Le Cran

Once again, I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted at Bérèche. These Champagnes are endowed with breathtaking purity and finesse. Bérèche is one of the few growers to age all of his wines (except the NV Brut and NV Brut Nature) on the cork, instead of the much more standard crown capsule.

Bereche was a clear standout among my visits earlier this year. The wines are loaded with distinctiveness and character across the board. Raphaël Bereche is young, but his sheer enthusiasm and conviction are likely to take him far. The functional cellar reflects a minimalist aesthetic that focuses on non-interventionalist farming and winemaking. Partial vinification in barrel, ambient yeasts and blocked malolactic fermentations are choices that inform these gorgeous wines. Bereche vinifies his parcels separately, which makes it possible to taste the various parcels from barrel or tank just after the harvest, a la Burgundy. Bereche is one of a small number of produces that prefers to age their top wines on the cork (instead of sealed with a capsule), a time-consuming, painstaking process that is just one example of the total commitment to quality that is the rule here. Bereche believes aging on the cork results in wines that are more complex and integrated. Based on what I tasted, it's hard to argue that point. Unfortunately, there is no Rose this year, as the estate is changing their approach a bit to that wine, with a new release scheduled for 2013. Still, there are plenty of other fabulous wines from which to choose in this lineup.

Bereche was a clear standout among my visits earlier this year. The wines are loaded with distinctiveness and character across the board. Raphaël Bereche is young, but his sheer enthusiasm and conviction are likely to take him far. The functional cellar reflects a minimalist aesthetic that focuses on non-interventionalist farming and winemaking. Partial vinification in barrel, ambient yeasts and blocked malolactic fermentations are choices that inform these gorgeous wines. Bereche vinifies his parcels separately, which makes it possible to taste the various parcels from barrel or tank just after the harvest, a la Burgundy. Bereche is one of a small number of produces that prefers to age their top wines on the cork (instead of sealed with a capsule), a time-consuming, painstaking process that is just one example of the total commitment to quality that is the rule here. Bereche believes aging on the cork results in wines that are more complex and integrated. Based on what I tasted, it's hard to argue that point. Unfortunately, there is no Rose this year, as the estate is changing their approach a bit to that wine, with a new release scheduled for 2013. Still, there are plenty of other fabulous wines from which to choose in this lineup.