorting of fruit from some of the finest vineyards in Champagne helped assure that the 2008 vintage would be vibrant and produce expressive wine for this prestige wine.
Color
White
Appellation
Champagne, France
Farming
Ayala encourages their growers to use organic fertilizers and avoid insecticides, herbicides and pesticides.
Alcohol
12.0%
Suggested Retail Price
$110.00
Reviews
"clean-cut finish"
Wine Spectator - October 5, 2018 “Rich and ripe flavors of glazed apricot and spiced plum are layered with pastry dough, graphite and spice notes in this balanced version, with a lively bead. Accessible, presenting juicy acidity through to the clean-cut finish.”
Reviews
More on Champagne Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2008
Great Value Wines: 2008 Vintage Champagnes Under $100
August 21, 2018 - James Suckling editor Zekun Shuai compiled a list of great champagnes from the "wondrous" 2008 vintage that can be found for under $100, including Champagne Ayala Le Blanc de Blancs.…
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Rosé Majeur
Rosé Majeur is the perfect embodiment of the originality and finesse of the House’s wines. Made predominantly from Chardonnay, it is crafted with the addition of a small proportion of Pinot Noir from the best crus of the Montagne de Reims. A low dosage enables it to express the House style, both feminine and generous, with great elegance. The very high proportion of Chardonnay and the aging process result in a Champagne with remarkable finesse. It ages on the lees for three years, which is more than twice that is required by the appellation.
Brut Nature
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Ayala’s Brut Nature is a zero-dosage Champagne that highlights the House’s remarkable vinification expertise. After nearly four years of cellar aging, the wine reveals an elegant complexity, with an extended autolysis that enhances the quality of the grapes sourced from Champagne’s best crus. The blend primarily features Chardonnay, with a touch of Pinot Noir and a small amount of Pinot Meunier, resulting in a balanced, pure expression. Its bright gold color with a silver hue gives way to a fine nose of citrus and subtle saline notes. On the palate, it is clean and complex, offering dry mineral flavors alongside vibrant grapefruit and white fruit, all while maintaining tension and freshness.
Collection N° 16
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Champagne Ayala’s Collection N°16 is the fourth opus from the "Collection AYALA," a series of unique cuvées created to express the specificity of a vintage and a selection of exceptional crus through the lens of this boutique Maison. Produced in limited quantities and released only upon indication that the elements in this wine are integrated and evolved to a point of perfect harmony.
Brut Majeur
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Ayala Brut Majeur perfectly embodies the Chardonnay-focused style of Ayala. This cuvée achieves balance and finesse through low dosage, stainless-steel vinification, and three years of aging on lees. Made from over 70 crus across Champagne’s key regions, including the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne, each cru is fermented separately in 120 stainless-steel vats, preserving its unique characteristics. The result is a Champagne of exceptional complexity, capturing the richness and diversity of the region’s terroirs.
La Perle
Coteaux Varois
A treasure in the portfolio, La Perle is produced only in exceptional years, according to practices that have remained faithful to the Champagne tradition. Composed of a majority of Chardonnay, this wine captures the essence of the Champagne terroir, in the purest respect of the style of the House.
Collection AYALA
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Champagne Ayala’s N° 7 is the second opus from the “Collection AYALA”, a series of unique cuvées created to express the specificity of a vintage and a selection of exceptional crus through the lens of this boutique Maison. It is produced in limited quantities and released only upon indication that the elements in this wine are integrated and evolved to a point of perfect harmony.
